Tyshon Spencer always thought basketball was the sport for him.

At 6-foot-4, 220 pounds, Spencer had the size and the athleticism to pave a future for himself in the sport.

But 6-4 student-athletes are easy for football coaches to spot in the hallways, especially at Class 1A schools, so it didn’t take long for West Lowndes High School football coach Anthony King and other members of the coaching staff to ask Spencer to come out for the football team.

“They used to say, ‘You’re too big not to play football,’ ” Spencer said. “I used to be scared to play football because I liked to be the one to do all of the hitting. I didn’t like to get hit.”

Those days are long gone.

These days, Spencer is the one bringing the pain as a rush defensive end. He also has shown an ability to be an option in the passing game at tight end. In only two years, Spencer has gone from someone who considered the possibility of play basketball in college to one who will play football in college. The West Lowndes High senior made it official Wednesday when he signed a National Letter of Intent to play football at Holmes Community College in Goodman.

“After my first practice, (football) was OK and I went back,” said Spencer, who also had offers from Hinds C.C. and Mississippi Delta C.C. “I didn’t like my first practice, but after I kept going and going, I started to like football. As a matter of fact, I started to like football more than basketball.

“I never thought I would play football. I just thought I would play to make time go by before basketball season. I never thought it would get me this far.”

Spencer, who filled out at 235 during football season, played a key role in West Lowndes’ 9-5 finish. The Panthers advanced to the second round of the Mississippi High School Activities Association playoffs.

Spencer said his work ethic and drive helped him get this far. He said there were “too many times” when he considered quitting football, but he said he realized football was an option that could help him get an education and to play a sport in college. He said he also uses the memory of his mother, Shelia Hubbard, who died in 2007, to motivate him because he knows she is proud of him for persevering and making something out of his God-given abilities.

“I really did it because of her,” Spencer said. “I know deep down in my heart that she is smiling down looking at me.”

King said he recalls Spencer as a 5-9 freshman who slowly blossomed into a 6-4 behemoth on the end. He envisions Spencer using his great first step giving him an edge on offensive linemen. He feels hard work in the weight room will allow him to fill out a frame that he knows will be able to handle added weight.

“He is very athletic,” King said. “He grew so much from his freshman year. From first grade to eighth grade, he always played like a little man before he started to grow in the 10th grade.”

Spencer hopes to work hard enough to realize that potential. He said his versatility gives him the confidence to know he will be able to succeed despite his inexperience. He said he is willing to play on offense or defense if it means getting a chance to help the team.

“It doesn’t matter where you put me because wherever you put me I am going to shine,” Spencer said.

Follow Dispatch sports editor Adam Minichino on Twitter @ctsportseditor

Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.