Daquain Towns came a long way in four years as a basketball player at Pinecrest to become a prized recruit of the Sandhills Flyers.

Last week, the 2010 Southeastern Conference Player of the Year signed to continue his education and basketball career at Sandhills Community College. Towns led a Patriot squad that finished the season with a record of 24-3 in scoring (14.1), rebounding (7.4) and field goal (47.8) and free throw (66.7) percentages. He scored in double figures 22 times and had six double-doubles.

Towns made the decision to become a Flyer under coach Aaron Denton after being pursued by other schools, including Davidson County CC and Central Carolina CC.

“I played in open gym and liked all the players and played well with them,” Towns said, explaining his decision. “Coach Denton cared about off-the-court and school-wise, and not only basketball. That was a big factor.”

Towns was the man of the hour at a signing celebration at Pinecrest on Monday that was attended by his mother, Regina Jefferson, Pinecrest coach Mike Apple, Denton, Patriot assistant coaches Nick Boney, Josh Newton and Ronshau Cole, and a number of teammates.

The 6-foot-1 forward never played organized basketball until his freshman year at Pinecrest. He led the jayvee team in scoring as sophomore and was one of the top varsity reserves as a junior. In the final game that year, he scored 26 points in a second-round playoff loss at New Hanover.

“I think a light came on in that game that he could be a really successful varsity player,” Apple said. “His progression was just rapid. He was one of our best players that summer, and he had a great senior year.”

Towns played along the baseline most of the time for the Patriots, usually against bigger players. He earned plaudits from his coach by learning to take charges and making the extra pass.

“He really showed no fear in doing what he had to do to be successful,” Apple said. “It got to the point where he was the intimidator because of the things he could do athletically.”

The Flyers finished with a record of 17-14 in the second year of the return of basketball to the college. Denton projects Towns as a two-guard, which means developing his pull-up jumper along with his shot from behind the arc.

“Anybody who watched Daquain play would see his physical abilities, the things he can do that fit our team well,” the Flyer coach said. “Beyond that, he’s a winner, and there was a reason he was named player of the year.

“The other big thing is, he’s been well-coached. He already knows how to play defense and how to take coaching. I think he can continue to develop parts of his game and earn a scholarship at a four-year school.”

Flyer fans should enjoy Towns’ lightning-quick, coast-to-coast trips with the ball as much as Patriot rooters did.

“I worked hard in practice, and Coach Apple and Coach Boney helped me a lot,” he said. “I thank them for helping me improve.”