South Side’s Lawson, TCA’s Lee finalists for Miss Basketball

Madison County has two players who were named finalists for Miss Basketball last week, and both of them being named to the list of finalists have added significance.

Trinity Christian’s Olivia Lee is a finalist in Division II-A, a year after winning the award as the top individual player in her classification in 2022.

South Side’s Ti’Mia Lawson was named a finalist in Class 3A, and she is the first girls’ basketball player in South Side history to be named a finalist for the award.

“I was really excited when I found out,” said Lawson, a senior for the Lady Hawks. “But it really just pushes me to be that much better for the team.”

Both players said they appreciated the individual recognition, but they both felt like it’s really a recognition of the work put in by them and their respective teammates.

“I feel like I’ve had a good season because of how hard I’ve worked, but nothing I do happens without my teammates,” Lee said. “And that’s how it was last year too, so I’m grateful for everyone on the team and how hard they’ve worked.”

Having been a winner already, Lee said she doesn’t feel like there’s necessarily a target on her from opposing players because of her past recognition. But she does feel some added respect because of the award.

“When you go against a player who you know because they’ve won an award or been named to a team or all-star game or something, there is a respect there,” Lee said. “And when we see each other’s awards and recognition, we want to challenge each other not necessarily for anything other than competitiveness and trying to make ourselves better by playing up to the high standard they set.

“If anyone sees me like that, I appreciate that respect from them.”

Lawson said she’s not sure if she expects anything like that from any upcoming opponents in the Lady Hawks’ postseason run. She’s just focused on trying to bring South Side girls’ basketball a championship.

“We want to win a state championship, because that’s something else South Side girls’ basketball has never done,” Lawson said. “So that’s the main goal right now.”

Brandon Shields, brandon@jacksonpost.news