A Lady Eagle is leaving the nest to pursue bigger dreams at the next level. Senior standout Destiny Brown, the daughter of head basketball coach Calvin Brown, signed her letter of intent May 18 to continue her basketball career at Hinds Community College after five standout seasons on the hardwood at East Marion.
Brown's impact on the floor for the Lady Eagles was evident from her earliest days on the roster, helping lead East Marion to the Class 2A semifinals as an eighth-grader. As a freshman, she became the team's second leading scorer, averaging 8.6 points per game during her second high school basketball season. The following year, she stepped into an even larger role, leading the way offensively with 13.9 points per game to go along with 4.4 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.7 steals.
Those numbers continued to rise throughout Brown's junior and senior seasons, as she asserted herself as the Lady Eagles' most dependable playmaker on both ends of the court. She wrapped up her high school career this past winter with an explosive senior season, scoring 17.1 points per game as she led East Marion to 12 wins and a trip to the Class 2A playoffs.
Brown was selected to compete in multiple all star games as a senior, including the Magnolia All Star Game, where she showcased her shooting skills in a three-point shooting contest. She also represented East Marion as a member of the MAC All-Star Volleyball game.
More than the big shots, the big numbers or the big wins, however, Brown said what she'll remember most about her days at East Marion are the people around her who pushed her to excellence and helped make her stint on the team an unforgettable experience.
"I'll remember the people the most, honestly," Brown said. "They were always with me and supported me through all the highs and all the lows. There are some really great people here."
Brown, the daughter of Calvin and Misty Brown, said the offer she received from Hinds seemed to be the best opportunity for her to continue growing as a player while also pursuing her career goals as a physical therapy major. Though her future success will be celebrated at different gyms in different cities, her East Marion family plans to continue cheering her on, none more so than her proud mother.
"I'm extremely proud of her for how she's handled herself, both with her academics and athletics," Misty Brown said. "I'm excited for her, and I can't wait to see how handles herself playing basketball at the next level."
Equally as proud is her father, who kindly declined the opportunity to speak, not wanting to subtract any of the spotlight from his daughter on her special day of recognition.
