By Mike London
Salisbury Post
MOUNT ULLA – Summers are mostly about vacations, but there was a day in June when Brant Graham quarterbacked West Rowan in a 7-on-7 football scrimmage at South Iredell, then drove to Catawba College to play with the Falcons in basketball team camp, and then wrapped up the night with a Rowan County American Legion baseball game.
One day. Three sports.
“That was a busy day and I was tired at the end of it,” Graham said. “But most summer days there were just two sports.”
Graham is just getting his senior year at West Rowan started, but he already has accomplished quite a bit. He’s been on the varsity baseball and basketball teams since he was a freshman, and he became QB1 for West football as a sophomore.
Graham has thrown 32 touchdown passes, he’s scored 553 points in basketball, and he’s been the winning pitcher in 11 high school baseball games and nine American Legion games. On the diamond, he’s also been a decent hitter and a versatile fielder.
Graham’s senior football and basketball seasons will be his final ones in those sports. His highest ceiling is in baseball, and he made a college decision last week. The 6-foot-2 right-hander will stay home and pitch for the Catawba Indians at Newman Park.
“Everything just kind of worked out with the coaches at Catawba after the American Legion season,” Graham said. “I think it’s the right place for me.”
Graham’s older brothers, Bailey and Braden, were excellent basketball players. That was their sport.
It looked like Brant might turn into a basketball phenom as a youngster, but he stopped growing at 6-foot-2 — and a half. He’s a streak-shooting high school small forward who averaged double digits for the Falcons as a junior, but there are limits in that sport for 6-foot-2 players with average quickness.
In baseball, Graham has fewer limits. He walks very few people. While he was 6-1 with a 1.53 ERA as a high school junior and 6-1 with an 0.77 ERA in Legion ball, the rangy right-hander probably only has scratched the surface of his baseball potential.
“He understands how to pitch, understands how to change locations and change speeds to fool hitters, and he’s gotten people out for us at West Rowan since he was a freshman,” West (and Rowan Legion) head coach Seth Graham said. “But what I think you’ll see happen at Catawba as Brant focuses just on baseball for the first time in his life is that he’s going to get stronger and he’s going to add a lot of velocity. Catawba knows that.”
Brant Graham and Seth Graham aren’t related, although Seth probably would be happy to adopt him.
“Brant is a great person and has been an outstanding teammate,” he said. “Players who are trying to get recruited sometimes don’t understand how important character is in the whole recruiting process. Colleges take note of character.”
Brant Graham enjoyed the grind of summer Legion baseball. Once Rowan started playing in June, the team was playing or practicing basically every day.
“I looked at it as an opportunity to get better,” he said. “Legion is fun.”
Brant loves football, loves the excitement of Friday nights, and while he’s never been a huge running threat, he’s a gifted passer. Football probably is going to be harder to leave behind than basketball.
“It’s going to be hard for me not to be playing football next year,” he said. “I do love the game and I’ve loved it for a long time. Still, I realize baseball is my best chance to be successful in college athletics.”
Graham is looking at physical therapy as a potential career after the cheering stops. He’s experienced a few injuries, so he’s had a first-hand look at what therapists can do to help people heal.
“I had a triceps injury in eighth grade,” he said. “Then I got banged up some and had an issue with the point of my collar bone last season, but I was able to rest and heal during our bye week and didn’t miss a game.”
Graham’s goals for college baseball are simple and straight-forward.
“Be the best athlete I can be and the best human I can be,” he said.
Coach Graham has no doubt he’s heading to the right place to accomplish that.
“Catawba is a great fit for Brant.” he said. “He’s going exactly where he needs to go. His success is only beginning. You’re going to be hearing about Brant Graham for a long time.”
