Video: Student Athlete of the Week: Alana Edwards, Hatley HS, Girls Basketball

MONROE COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) — Alana Edwards is a top five student in her class with a 4.0 G-P-A. While making baskets on the court, Edwards is taking advance college courses in her junior year at Hatley High School.

Alana Edwards is in her 2nd year being a full time starter for the Hatley Lady Tigers basketball team. This season through eight games, she’s leading the team in scoring and assists.

“Just hard work that I’ve been able to put and what I’ve learned that we can achieve as a team, and it’s been great,” said student athlete Alana Edwards.

Former head coach Scott Carter resigned last season, now the new head man Ben Stark is stepping in to feel that void. Edwards feels that it’s a good fit.

“He’s brought in some new ideas, and definitely made us to continue to work harder then where we were last year. I feel like he’s done a great job,” Edwards said.

For many people that don’t know, Alana Edwards has had hearing impairments since she was born, but that leadership is what her head coach Stark and her teammates see in her that she brings to this team.

“If I had to pick out one thing that I want her to improve on is her becoming a lead horse. She’s growing throughout this year. I really want her to step up and learn to become that leader. That way the younger girls we have coming through coming up that they can follow her,” Coach Stark said.

“She’s a strong leader. She loves the Lord and she makes sure that everybody follows the Lord, and follows their heart as much as she does,” said teammate Madison Seals.

“Alana is a good person for the younger ones to look up to. She loves the Lord with all of her heart. She loves this game so much, and you can tell when she plays this sport she gives it all she can. She’s a great leader on and off the court,” adds another teammate Allison Easter.

Edwards and the Lady Tigers are off to a slow start with a 3 and 5 record in the early season, but the junior shooting guard knows this team is still capable of finishing strong.

“We still got a lot of hard work to do, and as long as we work together we can get to where we want to be. I just want everybody to understand that, and I think we can do great things,” Edwards said.

The Lady Tigers will put their hard work to the test Thursday night with a trip to take on their Monroe County rivals in Hamilton.