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ig manon campusThere’s no easy way to stopProvidence’s trio of gifted receiversby C. Jemal Hortonsports@carolinaweeklynewspapers.comThis season, they are widely recognizedas one of the most lethal – if notthe most lethal – receiving corps inMecklenburg County.People see Providence High Schoolseniors Brandon Braxton, BraxtonDeaver and Damon Magazu – and thecolleges to which they’ve been recruited– and wonder how a defense of mereteenage mortals even has a chance toslow them down.Not many teams have.In 2008, the close-knit trio combinedfor more than 2,000 yards and 30touchdowns, dazzling area prep footballfollowers along the way. That led to severalearly scholarship offers for Braxton, aCleveland, Ohio, transfer who eventuallycommitted to Duke. Then Magazu choseEast Carolina over a host of schools.Finally, this summer, the 6-foot-5, 210-pound Deaver also committed to Duke.Providence’s ballyhooed pass- catchershad more than validated their reputations.Surprisingly, though, they’d gotten offto a slow start before the 2008 campaign.Deaver and Magazu didn’t even knowhow they’d mesh with Braxton on thefield.To put it mildly, they didn’t think hewas very good.“When Brandon first got here, he wasterrible,” Deaver said as Braxton lookedaway in mock disdain. “That kid couldnot catch a ball in his first practice.“His dad knows my dad, so when hemoved from Ohio, my dad goes, ‘Thiskid Brandon Braxton, his dad thinkshe’s pretty good.’ So I said, ‘Bring himto Providence.’ So he was here sort of onmy reputation.”Deaver shakes his head.“I brought in this kid. And when he’sdropping balls, (my teammates) are lookingat me, saying, ‘Braxton, what are youdoing? Bringing this kid in?’ I’m like, ‘Oh,my god.’”Braxton tries to explain.“I’d just come into the school, andnobody knew who I was or what I coulddo, and I was nervous,” he said. “It takestime to meet the guys and fit in.“But he’s telling the truth: That firstpractice, I really don’t think I caught aball.”Deaver smiled.“Then, I don’t know what happened,but he decided to get really fast andgood,” he said. “He just went off. Fromthen on, things worked well for us.”It helped that the three players developeda tight bond away from the gridiron.Besides being talented teammates, theseguys actually like one another. Beforeand after practices, they find time to eattogether. They visit one another’s homes,they work out together. And, as Deaver’sassessment of Braxton’s first day at practicereveals, they’re close enough to bebrutally honest with one another.“I think the fact we’re so close definitelyhelps us on the field,” Magazu said.“Each of us knows how much work theother has put in, so we trust each otherto make the play.”Magazu and Deaver have been friendsfor a number of years. And besides thename Braxton, Deaver shares anotherbond with his future Duke teammate:Their fathers were teammates at WakeForest University in the 1980s. Jay Deaverwas a guard for the Demon Deacons,while David Braxton was a linebackerwho went on to a six-year NFL careerwith the Arizona Cardinals, CincinnatiBengals and Minnesota Vikings.Neither could be convinced to go tohis dad’s alma mater, though. Braxtonchose the Blue Devils over ECU, Maryland,N.C. State and, yes, Wake Forest.Deaver picked Duke over Vanderbilt,East Carolina and Wake Forest.Magazu also had interest from WakeForest and Duke, as well as N.C. State,Colorado State and Elon. But Magazu,whose father, Dave, is the Carolina Panthers’offensive line coach, said he choseECU because of the coaching staff.“Regardless where we’re going tocollege, we’re looking forward to enjoyingour last season together,” Magazu said.“We don’t care about (statistics) oranything like that,” said Braxton, wholed the Panthers with more than 850yards and 13 touchdowns in 2008. “Wejust want to win games.”Not that they don’t still competeamong themselves.During a practice this summer, Magazu,who is expected to play defensive back incollege, was matched up against Deaverduring 7-on-7 drills. If Deaver won thematchup, he’d scream, “ACC!” to remindMagazu that Duke plays in the AtlanticCoast Conference. When Magazu wonthe battle, he responded by screaming,Providence High’s receiving corps of (from left) Damon Magazu, Brandon Braxton and Braxton Deaver just mightbe the best in the county.“Arrrrgh!” as a tribute to East Carolina’smascot, a pirate.They weren’t always smiling duringthe exchanges.“It got pretty intense,” admitted Magazu,who had 11 interceptions, 124 tacklesand 15 pass breakups last season.“One of the coaches had to tell us tocalm down. With us being best friends,it makes us more competitive.”Asked who’s the fastest, Magazu andDeaver point to Braxton, who runs the40-yard dash in 4.46 seconds.Asked who’s the best jumper, Deaverand Braxton quickly say it’s the 5-11Magazu, who boasts a 36-inch verticalleap.A bewildered Deaver shrugs hisshoulders.“Man, what do I do the best?” he askedwith a laugh.Then, Providence coach Randy Longcruises past.“He’s a freak of nature,” the coachsaid.“Yeah,” Deaver said. “I guess I’m just afreak of nature.”Actually, a number of people seeDeaver that way. Last season, he caught46 passes for 710 yards and 12 touchdowns.And he’s such a talented athletethat he’ll also play lacrosse for Duke,which reached the national championshipgame in 2007.“At first, I didn’t even think I was goingto play (college) lacrosse at all,” Deaversaid. “But I played on Team Carolina thissummer, and it just made me realize howmuch I love playing lacrosse.“A couple of kids at Duke have playedlacrosse and football. And, obviously,academics are going to be pretty strenuous.But if they can do it, I believe I cando it, too. At least I’m going to try. But ifit came down to it, and I had to (only)play football, that would be fine.”So what can people expect from thetrio this season?“I’m telling everybody right now,especially with the three of us, there aregoing to be some plays made,” Deaversaid. “We’re coming to work every singleFriday night, and it’s going to be a show.”Which begs one last question forthese competitive BFFs: If there’s onesecond left in the game, the ball’s on the50-yard line, and the Panthers need atouchdown – who gets the pass?Braxton and Magazu look down toavoid the question. The loquaciousDeaver steps forth.“This is how it’s going to work,” hesaid. “(Quarterback) Chauncey (Concepcion)drops back and throws BrandonBraxton the ball as he’s cutting acrossthe middle. He pitches it to Damon –he’s running down the field, and I’mmaking incredible blocks to get himfree. As I chop one kid, I do a front rolland keep going. Damon’s about to score,and he throws it over his head. I catch itand dunk it over the goal post.“We win the game.”And if that happens, the legacy ofProvidence’s three gifted wide receiversjust might last forever. qTim Steadman/CWNG photowww.carolinaweeklynewspapers.comCAROLINA WEEKLY NEWSPAPER GROUP • FALL 2009 35