The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Cromwell’s Payne commits to St. Francis
Cromwell’s Victor Payne has verbally committed to play college basketball at Division I St. Francis (Pa.).
Payne made the announcement on his Instagram account. He was expected to sign a national letter of intent on Wednesday.
“I felt in my head I would be able to play at the next level,” Payne said. “For me, I wanted to go to college. The whole visit was a really good fit. I felt comfortable with the coaches and players.”
Payne, a GameTimeCT All-State selection this season for the Panthers, visited the Loretto, Pennsylvania campus this weekend. He was still having an internal debate whether or not to take a post-graduate season at St. Thomas More on the drive home.
“I ended up liking St. Francis better. I’m excited about the opportunity coach (Rob) Krimmel gave me,” said Payne, the twotime Shoreline Conference Player of the Year.
Cromwell coach John Pinone feels the 6-foot-4, 185pound Payne can play three different positions: point guard, shooting guard and even small forward in the Northeast Conference.
“He’s going to be even better once he gets to college. He’s going to get bigger and stronger,” Pinone said. “I couldn’t be happier for the kid. He put in all the work year round to become a better basketball player. He made himself into a Division I player.”
Payne averaged 26 points, seven rebounds, four assists and two steals per game, will now be joining the same conference his father, also Victor, played in. Victor Sr. played at Central Connecticut State under Howie Dickenman.
The 18-year-old Payne said he was “never really worried” about his limited offers or how late it was in his senior year without having made a decision for his future.
“l trusted my ability and let everything fall into place. I never stressed about it,” Payne said.