Nansemond River senior Trinese Fox signed a scholarship offer to play basketball at South Carolina State University on Monday, becoming the first girls basketball player in Nansemond River school history to continue her career at a NCAA Division I program.

“Sometimes when you’re in the gym working, you feel like you’re not getting anywhere. But this let’s you know it’s all worth it. It feels great,” said Fox.

“Working” is one of the best ways to sum up how Fox plays the game and what she’s meant for Nansemond River’s program during the last three seasons she’s played on the varsity squad for head coach Calvin Mason.

Mason moved up from the JV team to the varsity’s coach the same season Fox moved up. Mason led a team which won three games the season before he took over to a spot in the Eastern Region Tournament in his first season. Each of Mason’s three seasons has seen the Lady Warriors move steadily up the ranks in the Southeastern District. NR finished second this past season and reached regionals for the third straight season.

“She’s been everything a coach would want to have in a player,” said Mason.

“She listens, she works hard and she always puts the time into it.”

“We wouldn’t have become the program we’ve become without her.”

Fox played a wing position as a sophomore and junior before having to take up the team’s point guard job last season after NR’s expected starter at the point transferred. Now, Fox and Mason say South Carolina St. recruited her in large part because of her ability to play point guard.

A steady scorer, but usually not the top scorer, for the Lady Warriors, Fox earned all-Southeastern District and district Defensive Player of the Year honors for her hustle, energy and all-around game.

“She’s worked for every penny, every bit of what she’s getting now. It’s great to see a player like her go to the next level,” said NR assistant coach Maurice Fofana.

“She’s put in, I can’t even put it in words, how much time and effort she’s put into her game,” said Fofana.

“It’s always been on my mind that I’d go to college, but it wasn’t until recently that I thought basketball was a possibility,” said Fox.

Earlier this school year recruiting letters and calls first started coming in said Mason.

South Carolina St., a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference school, was 6-23 this past season under first-year head coach Doug Robertson. Prior to coming to SCSU, Robertson compiled a 53-33 record at Bowie State with a 22-5 record and the CIAA (Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association) Coach of the Year Award in his last season at Bowie St.

“I think I can help them like we helped Nansemond River become a better program,” said Fox.

Fox watched two Lady Bulldog (South Carolina St., not King’s Fork) games during the recruiting process.

“They seem a lot like our team. They like to run most of the time, but they can slow it down some when they need to.”

Fox plans on majoring in business management with a minor in computer science.