Alexis Burns, Jasmine Herndon, Jessica Herndon all sign Division-I scholarships

Three girls basketball players, who have played together with the Georgia Jaguars since they were 8 years old, signed Division-I scholarships Thursday.

Carver guard Alexis Burns signed with Jacksonville, while Northside sisters Jasmine and Jessica Herndon both signed with Kennessaw State.

Both schools are in the Sun Belt Conference.

Michael Woods, who coaches with the Jaguars, said it was a neat experience to see three of his players move on to the next level on the same day.

"They've been playing together for a long time, and now they're going to be playing against each other in the same conference," he said.

"They've come a long way."

Jasmine and Jessica, who had a ceremony at Girls, Inc., both said that the key deciding factor for them with Kennesaw State was that they both felt at home. It was important that both of them felt like it was the right place, and despite other opportunities, that was where they felt like family.

"When they came down for the home visit, they met with my family and my grandma, and my grandma gave her approval," Jessica said.

"It just felt like the right place."

"The atmosphere feels like I'm at home," Jasmine said. "I feel like I'm going to be challenged and be a better person and player."

And getting to continue to play basketball together makes the transition that much smoother.

"She's the yin to my yang," Jessica said of her sister. "I'm just glad to have her for another four years. She's my blood.

"Whatever trials we go through, we can face them together."

Woods praised Jessica's consistency and Jasmine's potential at the next level, calling them both "steals."

He said the same about Burns, who he said could compete with Jasmine for conference player of the year by their sophomore or junior seasons.

Burns chose Jacksonville, like the Herndons, because she said it felt like home.

She said Jacksonville praised her for her scoring ability and athleticism, and that made her feel like she could make a difference with the team.

"It felt good," she said. "I felt like I can be something there."

Burns averaged 18 points, eight rebounds and four steals for Carver as a junior. Jasmine Herndon averaged 13 points and nine rebounds, and Jessica Herndon averaged nine points and six rebounds for Northside.

David Mitchell, Follow David on Twitter@leprepsports

This story was originally published November 12, 2015 at 11:07 PM with the headline "Alexis Burns, Jasmine Herndon, Jessica Herndon all sign Division-I scholarships ."