Boys basketball player of the year

LOVINGSTON — Thomas Brown’s rapport with Nelson County teammates T.J. and Trever Martin was built long ago, when the three would visit their grandmother.

Brown and the Martin brothers are cousins, and for as long as Brown can remember, the boys have been competitive in just about any sport they tried.

“Every weekend, when we were at my grandma’s house, we played everything — football, basketball, any sport,” Brown said. “We’re always competitive with each other.”

That experience manifested itself on the floor this season at Nelson County. Brown found T.J., a senior, and Trevor, a freshman, with ease, making one slick pass after another.

“I never have to second guess anything,” Brown said. “I’ve been playing with them so long that I know all their capabilities. It kind of made things easier.”

Brown, The News & Advance’s All-Area basketball player of the year, watched his team’s fortunes rise this year as he found ways to get his teammates more involved.

He led the Governors’ state-title charge, scoring 24 points per game. Brown averaged 6.5 assists per game, and his playmaking ability was evident. Four Governors averaged eight or more points per game.

Brown’s scoring took a small downturn, but the price was one worth paying.

“I was just worried about winning,” Brown said. “It was my senior year. I wasn’t trying to tell people, ‘Yeah, we lost in districts, but I scored 30 points per game.’

“What I wanted to say was, ‘I scored 10 points a game, but look at the finger. We won a state championship.’”

To wit, Brown still led the Govs in scoring in Nelson’s 50-44 state title victory over Surry County. But he scored just 16 points and helped spread the wealth. T.J. Martin scored 14 points and Mike Jones scored 10.

The days of Nelson County being the Thomas Brown one-man show were over.

“He matured over the summer,” Nelson coach Brandon Garrett said. “His numbers are down a little bit, but he got his teammates involved.”

One-on-one, Brown was difficult to stop, even when opponents double-teamed him. Brown shoots well from the outside and uses his quick first step to beat defenders off the dribble. He rarely failed to finish when he drove to the basket.

The athletes he’ll see at the next level are stronger, though, and that’s why Brown decided to spend a year playing at Hargrave Military Academy. After Hargrave, Brown said he’s deciding between playing at Charlotte or Virginia Tech, though Air Force and Boston University have both shown some interest.

Though he’ll be away from home, Brown will never forget the memories he forged with family and teammates this season.

“I saw a lot of people that I haven’t seen since I was a little kid,” Brown said. “And I’m still meeting people I don’t know. I’ll see people at Liberty or at Vito’s Pizza Place, and they’re like, ‘Nice game, Thomas.’ I’m not sure who they are, but I always say thank you.”

Nelson fans would probably tell Brown the same thing.