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Dallas County High School guard Darrius Ellis will be playing junior college basketball next year.

Ellis, The Selma Times-Journal co-basketball player of the year, has verbally committed to play at  Chattahoochee Valley Community College.

The 5-foot-10 Ellis chose CVCC over Wallace Community College-Selma, Gadsden State, Concordia St-Paul, Grand Rapids CC, Coastal Alabama South, Georgia Highlands, Snead State, Colby CC, Lawson State, Marion Military Institute, and Enterprise CC.

“I chose CVCC because of the love there, I chose to go where I best fit and where it feels comfortable going,” Ellis said. “Me, Coach Hicks, and the rest of the coaching staff have a great relationship and it’s probably been the best out of my recruiting. I prayed over it every night, it was the toughest decision of my life.”

Ellis averaged 18 points, nine assists and six rebounds and six rebounds, earning third-team Class 4A All-State honors.

Ellis also made the South squad in the AHSAA All-Star basketball game last summer, but  it was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dallas County head coach Cliff Nix said Ellis  played a big role in the Hornets’ earning a Top five ranking in the Alabama Sportswriters Association (ASWA) poll and reaching the 4A Southwest Regional quarterfinals.

“I started as a head coach with Dee being a freshman and I watched him grow from a boy to a man in that time,” Nix said.

“He’s a talented player who will be missed.”