Kristie Williams had a feeling good news as going to come, but sometimes you never know.
Still, Williams was able to keep the faith the longer the wait stretched into Thursday because she believes Kelsey Jones is one of the top post players in the state of Mississippi.
When word finally came and Williams learned Jones had been selected to play in the Mississippi/Alabama All-Star Basketball Game, the Starkville High School girls basketball coach exhale knowing other coaches agreed with her.
“I am excited for her because this is another accolade she can add to her resume,” Williams said Thursday night. “She is a great player to get one more added on to her resume, I am very proud for her.”
Jones, a 6-foot-3senior center, will be one of 12 players from Mississippi that will play in the annual senior All-Star event at 5 p.m. Friday, March 17, at Dunn-Oliver Acadome on the campus of Alabama State in Montgomery, Alabama.
On Thursday, New Hope High School’s Terryonte Thomas and Starkville High’s Jesse Little learned they will play in the boys game, which will follow the girls game at 7 p.m.
Also, Columbus High junior Robert Woodard II and Starkville High’s Tabreea Gandy were named to the North/South All-Star game, which will feature some of the state of Mississippi’s top juniors.
Jones leads Starkville (15-0) in scoring (14.8 points per game). She is coming off a strong junior season in which she averaged 13.3 points, 10 rebounds, and 2.1 blocked shots per game and helped the Lady Yellow Jackets (26-3) advance to the Final Four of the Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 6A State tournament for the second-consecutive season. She earned The Dispatch’s Large Schools Girls’ Basketball Co-Player of the Year for her efforts.
Williams said Jones, who played in the North/South All-Star game last season, has matured and is willing to be pushed so she can become a better player.
“It takes a player having to give more of herself to grow and become a great player. I think that is what she finally realized,” Williams said. “She realized she is a good player but that she can be so much better if she puts in that extra effort. She decided she is going to make herself better and is coming into her own.”
Williams said Jones also has accepted a bigger leadership role on the team. As the only senior on the roster, Jones is running extra line drills and shooting after practice to set the example for her teammates, Williams said. Williams hopes that example paves the way for Starkville to make a third-straight appearance at the Big House in Jackson.
Williams said Thursday night she hadn’t told Jones that she had been selected to play in the All-Star game, but she was anxious to tell her as soon as she saw her today.
“She wants to play in an All-Star setting and have another opportunity to showcase her God-given talent to people who haven’t seen her play,” Williams said.
Williams said Jones has received interest from South Alabama, Southern Mississippi, Central Arkansas, and junior colleges in the state of Mississippi and in the state of Florida. She said Williams is focused on her senior season and on her schoolwork and that she will pick a college when she has time to weight her options.
Follow Dispatch sports editor Adam Minichino on Twitter @ctsportseditor
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 37 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.