With more than 2,000 points, Brunson reached new heights
RAMSEUR — By the time Trevor Brunson reached the high school grades at Faith Christian, he was well-known on and off the basketball court.
His name figures to last in the athletic department’s record books for quite some time.
Brunson finished with 2,045 career points, averaging about 23 points per game in the process in a four-year varsity career.
This was in the works for quite some time since he moved up to the junior varsity while still in eighth grade.
“I got a lot of experience playing against older guys,” Brunson said. “It just kind of took off from there. Coach (Todd Daniel) trusted me with the ball and said, ‘Just go score.’ ”
Brunson followed instructions well.
He’s Faith Christian’s first player to reach 2,000 points in the 53 years of the school, which now has enrollment of about 330 students.
Brunson has been part of the school since preschool. By the time he became part of the 16-member graduating class in the spring, he was one of four students to be there from start to finish.
Even as some of his basketball credentials grew, he said it was best to continue his school at Faith Christian.
“It’s a different feel,” he said. “I call the whole place my family.”
He stood at about 6-foot-2 as a sophomore. When he played his last game, he was 6-6 – and yet he remained at the guard position, creating some interesting matchups.
“To tower over people is kind of weird,” he said. “At the beginning of my career, I focused a lot on perimeter shots and jump shots. When I first moved to varsity, I was pulled up to be a point guard so I just stuck with it.”
Brunson’s credentials include a two-time all-state selection in the North Carolina Christian School Association.
“He had done well against everybody,” Daniel said. “He played up in ninth grade.”
The 2,000th point came in the second round of this year’s state playoffs against Hilltop Christian. The sequence began with Brunson making a steal.
“And he was gone,” Daniel said.
Brunson drove for a dunk – and was fouled in the process.
“That was super cool,” he said.
The Eagles reached the state semifinals, falling to Berean Baptist Academy of Fayetteville. They finished with a 19-7 record.
Brunson’s impact was widespread.
“Just a phenomenal team leader. A very unselfish player,” Daniel said. “He’s very adept at driving and finishing at the basket.”
Brunson was involved in travel ball teams in fourth and fifth grade. He said he appreciated the staff at Faith Christian encouraging him as he came through the system and “they pushed me extra hard because they saw something.”
Brunson, who did all his prep scoring before turning 18 years old in April, is headed to Bob Jones University in Greenville, S.C. His connection there began more than two years ago when he went to a summer camp on campus.
The Bruins are making the transition from the National Christian College Athletic Association to NCAA Division III. Brunson plans to major in sport management.
He said he hopes his influence can follow a similar path to his time at Faith Christian.
“I had those thoughts, transferring out to somewhere bigger. I knew God wanted me there and He could use me in many ways,” he said. “I had a super career and I know I couldn’t do it without God and my coaches and teammates. They trusted me.”
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