The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

NOT too many players leave the comfort of home and make the transition to playing at the high school level in the United States and go on to achieve any level of success.

Veronaye ‘Tweedy’ Charlton is one of the exceptions to the norm.

Charlton, who got the nickname ‘Tweedy’ from her former coach Terrance ‘Red-Eye’ McSweeney when she played for the Jordan Prince Williams Falcons junior girls’ team before they left the Bahamas, has led the Norcross High School Lady Blue Devils to the Georgia Class 7A Championships on Saturday against Brookwell, who stand at 30-1.

The 17-year-old senior left Jordan Prince Williams in the ninth grade to attend Tallulah High, where she was coached by Lowell Hamilton, before she transferred to Norcross for her senior year this season where she’s had a sensational spurt in helping the Lady Blue Devils to get back to the state final. She had 18 points in their 61-53 win over Archer in their quarter-final and came back with a 19-point effort in their 58-46 win over Buford in their semi-final game on Saturday to push her team into the final in the state of Georgia.

“I felt great. My team kept pushing the ball to me to give me the looks that I needed and I just continued to take advantage of it,” Charlton said. “I just took advantage of it.”

As they prepare for the big dance on Saturday, Charlton said it’s a weird feeling, but she hopes that they can get the job done. She comes on a team that fell short of winning the title last year, but she’s confident that her presence this year will make the difference in them getting over the final hurdle.

The Blue Devils, coached by Ashley Clanton, are currently 29-2.

“My team was very welcoming knowing that I was a transfer and I was going to come in and take someone spot,” Charlton said. “They were very welcoming and I love it. Going into Saturday’s game, we know we have to play hard and stick together.”

What the diminutive 5-feet, 3-inch point guard lacks in height, she makes up in her speed as she runs the floor for the Lady Blue Devils.

“I just go after my opponents,” said Charlton, who is thrilled to be holding her own among the taller competitors. “The team we are playing in the final, has a point guard who has committed to Ohio State, so it should be a good game when I face her.”

Charlton said she’s pleased with her progress made since her parents Christen and Vernon Charlton made the decision to send her to the United States to further her basketball skills.

“It was a little weird at first, but now everything is easy,” Charlton said. “I just want to work on slowing my pace down.”

Charlton, however, said she enjoys the company of her four sisters and the rest of her family to help her relax her mind and take away the pressure of playing basketball.

“I miss home every day,” Charlton said. “But I try to stay in contact with family and friends and I try to go back whenever I could on any breaks we have.”

After she graduates, hopefully after winning the state championship title, Charlton intends to continue her education with an athletic scholarship at college, but she said she won’t make that decision before she’s done at Norcross in May.