All eyes on Christian Brown as he gets ready for Lower Richland debut

Christian Brown has heard all the talk regarding his decision to transfer from A.C. Flora to Lower Richland, but he hasn’t let it bother him.

Brown, who made the switch at the end of July, has put that talk behind him as he gets ready for his junior season. The defending Class 4A champion Diamond Hornets open the season Tuesday against Crestwood.

“People don’t know what they are talking about. They make assumptions. It was a family-based decision,” Brown said. “People said I was ring chasing and just because Lower Richland won the championship, I was going there. I already won a championship at A.C. Flora my freshman year so I wasn’t ring chasing. I always lived over here. It is all good.”

Brown was zoned to attend Lower Richland but was able to go to A.C. Flora because of Richland One’s open enrollment policy. He went to A.C. Flora to take part in the school’s IB program and will still be in honors classes at LR. Going to Lower Richland makes it easier for his mom to get him to and from school.

At A.C. Flora, Brown was part of the Falcons’ 2016 state championship team his freshman year. Last year, he averaged 16.3 points and 7.1 rebounds a game and was an all-state selection.

Brown will face his former school twice this season in Region 5-4A play. The Diamond Hornets play at A.C. Flora on Jan. 12 and host the Falcons on Feb. 2.

“Every game is circled, but playing Flora will be the talk of the town,” Brown said. “But I’m not too worried about that right now. I want to help Lower Richland get back to the state championship game. I put in a lot of work and my teammates put in a lot of work to build the chemistry.”

Brown’s arrival will help the Diamond Hornets roster, which lost Division I signees Clyde Trapp and Ja’Cor Nelson as well as other key players. Tevaughn Higgins is the only starter back from last year’s team.

247Sports ranks Brown as the top prospect in South Carolina for the class of 2019, and he is ranked in the top 20 nationally by several recruiting rankings. He has offers from about 30 Division I schools including Kansas, North Carolina State, Florida, UNLV, Auburn and Florida State, as well as fromSouth Carolina and Clemson. Lower Richland coach Caleb Gaither said Alabama, Florida State, Kentucky and Florida also have visited recently.

Auburn was heavily recruiting Brown and he visited there in the spring. But his stance on the Tigers has changed since assistant coach Chuck Person was fired during an FBI investigation of alleged recruitment violations.

“I was really surprised,” Brown said of the news about Person.

Brown said he will trim his list soon but isn’t in a hurry. He made an unofficial visit to North Carolina State in September and was at South Carolina on Saturday for the Gamecocks-Clemson football game. Brown hears from in-state schools every couple of weeks.

Gaither said college coaches praiseBrown’s ability to play inside or outside and his energy level, a quality he likes as well.

“Christian’s energy and intensity is kind of contagious. He is on the floor diving for loose balls or chasing down blocks. He is very active and chaotic on defense. Biggest thing he brings to the program is his intensity,” Gaither said. “He is a mismatch nightmare not only at high school but at the next level.”

This story was originally published November 25, 2017 at 7:26 PM with the headline "All eyes on Christian Brown as he gets ready for Lower Richland debut."