As the Eustis High School girls basketball team prepares to dive into district competition, the Panthers boast a strong 17-5 mark that reflects both team depth and the guiding force of their senior leader, Dakeria “Nina” Brown.

The versatile guard has enjoyed a stellar senior season, averaging 17.5 points per game while pulling down 5.8 rebounds per contest. She is not just a great offensive player but one of the areas best defensive stars contributing across the board as a playmaker. Nina has tallied 333 points this year, leads the team with 111 rebounds, and ranks among the squad’s top performers in nearly every statistical category, according to MaxPreps. 

Nina has also scored 1,317 points for Eustis breaking 1,000 points earlier this season. She also has 520 total rebounds and 286 steals. Those are big numbers. 

“Nina is a super talented athlete with a confident competitive spirit that does whatever is necessary to win,” head coach Kelsea Brutton says. “She embraces the challenge of being relied upon and rises to the challenge. In pivotal moments she wants the ball and the responsibility that comes with it.”

Coach Brutton, who has built the Eustis program into a consistent contender over her tenure as head coach, has leaned on Brown’s all-around game to help steer the Panthers through a competitive schedule.

Nina has been playing basketball since elementary school after her uncle Terrance Alexander introduced her to the sport at a young age. She credits a strong support system for her development. Her role models include Wesley “Nino” Green, the head coach of the Eustis boys basketball team, her grandmother Lashon Alexander, and her mother Tay Jones.

Among her favorite memories is earning player of the year honors in 11th grade. It’s an honor she was deserving of as she’s become one of Central Florida’s top talents. Basketball has also shaped her beyond the court, teaching her that being a player is deeper than skill, it’s about being a role model and leader.

“No matter the ups or downs, I can’t give up,” Nina says of the sport’s impact on her as a person. Her biggest challenge? “Trying to be a leader. I tend to fail at that sometimes,” she admitted with characteristic honesty. But this season she’s shown what being a leader is all about and it’s the reason Eustis earned the #1 seed in their district. 

To younger players, her advice is straightforward: “Keep working & grinding, the road is not easy.” And for Nina and so many athletes the road has never easy, but through hard-work and commitment the results speak for themselves. 

Nina is also a model student who maintains a 4.2 weighted GPA and hopes to continue her basketball career in college after graduation. When she’s not on the hardwood, she enjoys video games and making money. Her favorite Bible verse, Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” serves as a daily reminder of her faith which has helped her through even the toughest of moments. 

Nina’s production has been complemented by a talented supporting cast. Freshman Chanel Mason is averaging just under 10 points per game, while senior Jordan Davis-Smith and sophomore Sammiyan Strickland have provided key contributions to the balanced attack.

The Panthers have described the environment under Brutton as “very fun & supportive,” a culture that has no doubt provided athletes at Eustis the chance at state championships.

With district play on the horizon this upcoming week, Eustis will look to win the district and set their eyes on making a state championship playoff run in the coming weeks.