Young Ladies Take Spotlight at State

Walking into a basketball game can be a little disorienting. The speed of the game and energy of the audience can create a blur. Catching up to the action is like walking outside from a dark room. It takes a second to get adjusted.

After a couple trips up and down the spots in your eyes start to clear as the organized chaos translates into a choreographed routine. But without some knowledge of the teams each player is no more recognizable than the numbers on their backs.

Then it happens.

With one bounce. One look. One step. One hesitation. One shot. One player lassos your attention. You glance down at your roster. You read the name out loud. And just like that you start to make sense of what's going on between the end lines.

I had one of those moments a few weeks ago. It was senior night at Trinity Christian. With the graduating class in the spotlight, junior wing Anna-Claire Knight took her place on the bench to start the game. That didn't last long. Head coach Rick Johnson brought in AC to cool down Gatewood after the Lady Dragons' blistering start. Being familiar with Knight's accomplishments I took note of her number before the game, and it didn't take long for her to make her mark once her number was called.

Knight took an outlet pass just beyond Gatewood's three point line, wove effortlessly past a pair of defenders, drove right of the paint, and in one smooth motion faked a pass and pulled up for an easy eight foot jumper. Just like that the 2,000+ career points, starting spot as an 8th grader, and steadily-accumulating division I offers made perfect sense.

With high school playoffs rolling on this week the play of many underclassmen like Knight will grab the attention of girls basketball fans in Central Georgia and around the state. Here are some others:

Faren Harris and Shanice Stanley (Tattnall): The Lady Trojans are another team in the running for the GISA AAA State Championship this weekend. That's thanks in part to their inside-outside junior combo. Harris is one part of Richard Reid's dynamic backcourt, along with senior Peaches Campbell and sophomore Kayla Steele. She is a high-energy lead guard that is just as dangerous setting up teammates as she is driving to the hoop and scoring on her own. Stanley provides the punch on the block. In the Lady Trojans' second round win over Deerfield-Windsor Shanice initiated a second quarter run with a pair of easy buckets in the post. She's just as much of a threat on defense and on the boards as she is off the entry pass. Tattnall faces Gatewood in Friday's Final Four matchup at GCSU.

Jasmine Wilson, Cierra Gordon, Chan Fann (Northside): Casaundra Wilson's team takes the court locked and loaded. How else would you explain a 93-point output against Houston County this year? And yes, all 93 came in regulation. With seniors Ladarria Clark and Tai Brown in the mix the region champs have a number of players that can cause damage. Wilson (So.), Gordon (Jr.) and Fann (Jr.) are certainly on that list. Wilson and Fann are both capable of 20-point outbursts, while Gordon shares floor general duties with Clark. While Fann does most of her damage in the post, Wilson is a do-it-all small forward that can shoot, sling passes to teammates, or score in traffic. The Lady Eagles play Chapel Hill at home in the first round.


Maria Bond and Jerryshia Williams (Northeast): Bond and Williams are Northeast's bread and butter. The Raiderettes' starting five is counted on to play heavy minutes and do a little bit of everything. These two do both. Bond, a junior, is a deadly shooter and an impressive passer, especially considering her small forward/power forward position. She is a gamechanger, plain and simple. Williams, just a sophomore, is a true small forward, especially given her ability as a slasher. She can knock down a jumper and is hard to stop in transition. Both Bond and Williams understand the game and can make the little plays that are often the difference in winning and losing. Albany visits the Raiderettes in the first round.

Alisha Gray (Washington Co.): Sug Parker isn't afraid to admit that much of the Lady Golden Hawks' success rests on the slight shoulders of a freshman. Alisha Gray doesn’t yet have the swagger of a division I prospect. But she is. The 5'8" guard is the classic example of a player who lets her game do the talking. She flies around with her eyes wide open, just like a freshman should. But she hits fadeaways, three-pointers, cutting teammates, double-pump layups, and runners like a polished veteran. She's a 20-point scorer and the focal point of Waco's offense. Like some of the aforementioned players she plays with an understanding of the game far beyond her age. If her Nikes are any indication, she's got some room left to grow, which will only add to her arsenal. For now, she'll look to lead the Lady Hawks past Shaw in the first round.

Ivy Slaughter (Crawford Co.): Slaughter proved her value in the Eaglettes' region championship win over Heard County, the school’s first since 1976. The 6-foot ninth grader slowed down the Lady Braves' strong start by wrecking havoc at the top of Melinda Traylor's defense. Tipped passes on one end led to layups for Slaughter and high-scoring senior Shanedra Lockett on the other end. Slaughter is a terror thanks to her long arms and constant motor. While some freshmen at her height might appear a bit awkward, she glides smoothly down the floor. While Lockett leads the way for Crawford Co. Slaughter plays a major role, and finished with 18 points against Heard Co. The Eaglettes welcome Walnut Grove to Roberta in their state opener.

These are just a handful of the names that will stuff the stat sheets and lead their teams through the brackets in the coming weeks. So pick up a roster, sit down, and wait. Because in the blink of an eye you'll see a player do something that will make you pay a little closer attention the next time down the court.