KERSHAW, S.C. — It took the right mix of talent for the Andrew Jackson High girls basketball team to win the 2A state championship last month, and the biggest ingredient was junior Tamia Watkins.
Watkins, 17, has been named The Lancaster News County Girls Basketball Player of the Year for helping guide the Lady Vols to the state title, but the journey to the title started long before the season did.
“Tamia brings so much to the team,” said Lady Vols head coach Steven Fair. “She has the ability to pass in traffic, can bring the ball up the floor and can start the offense in transition.”
The 2A Player of the Year, Watkins returned to Andrew Jackson for her junior season after playing her sophomore season at Legion Collegiate Academy.
“It was a family decision (to come back),” she said.
In her return, Watkins averaged a double-double with 26.4 points per game and 12 rebounds in leading the Lady Vols to a 27-4 record and their first state championship in 41 years.
But like any new team, it took some adjusting to make everything fall into place.
“It took us some time to get together,” Watkins said. “There was never really any selfishness. We had to play together and win as a team. We bonded and we played for each other.”
Watkins has a trait that many elite athletes seem to have. Off the court, she is quiet and shy, but during games, her competitive spirit and fire burns as she becomes very physical and intense.
Watkins, now 6 feet, 2 inches, has been playing competitively since she was in third grade. She said having brothers who play basketball too helped bring her competitive side out.
“When I started playing, I liked it,” she said. “My brother would go to AAU practices and I asked his coaches could I play.”
Watkins said playing against boys made her tougher on the court.
“It made me stronger and better,” she said.
That strength will be needed next season as Andrew Jackson now has a target on its back as the defending state champion.
“I think if we come with a strong mentality and play like we did in the playoffs and state, we don’t have anything to worry about,” Watkins said. “If we play as a team and have our mind on what matters, then we are good.”
College offers should soon start coming to Watkins, but she said, for now, she is unsure where things will lead after her time at Andrew Jackson is up.
“I am really not sure where I want to go,” she said. “Hopefully, when the time goes, I can go out and look at schools. I kind of want to go out of state, but it depends on who offers me.”
