Big decision
for Sean Evans

By Joe Mason
For the Times

Leshia Evans spent the past four years learning the ins and outs of football.
She sat in the stands during the rainy and cold fall at Northeast High School games.
She cheered when the Vikings scored a touchdown, when they gained a first down or when they made a key defensive stop.
For the first three years or so, the football novice didn’t truly know why she was cheering, or what all the excitement was about. She just knew that the Vikings — or more important, her Viking — were doing good things.
Leshia Evans is the mother of Northeast senior Sean Evans, the standout wide receiver/tight end/linebacker. And because her son was a football player, she did her best to understand the game. As a fan, they don’t come more supportive than Leshia Evans.
But now, all that football knowledge can be set aside. Sean Evans’ days in pads have come and gone.
And that’s not a bad thing.
On Monday, Evans accepted a scholarship to St. John’s University, where he will continue his basketball career.
So there you have it — the question is finally answered.
"It was pretty exciting because everyone kept asking me about what sport I was going to play," he said. "At first, it was really fun. But then after a while, I heard it all the time. People were asking me every day. I wasn’t lying when I said I didn’t know."
Evans was coveted by plenty of Division 1 football coaches. The 6-foot-6, 235-pounder caught 20 passes for better than 200 yards and four scores on the year. His size and speed made him an intriguing prospect at receiver.
But this year, Evans continued to progress as a basketball player.
He scored 22 points per game while leading a young Northeast team to the playoffs. Because of his size, he spent most of the time in the paint, guarding opposing big men.
But there also were times when he looked like a giant point guard. He would run the Northeast offensive sets, guard perimeter players and hoist shots from beyond the arc. And he wasn’t doing that to show off.
"I knew all year that in college, I’m not big enough to play center or even power forward," Evans said. "At St. John’s, I’m going to be playing wing forward. I’ll have to do a lot of things that guards do.
"I think most people who watched me play in high school knew I was a good player, but they don’t really know what I can do outside," he said. "That’s not something new . . . I’ve been able to play outside, I played my whole life outside. But (at Northeast) I was the tallest guy on the team, so I had to play inside."
Evans did whatever he could to help the Vikings succeed. And that effort was much appreciated.
"Sean was a great student, a great young man, and he deserves everything he gets," said Northeast basketball coach Elsa Cohen. "I couldn’t be happier for him. Everyone knows what kind of athlete he is, but Sean is a nice young man and he worked for what he got. He had talent, but he certainly pushed himself to be a good player. It paid off."
Looking to next year, Evans is excited about showing the world, or at least the Big East, his talents.
St. John’s is in Queens, N.Y., about a two-hour ride from Evans’ Frankford home. He’ll get to play his team’s home games at Madison Square Garden.
"Everything about it is perfect," he said. "When I went up there, I loved the coaching staff, I loved the atmosphere, and it’s great that it’s close. I know my friends and family can come up and watch me play.
"I’m a Philly guy, and I’ll miss Philly," added Evans, who will major in sports management. "But I’m going to a great place and I can’t wait to get started."
The lifelong football player knows that accepting a scholarship to play basketball for the Red Storm means an end to his days on the gridiron.
"It’s sad, I’ll miss it, but that’s growing up," he said. "I’m ready to start a new chapter. College basketball is going to be fun."
This new chapter also means he’ll have the same supporter by his side. Leshia Evans, however, now has to learn a new sport. At least she’ll be warmer at basketball games.
"She’s very supportive of me," Evans said of his mother. "She’s my fan and she’ll be with me no matter what sport I’m playing." ••
Joe Mason can be reached at joemason70@hotmail.com