Hutton signs with Northwest Mississippi
Darlington School senior Grant Hutton signed a basketball scholarship last Wednesday with Northwest Mississippi Community College in Senatobia, Mississippi.
Hutton said of the signing: “It felt really good. Just signing and having my family, teachers, coaches, teammates and friends there meant a lot to me. Signing those papers meant that I get to take another step in my basketball career, and I feel like I’m ready for it. Hopefully, go over there and do well and move up to the Division I level after that. But it was just a great day for me to sign and remember what I’ve put into it to get there.
“I’ve talked to the assistant coach (at Northwest Mississippi) a lot, and he’s really kept in contact with me. They really had a plan for me and want to use my abilities and give me a chance to compete. And the head coach is great, too. They have a lot of connections so that will hopefully help me find where I want to be for the next level. Everything just felt like the right fit at Northwest Mississippi.
“I’m really ready (to graduate). I’ve got summer ball coming up after graduation, and I’m just ready to grind. I’m ready for the challenge and looking forward to college.”
Also attending the signing ceremony last Wednesday and pictured along with Hutton (seated, second from right) were (seated, from left) father Michael Hutton, mother Holly Hutton, sister Emma Hutton, (standing, from left) Darlington assistant basketball coach Corey Roper and Darlington head basketball coach Nathan West.
After transferring to Darlington prior to his senior year, Hutton put up a huge final prep season, earning RN-T All-county CoPlayer of the Year honors. For the season, he averaged 13 points and seven rebounds per game while
also impacting the game on the defensive end with his length, athleticism and instincts as the Tigers won the Rome Seven Hills Rotary Christmas Tournament for the third straight year and then made a run to the Class A Division I elite eight.
Hutton was also a standout in track and field for Darlington where he most recently won the Class A Division I state championship in the long jump with a distance of 22 feet, 8 inches and also finished sixth in the high jump at the state meet with a 6-0.