PHEBA — Don’t underestimate the power of a pat on the back, a smile, or a piece of candy.
Those often overlooked gestures of appreciation have taken on an added meaning this season for the members of the Hebron Christian School girls basketball team.
While the Lady Eagles came together early in the season to begin their quest to win a second-consecutive Mississippi Association of Independent Schools (MAIS) Class 1A State title, seniors Rebekah Falkner and Holly Hudson, junior Eliana Carter, and their teammates have made sure not to let coach Bruce Franks forget how much he means to them. That’s why they have gone out of their way to offer a hug or a smile in the hallway in an attempt to make Franks’ on-going battle with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia, or CLL, a little easier.
“We played for him,” said Hudson, whose twin sister, Millie, also is on the team. “He was like our motivation.”
Hebron Christian made Franks feel a lot better Saturday by sweeping past Riverdale Academy 58-33 to win the Class 1A State title and earn a spot in the Overall State tournament at 3:15 p.m. Wednesday at Mississippi College in Clinton. Hebron Christian (24-2) will take on the winner of the game between Parklane Academy and Lamar Christian School in the annual event that brings together the top three seeds from all four of the MAIS’ classifications.
For its accomplishment, the Hebron Christian girls basketball team is The Dispatch’s Prep Player of the Week.
Hebron Christian beat Humphreys Academy 60-12 and Tensas Academy 51-33 en route to the title, which was Franks’ sixth as a head coach. A veteran of public and private schools, Franks, 61, said he has lost more than 50 pounds since his doctor informed him he had CLL.
Carter said the team wasn’t able to practice as often because Franks had to have chemotherapy treatments twice a week. She said the team also had to adjust to Rachel McGrew playing in the post in place of the graduated Victoria Ferguson. Falkner, whose grandparents had cancer, said it was really hard to deal with what Franks and his wife, Linda, were going through. She said the news encouraged the Lady Eagles to heed Franks’ wishes and “play for somebody who can’t be here.”
“It was tough thinking we could lose him, but we’re thankful he made it through it,” Falkner said.
The players said they could see a change in Franks’ demeanor when they offered a small gesture of appreciation or love, even if he couldn’t eat the candy that might have been offered.
Franks’ spirits also have received a lift from a deeper bench and improved play from a number of players. Last season, Franks said the team wasn’t able to go eight or nine deep like it can this season. He said the Lady Eagles played smart in the Class 1A State title game and used a 16-3 fourth quarter to pull away.
“We had real good leadership, and it came from our seniors,” Franks said. “Eliana Carter came out and played really well. She has started since the ninth grade. She made plays. She didn’t do anything spectacular, but she was steady and she was good. You need those kind of players. Then we had our two seniors — Rebekah Falkner and Holly. They had good games. One game they both had a good game, but they are always playing defense and pushing the ball. We have had a good year.”
On Wednesday, Hebron Christian, whose only losses this season are to Starkville Academy and Vardaman, hopes to use the experience it gained from a 60-42 loss to Kirk Academy to help it have a more memorable stay. The Lady Eagles committed 42 turnovers in the loss. It was a performance Franks said didn’t look anything like the team played at the state tournament, when it defeated Central School, Riverdale Academy, and Tensas Academy on the way to winning a state title with the school’s boys basketball team. This season, he said the team will leave together Wednesday morning. A year ago, he said the players didn’t go together, which he feels contributed to the team’s performance.
This season, the Hebron Christian girls basketball team is the only one to represent the Golden Triangle. Knowing what Franks has been through makes the trip even more special, so the Lady Eagles hope to make their coach feel good with a strong effort.
Franks said the players’ character has made this season enjoyable and has helped him get through his battle with CLL.
“Through all of what I have went through, they have always been respectful and have wanted to pick up for m and do for me,” Franks said. “They did a couple of fundraisers (“Wear Orange for Coach Franks” T-shirts) for me, but I just think it was their character. Good people are going to do good things. Most times good people don’t do bad things. They are just good people and have good parents. They don’t fall far from the tree.”
The Lady Eagles don’t have good memories about the way last season ended, so they said they are united to make sure the 2016-17 campaign ends in a better way.
“I think it will help us because last year it was pretty humiliating,” Carter said. “I think it is going to push us to try harder and do better.”
Said Holly Hudson, “Last year, we were not in the right mind-set because we had won state and we had accomplished what we set our goal to be. We weren’t really all dedicated and driven to play as hard as we could. This year, we are more driven because it is our last time to play in it.”
Follow Dispatch sports editor Adam Minichino on Twitter @ctsportseditor
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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