DCHS Lady Tiger Ashli Chew has signed a letter of intent to play basketball at Bryan College in Dayton, Tennessee next season.
The outstanding senior, who scored her 1,000th career point as a high school player Monday night against Upperman met with her coaches, family, teammates, and coaches from Bryan College for the signing Tuesday morning at DCHS.
“I’ve always wanted a basketball scholarship. I’ve always wanted to continue my career because I’ve worked so hard for it. I’ve gotten looks from a few different places but I went and toured Bryan and I absolutely loved it. I love everything about it. It’s a Christian school and it’s pretty close to home. It’s a place where I think I could really play and really reach my full potential. I decided the first time I went that this is where I want to go,” Chew told WJLE .
“We’re excited about Ashli. I guess I could say what is not to like about Ashli? She is an all around great kid and great student. She has a great work ethic and is a great basketball player. She is a great fit for Bryan College in what she stands for in her personal life, spiritual life, and athletic life,” said Bryan Head Coach Jason Smith.
Lady Tiger Coach Joe Pat Cope said Ashli overcame injury early in her high school playing career to become a leader in this program. “She tore an ACL her freshman year and was out her sophomore year otherwise she would probably be at 1500 points now. She has just worked so hard to battle back from that. It looks like she has a good chance to be the Valedictorian of her class. She has a 4.9 grade point average. As far as her work ethic, nobody surpasses it. I called her Saturday to talk about the signing and she was with a personal trainer in Smyrna working on her game. That’s just the kind of kid she is. Ashli is constantly in the weight room, working or shooting and that is why she is at this level,” said Coach Cope.
Ashli said reaching the 1,000th point milestone as a high school player was also a special moment. “That is really awesome. I think there has only been seven females in DeKalb County that has ever gotten 1,000 points so that itself is substantial. But as Coach Cope said I had a knee injury as a freshman and I was released in the middle of my sophomore year. When I returned I was rusty and knew it would be really hard to get my 1,000th point but I just have some awesome teammates and coaches who really push me. It’s just a really big honor to be part of it,” said Chew.
Bryan College is a Christian liberal Arts College and a member of NAIA’s Appalachian Athletic Conference. “This is my fifth year at Bryan on the women’s side. We are currently 19-3 and tied for first place in our conference. We are in a good spot. We start three freshmen so we’re still young. I only have one senior who plays significant minutes so we’re a program that is at the top of our level right now and we’re still young so we have a long way to go,” said Coach Smith.
(PICTURED ABOVE: SEATED- George Chew (father), Ashli Chew, and Lori Chew (mother); STANDING- Assistant Coach Josh Agee, DCHS Lady Tiger Head Coach Joe Pat Cope, Bryan Head Coach Jason Smith, and Bryan Assistant Coach Bryon Lawhon)
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