Emily Flora | SWoCo

Toles Hartman (second from left) and Anthony "AD" Banks (second from right) sign letters of intent.

North Cross seniors Anthony "AD" Banks and Toles Hartman signed Wednesday, Nov. 11, to play at Division I schools.

Both are the first in their families to attend an independent school and both are the first seniors in NCS history to receive full scholarships to attend Division I schools to play basketball.

Senior Anthony "AD" Banks will attend the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Senior Toles Hartman will attend UNC Asheville.

"This is a proud day for us for two reasons," said Headmaster Timothy J. Seeley. "First, of course we are delighted that these two young men are able to continue playing a sport they love and have worked hard at in college. But secondly, and more importantly to me, it is a demonstration of us making good on our commitment to prepare our students for college academically, and help to secure for them the largest number of options as they make their college choices, whether they choose to continue with sports or other activities or not."

AD Banks

Banks played two seasons at Patrick Henry High School before transferring to NCS in 2007. He averaged 19 points, 12 rebounds and four blocked shots last season as a junior for the Raiders. Banks was named second-team All-Timesland last season. At Patrick Henry, he made The Roanoke Times Sizzlin' Sophomore team in 2006-07 in a group that included two players now playing at Division I schools.

Banks received offers from the University of Akron, UNC Greensboro, Western Carolina, Appalachian State and South Carolina Upstate. He plans to study business management and entrepreneurship at UT Chattanooga and is the son of Chaunae Banks and grandson of Sarah Banks.

"One hundred percent -- this is definitely a dream come true. I know I couldn't have done it if I hadn't come to North Cross," said Banks. "It was just too hard to stay focused on the books before I got here. The focus here is on graduating and going to college. I've been told in the past that I was going to make it, but Coach [Joe] Lambert has really helped me focus."

Toles Hartman

At 6-foot-6 Hartman, who averaged 14 points and 11 rebounds per game for the Raiders, had a strong summer playing for three AAU teams including the Charlottesville-based East Coast Fusion in tournaments in Morgantown, W.Va., Chantilly, Va. and Las Vegas. He also received an offer from Gardner-Webb University.

He has played on the Raiders varsity basketball team since coming to the school in 2008 from Christiansburg High School. At CHS, he was a former River Ridge District high jump champion. Hartman, who plans to study environmental studies at UNC Asheville, is the son of Tom Hartman and Jada Barber. It's clear that athletic aptitude runs in his family. His father, Tom Hartman, was an offensive lineman at Virginia Tech and had a tryout as a free agent with the Washington Redskins in 1985 until a shoulder injury ended his career.

Hartman credits the teaching and athletic staff at NCS for his success. "If I wouldn't have come here, it probably wouldn't have happened," said Hartman.

"I couldn't be more proud of them both. I knew they both could do it if they worked hard, and they have definitely worked hard. I have no doubt that North Cross has prepared them well for the collegiate level," said Varsity Basketball Coach Joe Lambert.

Submitted by Laura Neff-Henderson

Henderson signs with Vanderbilt

Cave Spring senior Josh Henderson signs a letter of intent Wednesday, Nov. 11, with Vanderbilt to play basketball.

Submitted by Tim Thornhill

Camden Hodge signs letter of intent to play baseball at Radford University

Camden Hodge, 17 and a senior at Hidden Valley High School, signed a letter of intent to play baseball for Radford University on Wednesday, Nov. 11.

Hodge, who plays shortstop, said that Radford University was his first pick. He also plays second and third base and outfield.

"I really like the coaches and I like their view of baseball and the team itself," Hodge said about his choice.

Hodge said his decision came after his AAU team played at Radford during the summer and he decided he wanted to play there in July.

Hodge plans on studying Finance while at Radford University and looking forward to the new chapter in his life.

"I'm just really excited to play the next level. There is a lot of talent there," Hodge said.

Coach Jason Taylor said he has known Hodge for the past eight years.

"His biggest thing is speed," Taylor said. "He's really fast and he's an intelligent man. He has always known his position on the field."

Taylor said that he was not surprised that Hodge would play baseball at the college level.

"It was a matter of where he'd go. He's a really good hitter and he loves baseball. Radford is going to be a good fit for him," Taylor said.

Camden is the son of Penny and Craig Hodge. His father sid that he was not surprised his son chose to play baseball at the college level either.

"He's worked so hard for it. He's worked really hard for me to be surprised," Craig Hodge said.

-- Emily Flora