Clarke Central High School girls varsity basketball point guard De’Anah Oliney, a sophomore, stands in the CCHS Competition Gym. Oliney played on the CCHS varsity girls basketball team in the 2024-25 season, despite it being the first time ever playing the sport. “In basketball, my proudest moment is the first time I hit a double-double. I had the most double-doubles on the team. That was as a freshman, and I had at least three or four double-doubles. I was proud of myself,” Oliney said. “At the beginning of the season, I didn’t even know what a double-double was. They had to explain it to me, because I never played basketball (before).” Photo by Kye Streetman” Photo by Kye Streetman
CCHS varsity girls basketball point guard De’Anah Oliney, a sophomore and multi-sport athlete, is emerging as a figure of success in CCHS athletics.
Clarke Central High School varsity girls basketball point guard De’Anah Oliney doesn’t just compete, she changes the pace of the game every time the sophomore steps on the court.
Prior to being a part of any organized basketball team, Oliney’s only experience came from playing pickup basketball, primarily during her time at Clarke Middle School, where she was first noticed by CCHS head varsity girls basketball coach Carla Johnson.
“When I (first) saw her, it was (at) an after school program. I would go over to CMS, and we would do some drills with some kids,” Johnson said. “Her movement (when) she was playing with the guys (was) just effortless. That’s the first time that I was like, ‘Okay, she’s a baller.’”
At the beginning of her eighth grade year, she joined the CCHS junior varsity flag football team as its only middle school player, and CMS flag football and head basketball coach Marie Peel quickly noticed her energy and talent on the field.
“I noticed that De’Anah was naturally athletic when I first met her. I would see her playing ‘snag’ football with all of the boys. She was just as aggressive, if not more, than most of the boys,” Peel said “Her explosive athleticism prompted others to rise up. She pushed other players to match her energy. (She was) always smiling and finding unique ways to get others smiling and in a good mood.”
After that season ended, she joined the CMS girls basketball team, also coached by Peel. Shortly after, she took a hard hit that ended up knocking out a tooth during a scrimmage before the season started, causing her to step away for the remainder of the season.
“After that incident, she didn’t seem to have the heart to play. I’m unsure if her injury was the main reason why she quit, but I’m sure it played a part in her decision,” Peel said. “We definitely felt her absence; it was like we lost our light for a little while. Though we bounced back as a team, we sure wished we had her on our side during the season.”
When her freshman year began, so did flag football season, and CCHS head varsity flag football coach Cherelle Pass said Oliney has been a dominant force on the team since joining, currently starting on both sides of the ball as both quarterback and strong safety.
“De’Anah as an athlete has a God-given gift. She just has this craft about herself that you can’t necessarily train. You can’t work to do some of the things that she naturally knows how to do,” Pass said.
Clarke Central High School girls varsity basketball point guard De’Anah Oliney, a sophomore, takes a shot in the CCHS Competition Gym. Oliney played on the CCHS varsity girls basketball team in the 2024-25 season, despite it being the first time ever playing the sport. “In basketball, my proudest moment is the first time I hit a double-double. I had the most double-doubles on the team. That was as a freshman, and I had at least three or four double-doubles. I was proud of myself,” Oliney said. “At the beginning of the season, I didn’t even know what a double-double was. They had to explain it to me, because I never played basketball (before).” Photo by Kye Streetman
Her impact continued to grow on the field. During her freshman season, she helped the Gladiators’ offense deliver a 15-8 season record and make it to the Georgia High School Association Region 8-AAAAA state playoffs Sweet 16 round. No matter the sport, her natural ability translates.
“Having her as a ninth grader in gym class, she would play pickup basketball with the boys. She had this natural ability to make moves on the court,” Pass said.
When the flag football season ended, Oliney decided she wasn’t done with basketball and gave it another chance. She quickly earned a starting spot as point guard, the only freshman in the starting lineup for the CCHS girls varsity basketball team.
“I wasn’t going to play basketball my freshman year because I was scared to get injured again, (but) then I had coaches and my family pushing me just to try it,” Oliney said. “Nobody wants to get hurt, but I couldn’t just let that stop me from being great or being recognized.”
In addition to her success on the flag football team, she delivered a strong performance on the basketball team in the 2024-25 season. Despite being a freshman, she led the team in double-doubles, fueled by a relentless inner drive and passion for the game.
“She was a big boost in our offensive output. When she earned a starting role, it really played a positive part (for) us with some wins last season,” Johnson said. “She had a huge impact on the team. Her natural basketball instincts and the way she plays the game (make her) a very exciting player to watch.”
Oliney’s attitude extends beyond her athletic performance, often acting as a team motivator according to CCHS varsity flag football wide receiver and varsity girls basketball point guard Sadie Miller, a senior, who has played alongside Oliney for the past three years.
“She’s a game changer. If she’s on the bench and the game starts to slow down, we’ll put her in and everything speeds up 10 times faster,” Miller said. “That’s really helpful if we’re in a close game, or even if we’re behind and we’re trying to play catch up. She’s definitely an energy changer. Her energy is transferable, and everyone (feeds) off her energy.”
“When I (first) saw her, it was (at) an after school program. I would go over to CMS, and we would do some drills with some kids. Her movement (when) she was playing with the guys (was) just effortless. That’s the first time that I was like,‘Okay, she’s a baller,’”
— Carla Johnson,
CCHS head varsity girls basketball coach
Despite her qualities of a natural athlete, Oliney carries it with humility, which coaches say make her not just a great athlete, but a respected teammate and leader.
“De’Anah is humble. Even though here I am talking about her, and other people talk about her, I don’t think she carries that with arrogance or cockiness. She doesn’t give this pridefulness, which sometimes great athletes have. And that doesn’t mean anything about athletics, that’s just who she is,” Pass said.
Though her natural-born talent has taken her far, Oliney’s work ethic, passion and drive continue to set her apart. Still early in her high school career, she’s already established herself as a key presence in both teams’ success.
“I feel like (my motivation comes from) me first. If you were to play a sport and not love the sport, you probably wouldn’t be as good as you would want,” Oliney said. “Loving the sports that I play helps me push myself every day. Then, my teammates, my coaches and my mom push me, but I come first.”
