Infectious is a great way to describe La’Quesha Clemons’ game.
At 6-foot, Clemons wasn’t always the tallest player on the court. The West Lowndes High School senior forward also didn’t have the usual girth to bang bodies with other post players in the paint.
But Clemons never let what she didn’t have slow her down. Instead, she approached every minute on the basketball court as a challenge and a chance to let her love for the game shine in her performance. Although she might not have realized it, Clemons’ energy and enthusiasm for the sport rubbed off on her teammates and helped push them to bigger things.
On Wednesday, Clemons’ high-energy style of play paid dividends for her, as she signed a letter of intent to play basketball at East Mississippi Community College in Scooba.
Clemons averaged more than 20 points per game for West Lowndes, which finished 16-8 and one game short of advancing to the Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 1A State tournament at the Mississippi Coliseum.
“She is the backbone of our team,” West Lowndes High School girls basketball coach Tiffany Phinisey said. “She brought a lot of leadership to the floor, and she always has had a lot of charisma and takes instruction very well. She is going to be missed.”
Clemons’ energy was on display in her final game, a 61-49 loss to McAdams in the second round of the Class 1A tournament. Clemons had a game-high 27 points and showcased her athleticism, rebounding ability, and ballhandling in an effort that nearly propelled the Lady Panthers to the “Big House.”
Despite everything she did that night, Clemons said Wednesday she wished she could have done more to settle her team during the game. She lamented the fact that West Lowndes wasn’t more focused, especially since the players had talked since the beginning of the season about winning a state championship.
“I think we were too excited,” said Clemons, who was a team captain. “I think if I had brought more energy and gave them more understanding of what really was going on, we would have went further.”
Still, Phinisey, who took over midway through the season, said Clemons’ passion for basketball was infected the team. She said Clemons served in a variety of roles, including team cheerleader when she was on the bench, and set the example for the Lady Panthers with a high work rate.
“That energy she brings to the court spreads onto the girls,” Phinisey said. “I know the girls are going to miss it. I am going to miss it as a coach, having her there to push us along.”
Clemons said she is friends with former Columbus High standout Ki-Ki Patterson, who was a freshman on the EMCC women’s team this past season. She smiled when she recalled matchups against Patterson in high school and how the Lady Falcons “beat their tails.” She said Patterson motivated her when they were still in high school. She said she tried to learn from those losses and to keep pushing forward and not allow losses to sidetrack her.
Maybe that’s why the memory of the final loss of her high school basketball career sticks with her. She said basketball has been close to her heart for so long, which is why she is looking forward to making the most of her chance to play at the next level.
“It is all about passion and dedication,” said Clemons, who started playing basketball as a child living in Crawford and continued through years of Amateur Athletic Union play with coach Jeff Smith. “It is not easy, but I took it took heart, and once you have heart in things, you love it. There is not a day I am on the court or go to practice that I don’t want to be there because I love it. Once you love something, there is no ‘I don’t feel like doing that.’ It is a passion thing.”
Follow Dispatch sports editor Adam Minichino on Twitter @ctsportseditor
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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