Her ringing cell phone woke Kaleigh Clemons from an afternoon nap Friday. But what normally would be a nuisance turned out to be a call worthy of interrupting her relaxing day off from school.
Baylor coach John Gibson informed his junior point guard that she had been named one of three finalists for the state’s Division II-AA Miss Basketball award.
“Once I heard what Coach was saying, I woke up pretty fast,” Clemons said with a laugh. “It’s our winter break so I was just resting, but that was a nice surprise. It’s a blessing. I never expected to be in the position that I’m in now, and I can’t thank the coaches and people who have helped me enough. It’s an amazing feeling.”
The 5-foot-7 Clemons, who is joined by Ensworth’s Jordyn Cambridge and Brentwood Academy’s Sydni Harvey as finalists, averages 13 points, 7.1 assists, 4.5 rebounds, 3.5 steals a game for Baylor, which was ranked No. 1 in D-II earlier this season.
TSSAA Mr. and Miss Basketball finalists
Class A Miss Basketball Lakelyn Bouldin, Van Buren County Abbey Dew, Houston County Averyale Joy, Middleton Class AA Miss Basketball Callie Hackett, Smith County Anna Hammaker, CAK Kayla Marosites, Elizabethton Class AAA Miss Basketball Brandi Beasley, Ridgeway Crystal Dangerfield, Blackman Alex Johnson, Blackman Division II-A Miss Basketball Anna Jones, Univ. School of Jackson Kaylan Pugh, St. Mary’s Micah Scheetz, Knoxville Webb Division II-AA Miss Basketball Jordyn Cambridge, Ensworth Kaleigh Clemons, Baylor Sydni Harvey, Brentwood Academy Class A Mr. Basketball Finalists Tucker Campbell, Adamsville Marcus Deberry, Union City Jeremiah Martin, Mitchell Class AA Mr. Basketball Finalists Braxton Blackwell, Christ Presbyterian Academy Chris McNeal, Jackson South Side LeGerald Vick, Douglass Class AAA Mr. Basketball Finalists Donte Dorsey, Southwind Dedric Lawson, Hamilton K.J. Lawson, Hamilton Division II-A Mr. Basketball Finalists Kenny Cooper, Franklin Road Academy Dakota Quinn, Davidson Academy Justin Wertner, St. George’s Division II-AA Mr. Basketball Finalists Jordan Bone, Ensworth Darius Garland, Brentwood Academy Micah Thomas, Briarcrest