Covington, Gandy of SHS to play in Mississippi/Alabama game today
Jariyah Covington and Tabreea Gandy will share the backcourt one final time today in their high school basketball careers.
The two talented Starkville High School Lady Yellowjacket guards will participate in the Mississippi/Alabama All-Star girls basketball game at 5 p.m. The action will take place at A.E. Wood Coliseum on the campus of Mississippi College in Clinton.
It is the 28th annual girls game and SHS coach Kristie Williams is happy to see Covington and Gandy be a part of it.
“I'm very proud of the accomplishments they keep receiving,” Williams said. “It's a good way for them to finish up their senior year by playing together in this all-star game.
“This will be one last shining moment for them both.”
Covington and Gandy were very valuable pieces to the puzzle for the Lady Jackets in their run to back-to-back Class 6A State championships.
Now they get the chance to help a Mississippi squad that looks to stay above the .500 mark against its Alabama counterparts. Mississippi holds a 14-13 advantage in the girls series. The Magnolia State girls earned a 93-86 victory last year in Montgomery, Alabama.
During the just-completed season for SHS, Covington scored 13.1 points per game, pulled down 4.4 rebounds per outing, dished out 3.7 assists per contest and had three steals per game. She shot 78 percent from the free-throw line.
Gandy, who has already signed with Itawamba Community College, averaged 11 points per game, 7.7 boards per outing, 4.3 assists per contest and four steals per game.
Williams will be making the trip to Clinton for today's all-star action and admits it will be a little bitter sweet.
“It's hard to see players finish up their senior year, especially when they've been with us since their ninth grade year,” Williams said, “I'm very happy for them both, but at the same time, I hate to see them go.”
The Mississippi/Alabama All-Star games will be produced and televised on live streaming on the FNUTL network (fnutl. com) and the MAC Network.