Manatee girls basketball’s Deanay Watson signs with junior college

After averaging a double-double during her final season with Manatee, Deanay Watson has a destination for the next phase of her basketball career. The 5-foot-10 forward signed Friday with Three Rivers Community College, a junior college in Norwich, Conn.

Watson averaged 15 points and 12 rebounds per game as a senior for the Hurricanes, and should have a role immediately at Three Rivers, which is currently in first place in its region. Connecticut will be a long way from home, but after her visit Watson felt comfortable with her decision.

“At first I was like, ‘would I like it?’” Watson said. “But then I talked to my parents and everything, and they were like, it’s a good opportunity to go to a different place that I’ve never been. I’ve just thought of it as it’s a new journey.”

Watson had been speaking with the coaching staff at TRCC for about a month before she traveled to the campus for a visit Feb. 10-12. The community stood out, and Watson was ready to sign less than a week after returning to Bradenton. She signed her letter of intent during the team banquet at Riverhouse Reef and Grill in Palmetto.

Watson’s ambitions don’t stop with just playing collegiately. She hopes to play at as high a level as possible before becoming a lawyer.

“I’ll go there, and I’ll play for the two years,” Watson said. “Then after the two years, they’ll be working with me to get me into a D-I university.”

This story was originally published February 21, 2017 at 6:21 PM with the headline "Manatee girls basketball’s Deanay Watson signs with junior college."