Decatur basketball star Kevon Voyles signs with UMES squad

Kevon Voyles made his mother a promise he did not intend to break.

Since his first days as a basketball player, Voyles had the dream of going to college on an athletic scholarship, preventing his mother from having to pay the mountains of bills for her child to further his education.

Each day, Voyles would practice his craft, working on jump shots, layups, rebounding and foul shots, waiting for the day a college coach would offer him the deal he had longed for.

Once he got to high school, Voyles became a guard for the Stephen Decatur basketball team, helping the squad win back-to-back regional championships, including an appearance in the MPSSAA state championship his sophomore season.

With several accolades under his belt at the end of his junior year, Voyles began looking for a college that could fulfill the promise he had made to his mother.

Several Division II schools reached out hoping to lure the Decatur star to their court, but Voyles wanted something bigger.

MORE DECATUR: Decatur's speedy back bursts onto the scene in first year with team

MORE SIGNINGS: After major back injury, Snow Hill pitcher strikes Division 1 deal

As he searched for a Division I institution, Voyles realized the program he desired had been in his own backyard the entire time.

Coaches for the University of Maryland Eastern Shore men’s basketball team actively recruited Voyles, doing their best to keep the local talent on the Shore.

“It’s important to keep local talent here,” UMES head coach Bobby Collins said. “It’s important to get the best available talent, and he’s got something that we don’t have. He can score, he can shoot the basketball and plays with that extreme passion that I like.”

After attending the team’s summer camp, the decision was clear — Voyles would continue his playing career just 45 minutes away from his home, on the campus of UMES.

“That’s what I’ve been working for, and I finally got it,” Voyles said. “I can play, and they want to keep me around to help build their program. The coaching staff, they're great. I like how they coach, and they welcomed me like I was part of their family.”

Growing up near the university, Voyles had attended several team camps through the years hosted by the UMES coaches.

When he attended the camp in the summer of 2017, the coaches officially offered Voyles a spot on the Hawks’ roster once he graduated in 2018.

After Voyles joins the team, he will be the third player from the Bayside Conference on the active roster, with former Parkside guard Colin Gaynor and former Washington guard Oliver Montraz currently playing at UMES.

“They're adding more local talent, because we have talent here and we don’t need it to go unnoticed,” Voyles said. “I’m not taking a back seat; I’m going to go in there like I’ve always been, just play and see where it goes from there.”

Throughout his time with the Seahawks, Voyles learned under head coach B.J. Johnson, who has sent numerous players to the college level.

MORE SPORTS:Where's the hype for the Shore's D1 basketball team?

With Voyles officially signing with UMES, it marks the first time in school history Decatur has produced basketball Division I athletes in back-to-back seasons.

Former Decatur forward Keve Aluma is now playing at Wofford College, which is a member of the Southern Conference. With both athletes making the jump to Division I in consecutive seasons, Johnson hopes the trend continues in the next several years.

“When I got back into coaching, that was one of my biggest goals — get kids to college for free,” Johnson said. “It’s a major accomplishment, and we just want to continue that, and a lot of the kids have been working hard, so the credit goes to them. I’m just fortunate to help mold those kids.”

In Voyles’ eyes, Johnson played a key role in his development, recognizing Voyles’ potential the second he stepped on the court.

“B.J. has helped me tremendously,” Voyles said. “He was always on my back, and he stayed on me about grades, about going to college, playing, working on my game, and he’s always been there, pushing me on and off the court.”

But Johnson gives all the credit to his star player, claiming Voyles was always asking to get into the gym at Decatur so he could practice.

As he witnessed Voyles' work ethic and talent, there was no doubt in Johnson’s mind that the small-town athlete was destined for greatness.

“When you have kids that just love to be in the gym, that’s a coach’s dream, and that’s what Kevon is,” Johnson said. “I call him a gym rat — you could put a bed in that gym, he would sleep there, get up and play basketball. Those are the kind of kids you love to coach.”

Before he joins the Hawks, Voyles will have one final year as a high school athlete.

Coming close to a state championship in his last two seasons, the Decatur guard is hoping the third time’s the charm, with his prep career ending with him and his team on top.

“I’m aiming for that right now,” Voyles said. “I also want to get to my 1,000 points before the end of the year, with another Bayside and another regional championship.”

Once he makes the transition from high school to college, Voyles will join a UMES squad that has been on the rise the past few years.

The Hawks are coming off one of their best seasons in recent history, after advancing to the MEAC semifinal round last season. As of Nov. 16, the team held a 1-1 record and will look to build off its recent success.

But to Collins, having Voyles as part of the equation could help.

“I watched the passion that he plays with,” Collins said. “When I asked the young man what was his purpose, he had a purpose that I can’t share, but I felt him when he said it, and I believed him, and I know with him playing for that, we’ll have a special player.”

As he goes from the Bayside Conference to college’s biggest stage, Voyles still gets overwhelmed thinking about everything he’s achieved since his first days with a basketball.

While he’s excited for the future, once he puts his uniform on with the UMES logo on the front, it will be business as usual.

“My goal was D1 from the start, and to play at the highest level and play against the best players in the world,” Voyles said. “I feel like it’s going to be a good transition.”