CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW) – Kenwood boy’s basketball senior guard Kevin McIntosh has chosen to continue his athletic and academic career at Bryan College.
“It was definitely a blessing to commit during this time,” McIntosh said. “I knew it was going to be a little harder because no one saw all this coming. I went on a workout right before quarantine when we were still in school and they finally got to see me play. I had a great workout and the team, coaches and everyone else just showed me love and it felt like a family. I knew from there, it was the best program for me.”
McIntosh averaged just under 10 points per game in his senior campaign where he predominantly ran point guard for the Knights.
“I had a couple of other offers down the stretch,” McIntosh said. “After a lot of thought and consideration and looking at everything like the distance away from my family, I just knew Bryan was the right fit.”
There is currently a lot of other local Clarksville flavor on Bryan College’s roster including Clarksville Academy’s Nolan Johnson, Montgomery Central’s Trey Spencer, Clarksville Christian School’s Austen Bowles and Kenwood’s Cameron Boykin.
“Cameron was a former teammate of mine,” McIntosh said. “We’ve had a lot of discussions and he’s told me some good things that I wanted to hear about the program. He’s helped me out a lot. Just having someone in Clarksville there that I know personally was a benefit for me.”
Kenwood boy’s basketball coach Jason James knows what to expect at the next level, having come from UT-Martin prior to taking over the head coaching position for the Knights.
“When I was in contact with all of the schools, he (James) told me to make sure I felt comfortable with the coaches, program and everything like that,” McIntosh said. “Everything he told me about the recruiting process actually happened. When Bryan was being consistent and showed me their level of interest, I thought back to what Coach James said before. He gave me tips like that along the way and it definitely helped out.”
For most athletes, there is a moment in time where the thought of earning a scholarship to play the sport they love at the highest level becomes a real possibility.
“I would say maybe during my junior year in AAU,” McIntosh said. “That’s when I really first started picking up interest and I knew then that it could actually be a reality. Coach Tony (Thompson) helped open my eyes a lot being a point guard going into my senior year. If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t be the player that I am today. I got the exposure and played with a lot of great players that have recently committed as well. It helped me see more competition outside of just Clarksville.”
After completing his prerequisite classes as a Lion, McIntosh plans on majoring in Sports Management.
“At first during my junior year, I kind of saw myself pursuing business management,” McIntosh said. “After I talked to some people along the way, they told me about the Sports Mnagement program. I started looking into it, doing more research and have been interested in it from there.”
Kamari McIntosh, Kevin’s younger brother, also plays basketball for Kenwood and will enter his junior year in the fall. Kevin discussed the role his sibling has played in his development on and off the court.
“We’ve always had a relationship where we push each other,” Kevin said. “I always wanted to be a great example and pave the way for him by showing him how hard to go and not to take any days off. This right here is proof to him that you can be rewarded and that the hard work you put in does pay off.
“It’s a great feeling to be able to play with your brother,” Kevin said. “Having him on my side, being on the court together sometimes and getting to see his game grow to another level was just a blessing to be able to experience.”