Diontae Gibson can't help but smile when he looks around Winston-Salem State's sprawling campus, realizing he's a long way from the streets of Newport News, Va.
"I think basketball saved my life," Gibson said emphatically. "It's taken me places where I never would have gone otherwise."
Gibson, a 6-2 junior guard for the Rams, grew up in one of the poorest areas of Newport News, a place that he said is nicknamed "Bad Newz." He said he has seen a lot of crime and that he has had longtime friends who are either in prison or dead.
"I played halfback in football (in high school), and our whole backfield, except for me, got into trouble and are either in jail or somewhere else," Gibson said.
Gibson was raised by his mother, Patricia Preyer, because, he said, his father was in and out of jail. Gibson said that when he was growing up, playing sports and being part of teams gave him an identity.
"It was basketball and playing sports that kept me out of trouble," he said.
Gibson, 21, had a solid career at Menchville High School, where he was an all-conference point guard. He didn't have the grades to play Division I basketball, so he enrolled at Montgomery Community College in Rockville, Md.
He played two seasons at Montgomery but failed to graduate last spring, meaning he still couldn't play in Division I. He eventually passed a statistics class last summer to finish his community-college requirements and became eligible to enroll at WSSU.
"This has always been my dream, to play Division I basketball," Gibson said. "Once I went to junior college, I didn't want to stop there. I wanted to keep chasing that dream and get the chance somewhere to play ball in college."
Coach Bobby Collins of WSSU gave Gibson his chance.
Collins said he loves the energy that Gibson provides and that Gibson always goes 100 percent in practice. Collins called Gibson one of those rare players who has a passion for the game.
"It's a situation where he has been very lucky to find basketball," Collins said. "He'd be out on the streets otherwise, and Newport News is not the place you want to be, especially where he grew up. That's a short lifespan.
"He's been through a lot, and he's seen a lot."
Gibson has had several good games this season and is the Rams' No. 3 scorer with a 7.2-point average. He made a 3-pointer with 17 seconds left to give the Rams a 68-65 win over S.C. State in December, and he led the team with 15 points in a 68-53 win over Averett.
Although glad to be in college and playing basketball, Gibson keeps an eye on those back home. He has a tattoo on his right arm to remind him of a close aunt who died of cancer and another on his chest with his mother's name.
"My mom did a lot for us, and she provided for us best as she could, so whatever I had, I was happy with it," Gibson said.
Gibson feels a sense of pride to have made it out of his neighborhood. He is majoring in sports communication and said that getting a four-year degree is very important.
He still goes home during school breaks but said he doesn't see many of his old friends.
"I probably pass by them and say ‘Hello' to them but that's about it," Gibson said.
"I can't get caught up in that life because I don't want to lose my scholarship. They don't have anything to lose, but I don't want to lose my scholarship because then I'd be out of school."
Gibson has turned to Collins for advice and direction, and although he admits that he loves the attention basketball brings him, Gibson also sees the bigger picture.
"Not having a father figure because he was in and out of jail made it kind of tough," Gibson said. "But up here, I can always talk to Coach Collins. He's like a father figure to me.
"The best thing about playing basketball is I'm getting an education so I can have a good life when I get out of school."
■ John Dell can be reached at 727-4081 or at jdell@wsjournal.com.
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