Coach Scott Cross adds another premier athlete from Alabama to his roster as 6-foot-6 guard Kerrington Kiel of Ramsay High officially commits to Troy University. 

Kiel earned first-team Class 5A All-State honors and also earned first-team All-Birmingham honors. Kiel averaged 16.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.4 steals and 3.5 assists last season and helped guide the Rams to the Class 5A State title game.

“I would like to thank God for blessing me with the skills and work ethic to even make it this far because I know without him, there is none of me,” Kiel said. “I want to thank Coach Cross and the Staff for believing in me and giving me the opportunity to play College Basketball at the Division 1 level.” 

In a world where the transfer portal has become a first priority in recruiting, Kiel says it’s like a breath of fresh air to have an opportunity to play at the next level. 

Why Troy?

After attending a camp at Troy last month, Kiel made quite an impression on Coach Cross as he left with an offer and not too long after Kiel was locked in. 

“One of the many reasons I chose to commit to Troy was how they welcomed me with open arms from the beginning,” he said. “The current players were very down to earth and it seemed like a true brotherhood within the team.”

“My relationship with Coach Cross and the Staff is GREAT! They all check up on me from time to time, not just about basketball, but checking on my personal life as well, which I loved,” Kiel added.

Kiel is by far one of the most elite shooters in his class and has elevated his game to new heights during the travel season, but one may wonder what could he bring to Troy.

“As of right now, I feel like I can help not only offensively, but by bringing positive energy day in and day out,” Kiel said. “I'm the type of guy that just want to be on the floor no matter what my assignment is, from scoring, to

taking charges, diving for loose balls, or playing lockdown defense.”

“I would bring leadership by holding not just my peers, but those above me accountable for their actions, which in the long run, will better the team,” he added.

What’s Next for Kiel?

Now that Kiel has made his commitment to Troy, what’s next for him?

“The last step of my high school career is to bring home a blue map for not just Ramsay, but for the city of Birmingham to know that anything is possible as long as you work for it,” Kiel said.

“Recently, one of my coaches stated to me, "Faith without work is dead, but work without faith is also dead" and you can best believe that we will work and believe in ourselves to hopefully bring us a championship home.”