Hoop dreams
Girls varsity basketball player Ayanna Lonon, a senior, stands at the ODYSSEY Media Group’s Winter Media Day on Nov. 15, 2022. Lonon was born into a big basketball family as her aunt traveled the world playing basketball professionally while her dad and sister used the sport to gain access to higher education, but Lonon values the sport completely differently. “I don’t think that I have the same relationship with (basketball) as the side of my family who really (had) a focus on athletics because they really were using it to go to college. My experience with it has been a way to stay active, a place to compete, to build relationships,” Lonon said. “When we played Loganville (High School) and beat them, that really reminded me that (there’s) a certain type of joy, a certain high that I don’t think you can experience doing anything else.” Photo by Lucas Donnelly
Girls varsity basketball player Ayanna Lonon, a senior, defines her basketball journey not by her team’s success, but instead by the friends she made along the way.
Ayanna Lonon didn’t grow up with hoop dreams.
She wasn’t going to be like her aunt, who traveled the world chasing her basketball career.
She wasn’t going to be like her dad, who “played as many sports as he could.”
She wasn’t going to be like her sister, who used sports to gain access to higher education.
No, Ayanna Lonon didn’t want that life.
That’s not to say she didn’t want to play basketball — much the opposite. With her dad’s relatives enamored with the sport, Lonon, too, was sucked into the family narrative.
Girls varsity basketball player Ayanna Lonon, a senior, wipes her brow during the Gladiators’ 33-23 loss to Oconee County High School on Nov. 15. Despite a recent overtime win over Region 8-AAAAA leader Loganville High School on Jan. 27, the Gladiators have had a difficult season, which has taken a toll on Lonon. “The hardest part for me is the sort of feeling of defeat when I’m just so sure that I did everything I could and we didn’t have the outcome that I wanted,” Lonon said. “(I) need to be able to leave the floor saying that (I) did the best (I) could.” Photo by Lucas Donnelly
But as she grew older, Lonon began to realize that she wasn’t going to be like her relatives — basketball wouldn’t be the key to her life.
Because for her, basketball was never really about basketball.
Basketball was about the long bus rides to away games.
Basketball was about the locker room tears after a near miss.
Basketball was about “a certain high” that couldn’t be reached any other way.
Whereas her predecessors had lived and died by the bounce of a ball, the arc of a shot, the swish of a net, she would live instead by her teammates, by her friends, by the one thing on the court more important than the game.
Now, as a CCHS senior with no intention of playing competitively beyond high school, Lonon knows her basketball journey is almost over. She’ll hang up her shoes, put the ball away and walk off the court knowing it will be the last time she plays for her school.
But if anyone asked whether it was worth it, she wouldn’t hesitate to say it was.
Not for the opportunities.
Not for the status.
Not for the glory.
For her team.
By The Numbers: CCHS vs Jefferson High School varsity basketball
The Clarke Central High School girls and boys varsity basketball teams will play their Region 8-AAAAA games against Jefferson High School on Senior Night game in the Competition Gym on Feb. 6. Last week, the Gladiators lost in a close game against Heritage High School by a score of 71-65 and are looking to prepare for the region tournament with a win against the Dragons. Photo by Lucas Donnelly
The CCHS varsity basketball team will take on Jefferson High School in their Region 8-AAAAA game on their Senior Night at 7:30 p.m. on Feb.6 in the Competition Gym.
Clarke Central High School:
(7-17): Overall record for the CCHS varsity basketball team.
(3-9): Home record for the Gladiators.
(3-7): Away record for the Gladiators.
11: Region 8-AAAAA games played this season by CCHS.
1,364: Points scored by the varsity basketball team.
1,546: Points allowed by the varsity basketball team.
351: Ranking for the Gladiators in Georgia.
7: Ranking for the Gladiators in Region 8-AAAAA
4: Losses in a row for the Gladiators.
Jefferson High School:
(7-16): Overall record for the JHS varsity basketball team.
(5-10): Home record for the Dragons.
(2-6): Away record for the Dragons.
11: Region 8-AAAAA games played this season by JHS.
1193: Points scored by the varsity basketball team.
1343: Points allowed by the varsity basketball team.
328: Ranking for the Dragons in Georgia.
5: Ranking for the Dragons in Region 8-AAAAA.
1: Losses in a row for the Dragons.
Stats from maxpreps.com
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