The Maynard Jackson girls are entering new territory. They’ve qualified for the state tournament before, but this is the first time they are spoken of as being among the contenders.
The No. 4-ranked (24-1) Jaguars have won 22-straight games after beating Westminster 72-66 in the Region 4-AAA title game on Saturday night. They open the postseason against Tattnall County on Tuesday night.
“The kids are just excited to play,” Jackson coach Michelle Powell said “Some have never been to state and we got out of the gate one time and lost the first game so hopefully this time we’ll have more composure.”
That was two years ago. Jackson went 14-15 and lost to Peach County in the first round. But this year’s Jackson team is far better and much more equipped to compete at the state level.
“We’ve been playing this way all year long,” Powell said. “You just keep working with what you’re working with, don’t change anything, don’t get down. It’s hard to win 20-something games consecutively without losing one.”
Jackson has three very good players in Keimeshia Walker, Erica Gibbons and Kayla Mayfield.
Walker, who has signed with Eastern Michigan, is one of the most dangerous player in the tournament. She plays at a fast pace all the time and is equally dangerous as a 3-point shooter (some from way out) and taking the ball to the basket. Walker moved into the district last summer and is playing for the Jags for the first time. She averages 20 points, 4.2 rebounds and 5.1 steals.
“She’s a big piece of the puzzle that was missing,” Powell said. “We just try to use her where we can. She doesn’t get tired a lot, but works just as hard in practice trying to make sure they pick up the pace and don’t fall behind. She leads us a lot of times in assists as well as steals.”
Gibbons transferred from South Atlanta. She averages 16.3 points and 7.6 rebounds.
“She’s an amazing player,” Powell said. “Sometimes she even surprises me how good she is.”
Mayfield is the rebounding machine that every contender needs. Only 5-9, the senior averages 12 rebounds per game, as well as eight points. Mayfield has struggled to rediscover her shooting touch after suffering an ankle injury, but hasn’t lost a step in the rebound department.
Most first-round games are pushovers for the region champions, but not so for Jackson. The Jags get to host the game, but they have to face a Tattnall County team that went 18-8 in one of the strongest leagues in the state.
“We set aside some goals early when we first started and one of them was to get some type of trophy while out of town during break. We accomplished that at Campbell,” Powell said. “Then to come back here and win the region, that makes a big statement because now the next step is the state.”
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