Skylar Norman was looking for more than just a school where she could continue her basketball career.

Belhaven University ended up being her pick not just because of the chance to join the Blazers’ program, but also because the school reminded her so much of Lamar, where she has been a student since she was a young child.

Surrounded by family, friends, teammates and Lamar faculty in the school’s gymnasium, Norman signed with Belhaven Friday afternoon to continue her basketball career. More importantly, Norman said Belhaven offered familiar comforts and wasn’t too far from home.

“When I went to visit, at first it was about the college overall,” Norman said. “The student-to-teacher ratio is small, similar to Lamar, and I’ve gone to school here all my life. I liked the campus and how beautiful it is, and when I talked to the coaches, I felt like they had my best interest at heart. Everyone was so nice and greeted me with hospitality, like we always do in the South.”

Norman averaged approximately 14-15 points per game for the Lady Raiders this past season, Lamar girls basketball coach Joe Miller said, and she had some games where she scored as many as 30 before late in the year, when teams began keying in on her defensively.

“It’s really exciting, especially for Skylar,” Miller said. “She’s such a good person, and she has the good attributes you look for in a player: She’s a good shooter, good ball handler and decent defensive player who hustles hard, and this is just a culmination of all of her hard work to get an opportunity to play at the next level. This is the first year she’s played point guard, so I thought she improved greatly during the year, and she’s only going to get better in the next two or three years.”

Playing basketball in college is something Norman wanted when she was young, but she began to have doubts about that desire as she got older. Ultimately, though, Norman said she enjoyed the game too much to give it up if the right opportunity presented itself.

“It means a lot,” Norman said. “When I got to high school I wasn’t sure I wanted to play, but this opportunity came and I realized I wanted to. Coach Miller influenced me to keep playing, and I have a younger brother, Ian, who loves basketball and comes to all of my games, even my AAU games in the summer, so I want to be a good influence to him.”