ALBANY, Ga. (WALB) - Jalen Holmes attempted and missed his first dunk in eighth grade, but never stopped working.

After years of playing at the Boston Garden, the Westover High School senior is headed to Chattahoochee Valley Community College.

“I want everybody to know that, yes, it’s God that I’m here, but this lady right here has put me in the position that I am here right now,” Holmes said about him mom.

Holmes battled back from a torn achilles and leaves Westover with accolades including Offensive Player of the Year and Team Captain amongst many other honors.

“I believe that that injury happened for a reason, set me down, made me realize that it’s more than just basketball,” Holmes said.“I have to get an education, I have to be a great person, and I just kept trusting in God and believing in God. And I actually came back better than I was. I came back faster.”

Holmes said he is looking forward to his time in Phenix City.

“JUCO, I believe, is meant for me because I love the game and I love learning about the game, so it just put me in that position of it’s more to me to learn and to get better and stuff like that,” Holmes said. “So that’s why I chose JUCO.”

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