Imani Lewis has been staying in the gym, brushing up on her basketball skills and trying to run the mile in six minutes and 30 seconds this summer.

It is the hard work that she has embraced as a direct result of having signed earlier this year to play NCAA Division I basketball for South Carolina State University.

“It feels wonderful to be signed and not have to worry about anything,” said the recently graduated King’s Fork High School basketball standout. “It’s been a huge goal.”

Lekula Lewis noted her daughter, when she was younger, had told her she did not want her and her father to have to pay for college. As she got older, Imani Lewis grew in her understanding of what it would take to make that happen.

“All we did was try to set the example,” Lekula Lewis said, referring to having a strong work ethic and treating others with respect. “The rest was all up to her, and she did it. She did a great job, so we’re very proud.”

She has received a full scholarship to play for the S.C. State Lady Bulldogs.

Her college selection process was not complicated.

“South Carolina State and Montreat (College) were the only ones that were trying to recruit me,” Lewis said. “The process was pretty easy. I didn’t have many people coming after me, so that’s why I’m real grateful for South Carolina State.”

She said S.C. State coach Doug Robertson Jr., the basketball team and the school overall won her over.

“They just have great classes,” she said. “The coach speaks highly of the team and highly of what he can do for me and how he can better me as a player and (make me) a better person off the court.”

King’s Fork basketball coach Maurice Fofana was not surprised by the opportunity that opened up for Lewis at S.C. State and had been in contact with Robertson during the process. He also got some insight from the college coach on how he will use Lewis, who is tall for a guard.

“He’s going to use her in several different ways,” Fofana said. “If he can post her up, he’s going to look to post her with the smaller guards. With the bigger guards, he’s going to look for her to take girls off the dribble, so he’s going to have fun with just the different ways that he can use her.”

Lewis plans to major in sociology and minor in criminal justice. She is considering the possibility of working in law enforcement after graduating.

As for now, she is continuing to train hard for her freshman year of college basketball. Robertson wants her running that 6:30 mile.

“I’ve hit it a couple times,” she said. “I’m still working on it. I run every day.”