GRIDLEY, Calif. -- Gridley High School's Grant Tull started playing basketball at eight-years-old. But, even before high school Grant's skills shined on the court.
"I've always knew from the first time I saw him that the potential was there," said head coach Chay Dake. "There's a lot of growth with maturity and handling the pressure, but the one thing with Grant is he never backs down from a challenge. He always puts in the work and he loves the game."
Dake first saw Grant at an eight grade basketball tournament. He says evaluating his talent was easy.
"He was the only kid that played fearlessly and attacked the basket at a high level and I knew right then, I knew," said Dake.
He knew he had a special player coming into his program. Tull can handle, score from every level of the court, and dish out dimes like no other.
"Just working on that everyday shooting ball handling and I'm in the weight room building legs, building arms, just getting stronger every day," said Tull. When I was younger I used to be a post player so I got my footwork when I was younger and then the mid-range. I just developed ball handling skills over the years at AAU, running the circuits, so that's where I get all of my versatility from."
He doesn't just dominate the floor, he does it in the classroom, too. He posts a 4.2 GPA.
"That's with him getting in the gym every day, in the weight room every day, practice almost every day," said Dake.
"It's a lot of homework in the car. I'm on the road doing homework in the car holding a flashlight above my paper doing homework in the dark, but I'm determined like when I get on the basketball court," said Tull. "I want to perfect that move, perfect my shot just like school. I want to study hard for that test so I can perfect it."
Tull hopes to go to a four-year university where he may study architecture.