After coming 'home', Lakeview grad Brazyll Watkins has become a star at Albion College

ALBION - There is a reason it is called a home court advantage.

There are certain pluses that come with playing at home, or close to home, in this case.

Battle Creek's Brazyll Watkins has first-hand experience with this concept as she is excelling since returning 'home' to play at Albion College this season.

"Everything is going great now, better than what I expected really," Watkins said. "I have fallen back in love with the sport now, since I have returned home."

Watkins, a Lakeview High graduate, is playing collegiate women's basketball just a few miles down the highway from her hometown. She is the leading scorer for Albion College this season, in her first year with the Britons. She came back her familiar surroundings this year after signing with Division 1 Alabama State University out of high school and playing for the Hornets for two years.

The change has been dramatic for Watkins.

"There were a lot of frustrations for me at Alabama. I felt like I wasn't meant to be there," Watkins said. "Coming back here, I am back around my family more. It has been great.

"I have been given a chance here. Coach believed in my game. A lot more than my coach at Alabama believed in it. Coach here is just letting me play basketball and it's worked out great."

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Watkins has a team-high 13.7 points per game for Albion College, missing a handful of outings due to injury and having started 20 of the 25 games played by the Britons. Helping the team to a 17-8 record overall and 11-5 in the conference, Albion is getting set to play in the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association women's basketball tournament, starting Wednesday. Albion will host a first-round game against Alma College at 7 p.m.

"Brazyll has been great for us," said Albion College women's basketball coach Doreen Carden. "I was ecstatic when she told  me she was coming to Albion.  We graduated a lot the year before, so her coming in was going to help fill the scoring we lost last year.  It took her a bit to get back into things, having some time off from her previous school, but she adjusted well and just keeps getting better as we go.

"She is a tough matchup and can do a lot of things a lot of players can not do.  She has been a big addition to this team and we are happy she is here."

Watkins finished her high school career as the all-time leading scorer at Lakeview and set the record for career points in the city for boys or girls basketball.

While Watkins was excited about playing closer to home at Albion College, she did face some questions about why she was making the move - specifically going from a Division I school to a Division III program.

"My dream was to to go a D-1 school and I achieved my dream out of high school," Watkins said. "But I wasn't happy there. I am happy here and hoops is hoops.

"The only minus is the talk you get from outsiders, questioning what I was doing. There was a lot of talk like that, but I just block it out. At the end of the day, I did go D-1, and how many people can say that. And now, it's all about playing ball and trying to win and that's the same no matter what level you are at."

One of the things Watkins enjoys most about the change is her teammates, who have come together recently to win six straight to end the regular season.

"Everybody is stepping up, everybody is confident, it's getting to be a lot of fun on this team," Watkins said. "I am a little surprised that I am the leading scorer on the team, coming into a new team. But I knew I could do something like this, if given the opportunity. But, even though I am the leading scorer, it's about the whole team being involved and everybody is producing right now and that's great to be a part of."

Bill Broderick can be reached at bbroderi@battlecreekenquirer.com. Follow him on X/Twitter: @billbroderick.

This article originally appeared on Battle Creek Enquirer: Lakeview grad Brazyll Watkins having a breakout year at Albion College