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FPCA standout McCloud to play at Andrew College
McCloud signs
Robert McCloud, who helped lead FPCA to a second straight GIAA Class A state basketball championship, signs a letter of intent with Andrew College.

After helping lead the First Preparatory Christian Academy Highlanders to region and state championships, basketball is leading Robert McCloud to Andrew College.

The FPCA grad signed a letter of intent to play basketball at the Cuthbert school, which is not far from the Alabama state line.

“It’s one of the best feelings – all the hard work paying off,” he said. “Choosing a college was the hardest part. Coming over here and meeting new people, making new relationships and setting goals for myself, that was also a hard part. Just being able to be in this moment, this is where everything pays off.”

McCloud only played his senior season at FPCA but led the Highlanders with 22.7 points per game. He was named the GIAA Region 6-A player of the year and was named to the GIAA all-state first team as FPCA won its second straight Class A state title.

Aside from his basketball prowess, McCloud also sported a 4.0 grade point average.

“He’s such a good kid,” Highlanders coach Shane Smith said. “He had a lot to offer different schools. We had a couple of schools from out of state. But we wanted to keep him closer to home.”

McCloud started his prep career at Bradwell Institute before transferring to FPCA for his senior year.

“He was one of those kids who dream of walking through the door, and he just happened to walk through the door,” Smith said.

With McCloud in the fold, the Highlanders went 22-3 – with all three losses coming to public schools.

“He was a major impact on us,” Smith said. “He was a great addition to our team. He was a catalyst for us. He was a missing piece. He jelled with the team.”

What McCloud likes most about his game is his hustle and his drive. What he wants to work on is creating more scoring opportunities for others and getting others involved in the game.

And there’s already an extensive amount of work that goes in away from the spectators, he acknowledged.

“It’s a lot,” McCloud said, “whether it’s lifting weights or being on the floor and that’s not all of it. You have to go home and study the game. It comes with a lot of time. You have to put a lot of time into it in order to get something really great out of it.”