Karlie Jones signs with Georgia Southwestern

CAMILLA — Karlie Jones was quiet and subdued Thursday afternoon because she was not feeling well, but she brightened up when she signed her letter of intent to play college basketball at Georgia Southwestern University in Americus. With the bright orange of Westwood School behind her and a Georgia Southwestern banner in front of her, the 6-foot-1 senior who was selected as the “Albany Herald Player of Year” for girls basketball, put her name on the dotted line in front of a small crowd of family, friends and teammates. Parents Steven and Mandy Jones sat beside Jones as she signed her letter.

“It is a great day for the Jones family and for Westwood,” said girls head basketball coach Derrick Harris. “I was able to coach Karlie for three years and she always did everything I asked. She was more than a great player,” he said. “She was a great leader for us.”

As a post player at Westwood, Jones scored 1647 points and helped lead her team to the state championship game three years in a row. Her Lady Cats lost the first time, but won the last two state championships. In those three years the Lady Cats amassed a record of 82-5.

In a prepared statement read during the ceremony, Georgia Southwestern women’s basketball coach Justin Payne praised Jones for her ability on both ends of the court. “She demands the ball on both ends of the court,” Payne said. “She will be a great asset for Georgia Southwestern.”

Jones had a number of offers to play basketball throughout the southeast. Jones said Coach Payne, who was named head coach at GSW in April, made a difference in her decision. “Coach Payne was really great,” Jones said. “He was very helpful and seemed like someone I would want to work with, I also really liked the campus and it helped that I can stay close to home.”

Jones’ mother Mandy was also thrilled. Jones’ mother has been on the sidelines at most basketball games trying to take pictures of Karlie, “It was her dream, but it became mine too because it was so important to her,” the mother said. “I am so happy for her and I am happy that she will not be too far away.”

Joe WhitfieldJoe Whitfield