RUSSELLVILLE – Russellville senior forward DeAndre “Pedro” Bradshaw said that ultimately his college decision became a “no-brainer.”

Bradshaw announced Thursday that he’s verbally committed to Belmont University, choosing the Nashville school over three other finalists – North Carolina-Wilmington, Eastern Kentucky and Long Beach State.

He will sign in November.

Bradshaw said he chose Belmont because of their winning tradition and the chance to play for head coach Rick Byrd. Belmont has made seven NCAA Tournament appearances since the 2005-06 season. 

“It’s a huge lift off my shoulders,” Bradshaw said. “I was gonna cut my list to four and make official visits, but one night I was in my bed and was like, ‘I’m going to Belmont.’ It kind of just happened. Everybody was telling me that when the time was right you would know, and I knew then. I know Belmont is going to be great for me. I love Belmont. It’s a great culture. Coach Byrd is an amazing coach, a hall of famer, and I know that going there will give me a great chance to get a degree and play professionally.”

Bradshaw said the chance to play with AAU teammate Grayson Murphy, a senior at Independence High School in Nashville, earlier this week made the decision a little easier.

“We had been talking all of July and he told me, ‘Man, I think I am going to commit to Belmont,’ ” Bradshaw said. “On Monday he told me, ‘I just told coach Byrd that I committed to Belmont.’ I was like, ‘You know I love playing with you and everything. It will be great to play with you.’ I think we will definitely make some noise down there.”

He also admitted that a chance to play close to home helped in his decision as well.

“I live with my grandparents,” Bradshaw said. “They have raised me all my life. Being close to them kind of made an impact, and obviously they love Belmont too, but I never let them dictate my decision. I can’t lie, that definitely was part of it. I love them. Hopefully they will be around long enough to potentially see me play pro basketball. It will be big to help them out and now I have the opportunity to do that.”

The 6-foot-7, 165-pound Bradshaw enters the season as one of the top players in Region 4, along with Franklin-Simpson’s Tavin Lovan and Bowling Green’s Terry Taylor. Bradshaw averaged 21.1 points and 12.2 rebounds per contest for a Panthers squad that went 18-8 last season, losing to Russell County in the first round of the region tournament.

Bradshaw said he is happy to have his decision behind him so he can focus on trying to win a Region 4 title this year. Russellville’s last Region 4 title came in 2001. The Panthers are the last non-District 14 team to win the region title and are among a handful of teams looking to unseat three-time defending champion Bowling Green this season.

“We are trying to win the Fourth Region this year and make a run in Rupp,” Bradshaw said. “We are going to work hard every single day in practice and hopefully accomplish that goal. It will be a lot easier now that I don’t have to worry about where I am going to attend school.”

— Follow prep reporter Micheal Compton on Twitter @mcompton428 or visit bgdailynews.com.