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Bereket Evans will be the first to tell you that basketball is his favorite sport.

The two-year starting point guard for Morristown West initially surprised opposing teams with his skillset and speed at a young age. Evans is a two-time All-District player and was the floor general as just a sophomore on a West team that came one possession away from making the Region 1-4A Championship game.

But as time goes on and Evans continues to play at an elite level, basketball teams are no longer surprised by his ability. Because of that, Evans has had to find another spot where he still manages to catch the opposition off-guard.

The football field.

In Friday’s game against Cherokee at the Cocke County Jamboree, Evans snagged a long pass from West quarterback Malakhi Isom, outrunning a defender all the way to the endzone for the only score of the quarter. The passing touchdown totaled 71 yards.

Evans credited his ability to come back on the underthrown pass, shield off his defender and race in for the score to his days playing football in the backyard.

“I was running and he was pushing me a little and I realized I didn’t know where I was at,” Evans said. “I looked up and saw where the ball was and figured it was just like backyard football and I needed to go up and get it.”

While this is Evans’ third year playing football for West – he has 16 receptions for 215 yards and touchdown so far in his career – this is the first season he has been put in a leadership role to help the team. And West head coach Alvin Sanders’ trust in Evans’ ability is already paying off.

Friday’s touchdown was Evans’ second of the preseason. His first came in the Trojans scrimmage against William Blount.

“It’s good and makes me have some solid expectations heading into the season,” Evans said. “I’m definitely wanting to continue this and catch one every game. It would be nice.”

The touchdown against William Blount came just a couple drives after Evans dropped a wide open pass down the sideline that would have most likely led to six points. The bounceback ability that Evans displayed shows the maturity level from the junior wide receiver.

“My confidence never really dropped,” Evans said. “You’re going to drop a pass every now and then. Those underthrown balls have kind of become my signature so far.”

The vertical route has been a strong suit for Evans during the preseason. Even on the drop against William Blount, Evans found space because of his ability to jet past the Govs defensive back.

That quickness is something Evans accredits to his basketball skills, saying that his first step on the court is translating over to his first step on the field.

“I think my quickness and first step from basketball helps me on the football field a lot,” Evans said. “It just helps me get around people and find space easily.”

Another thing Evans and Sanders both accredit to basketball comes with the chemistry on the football team. Nine starters on the West football team also play prominent roles on the Trojans basketball team in the winter. That chemistry is something that can’t be overstated when a core group is taking the field and court together for eight months straight.

“It’s hard to lay it on the line for people you don’t know,” Sanders said. “Football is one of those sports that it takes the entire team to get there. When you have that bond and chemistry and are willing to sweat and bleed with each other, great things are going to happen.”

“We know each other like the back of our hand now,” Evans added. “We’ve been playing with each other on the football field and basketball court for three years now, so it’s probably one of the best chemistry’s in the conference.”

A few of those basketball players, Bricyn Gudger and Kyan Almonte, also happen to be in Evans’ receiving unit. Throw in Isom, another basketball player, getting that group the ball and the chemistry is unmatched.

“I think our receiving core is going to be nice this year,” Evans said. “We’ve been playing together for awhile and know how to get open and catch a pass. I think it’s going to be nice. And we have that connection with Malakhi. He loves that deep ball, so I know that if I’m open he’s going to throw it to me.”

One thing that Evans does have going against him on the field is his height. At 5-foot-10, Evans is not your typical receiver out wide, more so a guy that would appear in the slot.

However, with the likes of Tyreek Hill and Odell Beckham Jr. – and even down the road in Knoxville with Jalin Hyatt and now Squirrel White – receivers are proving that height doesn’t make much of a difference anymore. Especially when you have the speed and athleticism that Evans brings to table.

“His athleticism,” Sanders said. “He’s got a natural knack for it. He works extremely hard, so he’s always prepared when his number is called. He’s one of the guys that we all have a lot of trust in him. We’re never worried that when his number is called, he’s not going to be able to perform.”

The jamboree was the final dress rehearsal before week one this Friday. And week one brings on the Citizen Tribune Kickoff Classic for Morristown West and Morristown East.

For Evans, he has been in the thick of the rivalry before on the court and on the field. He understands exactly what the ultimate goal is when the rival schools face off.

“We’re looking to win a game,” Evans said. “That’s all there is to it. We should win, and I expect to win.”