STARKVILLE — Starkville High School girls basketball coach Kristie Williams received some encouraging words from a captain Monday afternoon.
“Eryka (Williams) told me she only had two games left as a Lady Jacket,” Kristie Williams said. “She said she wanted to make sure she played her very best in those two games.”
If recent play is a foreshadowing, Eryka Williams should be able to deliver on that promise.
The 5-foot-7 senior guard scored 22 points Saturday in a 62-49 victory against Jackson Jim Hill in the quarterfinals of the Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 6A state tournament at Jackson State.
For her accomplish
Starkville (26-2) will face Murrah at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday in the semifinals at the Mississippi Coliseum. The Lady Jackets are two wins away from a state championship.
“Everybody is excited,” Eryka Williams said. “When you get to this point, you know you can win a championship. Everybody is working just as hard as we are, though. We just have to have a great week of practice and then on game nights keep playing like we have been playing.”
Starkville enters the semifinal round on a 13-game winning streak. A year ago, the Lady Jackets also were dominant in the second half of the season before they lost in the semifinals of the state tournament.
“Playing those two games (in the state tournament in Jackson) really helped this team a whole lot,” Eryka Williams said. “You got there and kind of got a taste. Now we know what it looks like to play those types of games. I think we are a lot better because we had that experience. Nobody is intimidated or nervous. It’s just a matter of taking care of business.”
With Eryka Williams playing primarily at point guard, Kristie Williams was waiting patiently her leadership qualities to emerge. In the second half of the season, Eryka Williams has blossomed into one of the most dependable players in Class 6A.
“We knew she always had it in her,” Kristie Williams said. “She was a quiet player, so we had to teach her how to be more assertive. She has that toughness you want a player to have on this level.”
During the regular season, Starkville lost to Olive Branch and Columbus. Olive Branch was No. 1 in the state for a majority of the season. In its only playoff game at home, Starkville avenged that defeat with a 76-54 victory against Olive Branch.
“We had a lot of confidence going into that game,” Eryka Williams said. “We thought we didn’t play well the first time. We still had a chance to win that game. We had a good mind-set going into that game. We feel like we are a championship-type team. Undefeated teams can come to state and lose, so we can’t get too excited about that one game. It did give us some confidence.”
Eryka Williams began playing basketball when she was 7 years old. She credits her mother, Laurenda Williams, a former basketball player, as being her biggest influence.
“Basketball is fun,” Eryka Williams said. “When you get to know the players you are playing with well that is what makes it fun. You work together the whole season to become a team and to win championships.
“Last year, we were close. This year, we feel like we are even closer. We are a better team and we are determined. Still, really anything can happen. You are going to play great teams. You just have to be great yourself.”
Follow Dispatch sports writer Scott Walters on Twitter @dispatchscott
Scott was sports editor for The Dispatch.
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