WINDSOR – Norman Cherry III knows what is in his collegiate future.

It will be an opportunity to play college basketball, but it will be secondary to the education he plans to get at Christopher Newport University in Newport News, Virginia.

“The first thing I looked at is education,” Cherry said. “Like my grandfather (Norman M. Cherry Sr.) says, ‘books before ball.’ I wanted to make sure I was getting a good education.”

Cherry said that was exactly what he felt he was getting at Christopher Newport.

“It’s a good school and they have a good tutoring program,” he said. “I really liked the campus and felt like it was a friendly campus.”

Bertie High School Head Basketball Coach Lester Lyons said he thought Cherry would do well at CNU.

“He is a great example of what we want from this program – a great young man that works hard and does things the right way,” Lyons said.

Cherry played varsity basketball for three years at Bertie and manned the point guard position.

“Every good basketball program has to have a good point guard,” Lyons said. “It’s like having a good quarterback in football, you have to have that. He did a great job of being our quarterback.

“When I came here three years ago, I knew I couldn’t play with only seniors if we were going to build a program,” he added. “He was one of the players I moved up to the varsity level. I think he has learned a lot in the last three years and has become an outstanding person and player.”

Cherry said he had learned a lot at Bertie and one of the things he would take with him is a positive attitude.

“I learned the value of a positive attitude,” Cherry insisted. “I stay away from negative things and I know that you have to think before you do something.”

Cherry said he had enjoyed playing with his teammates over the last four years and would always be thankful for that opportunity.