The 2020-2021 Catoosa-walker County Girls’ Baskeball Dream Team

RILEY NAYADLEY Catoosa County Girls’ Co-player of the Year

Riley Nayadley’s accomplishments on the diamond are well-known and welldocumented and she will be remembered as one of the all-time greats to ever suit up for the Ringgold Lady Tigers.

However, her athleticism wasn’t simply confined to the softball field as the Ringgold standout was equally adept on the basketball court.

Nayadley put a bow on a stellar high school hoops career this past season with a second straight 6-AAA AllRegion first team selection and a third straight spot on the Catoosa-walker County Dream Team, but this time as the Girls’ Co-player of the Year for Catoosa County.

“It feels good,” the senior said of the honor. “We all worked hard and I know I worked hard this year. I’m glad it all paid off.”

Nayadley, who earned the starting shortstop position in her very first year with the softball team, also quickly became a starter on the court as a rookie and earned Dream Team honorable mention status that season.

The following year, averages of eight points, six rebounds, two assists and two steals cemented her status as one of the team’s best all-around players and she turned in nearly identical stats as a junior with 8.2 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 2.0 steals to help

the Lady Tigers advance all the way to the Class AAA Elite Eight.

However, she upped her game even more as a senior.

Leading the Blue-andWhite in points (13.0) and rebounds (7.0), while again adding two assists and two steals a night, Nayadley garnered another first team All-region selection to help Ringgold get back to the state playoffs.

“I thought I played well this year,” she explained. “I had a lot more confidence in myself this year and I was shooting more, so having more confidence really showed.”

Among the highlights was a 25-point, seven-rebound

performance in an 83-79 win over Rockmart and 6-AAA Player of the Year Keyerah Berry in the third-place game of the region tournament.

“It’s been good, definitely all four years,” she said of her time as a Ringgold basketball player. “All the work put into it and by the coaches and all the players...it’s just like a family and a community thing. It’s been great.”

The softball field at East Tennessee State University will be part of Nayadley’s home for the next four years, but she said her time at RHS will always be special.

“I’ll definitely miss all my teammates and coaches and just the atmosphere (here),” she added. “It’s always so fun (to play here). Every day is so different and I always looked forward to it.”