After a couple of days of intense summer hoops at the annual East Coast Invitational, Kinston walked away with the Gold Bracket title and a renewed sense of identity.

Kinston High School wide receiver Tyreek Copper, one of North Carolina’s top recruits in the Class of 2026, announced his verbal commitment to NC State on Saturday, June 21, during an official visit to Raleigh.

After three impactful years at South Lenoir High School, Brandon Battle is heading home.

Battle, who served as the head varsity boys basketball coach for the past season and a half—and JV coach prior—announced in a Facebook post that he will be leaving South Lenoir to return to Martin County, where he’ll take on a coaching role closer to his roots.

When one door began to close, another opened—and Suggs didn’t just walk through it. He ran full speed, with purpose, heart, and an unshakable belief in himself. On signing day, the Greene Central standout made it official: he’s headed to Johnson C. Smith University to continue his football career.

Former Kinston High School standout Kyonna Kelly is once again using the game she loves to empower the next generation.

This Saturday, June 21, Kelly will host a free girls basketball camp from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Kinston High School(2601 North Queen Street). The event is open to girls ages 7 to 15, with a focus on fundamentals, fun and community. Parents can register their children by texting or calling 252-361-9534.

The Kinston-Lenoir County Sports Hall of Fame has officially announced its Class of 2025, featuring a standout lineup of local legends and a historic team that left a lasting legacy on the diamond.

This year’s inductees include Tony Dawson, Eddie Gwaltney, Tracy Hart, Dee Dee Jarman, Norman Joyner, Cam McRae, Cliff Whitfield, and the 1967 Grainger High School State Championship Baseball Team

The six-time state champion Greene Central Rams are set to host their annual Greene County Baseball Day Camp from June 16–19, offering young athletes in the area a chance to learn from one of the state’s premier baseball programs.

Since August 2023, Cori Waters and Will London has led a group of 8-to-14-year-old boys in a journey that began with local flag football and evolved into a 7-on-7 travel team called Kinston Elite 252 now competing across the state and beyond. The name isn’t tied to a school or booster club. There are no big sponsors backing it. This is raw grassroots football, molded by passion and purpose.