STARKVILLE — Maturity is a key ingredient to the 2015-16 Starkville High School girls basketball team.
The importance isn’t lost on Starkville coach Kristie Williams and how it applies to two key members of the squad, junior center Kelsey Jones and sophomore guard Tabreea Gandy.
“I have seen both of them grow into the phenomenal players they have been destined to be,” Williams said. “I really think they have the skill set to be two of the best ever to have played not only at Starkville High School, but in the state of Mississippi, and they both are growing into understanding that.”
Williams only has to point to last week to offer two ideal examples to support her comment. On Friday, Jones had 27 points and 10 rebounds and Gandy added 10 points and four steals and played lock-down defense in a 71-43 victory against Sipsey Valley (Ala.) on the first day of the Joe Horne Columbus Christmas Classic at Columbus High. On Saturday, Gandy had 22 points and two steals and Jones added 15 points and eight rebounds to help Starkville beat Horn Lake 61-52.
The second victory was special because it helped Starkville (11-0) avenge a 60-39 loss to Horn Lake in the semifinals of the 2015 Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 6A State tournament in Jackson. Horn Lake went on to beat Olive Branch for the state title.
For their accomplishments, Gandy and Jones are The Dispatch’s Prep Players of the Week.
“They are taking it all in stride as far as understanding that if a big shot is needed down the stretch, Kelsey knows we need her for that, or if we need somebody to guard the best player on the opposing team, Tabreea is that go-to person for us,” Williams said. “They are both dynamic in that respect and give us their very best every time they step on the court.”
Starkville enters the holiday season as the No. 2 team in Class 6A in The Clarion-Ledger’s latest state rankings.
Starkville could provide a preview of a 2016 state title game when it faces Olive Branch at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 30, on the second day of the Travis Outlaw Slam Dunk at the Hump basketball tournament at Mississippi State’s Humphrey Coliseum. Olive Branch (14-0) is the No. 1 team in Class 6A.
Williams said Gandy and Jones might have rolled their eyes when she told them the potential she saw in each of them. But she said both players have matured in a short amount of time and believe they have a responsibility to live up to her comments. As a result, Williams feels Gandy has emerged as the team’s “X factor on the floor.” William said Gandy is “tenacious on offense and defense” and enjoys the challenge of guarding the best guard on the other team.
Williams also said Jones, who is used to facing double- and triple-teams in the post, is growing more adept at finding open teammates when defenses concentrate on her. She said Jones as dangerous as a passer as she is as a scorer.
Jones, who is 6-foot-3, used the word “leader” and variations of it when asked Tuesday about her maturation. She feels she is doing a better job setting the tone for her teammates and not getting down when she misses a shot or makes a mistake.
“I am stepping up more instead of doubting myself and encouraging my team,” Jones said. “I am showing more leadership. That is very important because sometimes people see me as the leader of the Starkville High team, and sometimes when I am down other people shut down, so I just have to keep pushing myself so they can do the same.”
Gandy said she hopes to continue to develop into a guard who can handle the ball on the state’s biggest stage. Jones said Gandy “stepped up” last season, so she is looking for even more from her this season. Gandy said she is prepared to deliver.
“Last year, I had to build myself up to play at the high school level,” Gandy said. “I feel good at what I have been able to bring to the team. I do a little bit of everything.”
Follow Dispatch sports editor Adam Minichino on Twitter @ctsportseditor
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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