The Good Stuff: Forever ‘30′

SHREVEPORT, La. (KSLA) - Somehow, they did it.

The Huntington Raiders basketball team somehow navigated the emotions of losing their close friend and teammate, 17-year-old Devin Myers, to a fatal shooting, then just a day later, took the court in a playoff basketball game.

And won it.

Now for many of those players, including junior Kamron Evans, they’re on a mission in honor Devin, number 30, for the Raiders basketball team.

“I knew he was changing,” explained Kamron about his friend, sharing a series of text messages he shared with Devin just weeks before his shooting death.

In response to Devin texting Kamron, “Tryna change my path bro,” Kamron responded by telling him, “Man you’re going to be able to tell so many kids about this, it’s crazy!”

Sadly, Devin had only just begun his plight, telling Kamron he wanted to be baptized and that he knew that kids looked up to him, and that he wanted his words to get out and inspire people.

“We were both trying to do the same,” explained Kamron, who has been open about a spiritual path he’s been on for about a year now.

He says in February of last year, “Stuff started to go left for me.” This was his way of describing he wanted to get his life moving forward on a new, spiritual path.

“I was praying, not telling anyone what was going on, but praying,” he added.

Kamron says, personally and spiritually, 2021 was a big year for him. He was baptized in April and then developed a special friendship during the fall football season.

“We are the ‘westside boys’”, Kamron said, smiling, about the two quarterbacks representing two Shreveport schools on the west side of town.

“Our schools are just five minutes away,” explained Evangel quarterback Peyton Fulghum, who developed and maintained a friendly relationship with Kamron. He even asked Kamron to join him for church one Sunday.

“I felt the Lord tell me, ‘Invite him to church,’” which he did, and Kamron accepted.

Kamron says he now goes to Shreveport Community Church on a regular basis. His most recent visit may have been his most moving.

In the days after Devin’s slaying, Peyton was hesitant but eventually sent Kamron a text, checking on him but also inviting him to church.

“I said, ‘Hey Bro, I know you’ve got a lot going on, but we’ve got church tomorrow,’” a text he says Kamron ‘liked,’ leading him to feel Kamron would be there.

The next morning, he was there but he didn’t come alone.

While sitting with a number of his teammates and Devin’s girlfriend, Jerimyah, Kamron explained how something came over him after receiving that text from Peyton.

“Something was telling me to invite all of them to church with me,” motioning toward Jerimyah, teammates Decedric Webb, Dekaveon Taylor, Kentravis Green, Chris Carpenter, and team manager Cameron Calhoun.

“I told them ‘It’s going to be a beautiful thing when we all walk into church together,’” bragged Kamron.

Just three days after their friend Devin was shot to death not far from his home, Kamron and friends marched their way down the church aisle, straight to the front row.

“Kam gave me a hug and everybody just started giving everybody hugs,” said Peyton.

Especially now, after Devin’s death and just weeks after he opened up about his desire to “change his path,” Kamron and his friends are more determined than ever to make sure Devin’s message gets out.

“I feel like his mission was for us to open our eyes, to let us know that there’s a better place to be than where we are right now,” shared Decedric.

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