Coty Jude Will attend Believe Prep Academy to hone skills for ‘next level’
Fort Gay, W. Va. — Tolsia senior basketball star Coty Jude will spend the next year in Athens, Tennessee at Believe Prep Academy honing his skills as he prepares to make the transition to college basketball.
Believe Sports Academy is a basketball training Prep Academy where they take young men who were under recruited for whatever reason and develop their game as well as their character and toughness. This prep school gets players seen by college coaches on every level all over the country. It’s an intensive program that is highly structured and very demanding. This program is a dress rehearsal for the college level.
Jude averaged 21 points, 9 rebounds and 2 blocks per game including a career high 54 points in his last game as a Tolsia Rebel in a Sectional loss at Huntington St. Joe. Jude scored over 1,000 points in his career and led the Rebels to back to back winning seasons.
Believe Prep is between Knoxville and Chattanooga about a five hour drive. The Starz will play games around the country against the likes of Oak Hill, Huntington Prep and many others. The Starz will also play at the Williamson Field House, in Huntington, Lexington and Louisville next season.
The Head Coach of Believe Prep is Randy Casey, a Matewan, W. Va. native who left the University of Pikeville to come to Believe Prep. Tyson Waterman and Casey have been doing this for 8 years. This season will begin Casey’s second as Head Coach. Casey was the long time Head Coach at Belfry High school.
QUOTES:
Tolsia Senior Coty Jude
“… The last four years have flown by, I have some great memories of being a Tolsia Rebel and wouldn’t change those for anything. Didn’t have the postseason success we had hoped for but Single A in West Virginia is very good, our section with Tug Valley and Huntington St. Joe was tough to navigate.” Going into St. Joe I was stressed but also pumped up and ready to get going knowing it could be my last game. We laid it all on the line but came up a little short.”
“…Playing at the next level has always been my goal ever since I was little whether it be prep school or small college, I just wanna play ball.” With any prep school I was skeptical because they pop up everywhere but after doing some research and talking with people I trust, Believe Prep is the best place for me. Coach Casey has a lot of connections and I have confidence in myself to play against the elite players and get ready for whatever is next. I looked at a few schools in West Virginia like Wheeling Jesuit, Salem International, W. Va. Tech and W. Va. Wesleyan. All of those schools said they will keep track of me and could get back in the mix once I’m done at Believe Prep.”
“… First and foremost I want to thank God for the opportunity, my family, Mom and Dad my fiends for all of the support over the years. My coaches, Mike Smith, Bruce Justice, David Thompson, AAU Coaches Shannon Stacy, Micheal Mason, Mark Bullard who taught me the game and let me mature on the court. Being a Rebel was great, like family it’s a small town everybody knows everybody. I’m excited to come back and play close to home so people can see how much I have progressed.”
Tolsia Assistant David Thompson
COACH’S COMMENT
“… I have been here for all of Coty’s high school career and he has grown so much from a 5-8 guard who got a lot of playing time because we weren’t very good into a 6-8 do it all player. Playing so young and having to handle the ball under pressure has really helped him at his size now.”
“…His work ethic is off the charts and that is why he has a chance at the next level and will succeed in whatever he chooses to do. He is still young and will really benefit from his time at a prep school. He can add some weight and really mature in the next year. I think he will play the 3 spot and flourish because he can handle and shoot it. In his last game we spread the floor and let him go to work and about willed us to victory.” Coty is one of the best kids I have ever been around and I have coached at every level for over 20 years. I’m excited to see his future.”
Believe Prep Head Coach Randy Casey
COACH’S COMMENTS
“… Coty Jude has really good footwork for a 6’7-“/6’8″ young kid. He shoots it extremely well. He will be able to play the 3 on the next level. Jude has his best basketball ahead of him. He has a great work ethic and is very humble and hungry. We are bringing him here to practice and play against the best of the best. He will contribute valuable minutes as he develops.”
