From Bulldog to Fighting Tiger, Hopkins signs with Andrew College
Apr. 24—THOMASVILLE — Thomasville High School senior Ananias Hopkins signed his letter of intent on Friday morning to continue his career on the court at Andrew College. Friends, family and teammates surrounded Hopkins as he signed on to play basketball at the collegiate level.
"I was happy," said Hopkins. "I ain't never had this many people in my life come out and support me like they did today."
One of the biggest reasons Hopkins chose Andrew College is the short distance from home. Andrew is less than a two hour drive from Thomasville.
"It's close to home and my people, my family," Hopkins said. "At the same time, it gets me better in life and gets me ready for the next level.
Hopkins expressed his sincere gratitude to his teammates, who he said kept him motivated to keep pushing his game forward.
"They helped me a lot," he said. "They pushed me through practices and games in times where I wanted to quit."
While Hopkins has been effective on both sides of the court, it is his defensive prowess that caught the attention of college scouts. Associate Head Basketball Coach at Andrew, Mathew Shonder cited Hopkins' defensive skills and shooting as a big reason they pursued the senior Bulldog.
"I think he'll bring that aggression," said Shonder. "I've seen him play defense really well, he's a good on-ball defender. I saw him play at his showcase and I liked what he brought on the court."
Hopkins will be missed at Thomasville High School. Head Coach Kiel Angry said Hopkins truly embodied what it meant to be a Bulldog.
"Ananias has been in the program for four years," Angry said. "He's been a faithful true Bulldog and he's the true meaning of the diamond T. He never went outside of his mean and he knew his role being a player here at Thomasville."
Andrew College is getting a solid player in Hopkins, something that Shonder seems excited for.
"I think as of right now, he"ll definitely be a playmaker because he has that point guard experience," Shonder said. "Wherever we kind of need him, I think he'll be able to jump in that role."
Hopkins will redshirt in his first year with the Fighting Tigers and will have the opportunity to get on the court the following year.
