Bob Jones High School Lady Patriots Basketball

Senior point guard eager for semifinal game
Wednesday, February 25, 2009, By MIKE EASTERLING, Times Sports Staff mike.easterling@htimes.com

MADISON - Coach Tim Miller shook his head when asked about Jala Harris. The question, he suggested, shouldn't be what the senior point guard does for the Bob Jones High girls basketball team but about what she doesn't bring to the table. "It's a comfort zone as a head coach when you can put the ball in Jala Harris' hands,'' he said. "You feel good because you know something good is going to happen.'' Harris is in her fifth season starting with the controls of the Lady Patriots' offense under her guidance. So far, all Bob Jones has to show for it is five straight regional appearances, three berths in the final four and one state championship. Harris and the senior-heavy Lady Patriots (31-3) return to Birmingham for the Final 48 seeking defense of their Class 6A title beginning Thursday. They'll play Davidson (31-4) at 9 a.m. in a semifinal game with the winner taking on Hoover (29-5) or Smiths Station (29-4) at 1 p.m. Saturday. Harris said she'll do what it takes to help the Lady Patriots bag the school's second crown. "Passing, finding the open man, as a point guard displaying leadership skills,'' she said. "If the teams needs me to score I try to do that.'' With a balanced attack that features five senior starters, Harris isn't always called upon to score. But as she said, she will if necessary. In a 71-39 regional semifinal win over Minor, she sank five 3-pointers in the first half and finished with 24 points on 8-of-10 shooting from the field. She then had 19 points in the final as the Lady Patriots defeated Sparkman 38-26. She's joined in the starting lineup by Kellie Cook and her twin sister Kylie, who both have signed with Tennessee Tech. There's also post players Sametria Gideon, a Kennesaw State signee, and Jazmine Green who will join Harris at UAB. They all fill different roles, but All-State performer Kellie Cook said, "We've got to have (Harris). It all starts with her.'' Added Gideon, who helped hold Sparkman All-State player and LSU signee Adrianne Webb to two points in the regional final, "She's a floor general.'' According to Miller, the team met about three months ago and "aired some things out'' after he told the players he didn't think they were playing and practicing like a veteran team anxious to defend its state championship. "Since that day they've been focused,'' he said. And with Harris, Kellie Cook and Gideon providing most of the vocal leadership, Miller has sat back and enjoyed the ride back to the Birmingham. With the game against Sparkman tied at 17-all heading into the third quarter, Miller said, "I didn't have to say anything at halftime. They were doing it. They've been there and done that.'' Harris certainly has. As an eighth-grader, Bob Jones was regional champion and lost to Davidson in the semifinals. As a freshman, the Lady Patriots lost to Sparkman in the regional final. She injured an ACL in her knee as a sophomore at Christmas and missed the rest of the season that ended with another loss to Sparkman in the regional final. Last year, Bob Jones broke through with its first state championship. Harris wants more. "I think we've realized this is our senior year, this is it,'' she said. "This is your last chance to leave your mark. You don't want to go out a loser.''