Jackson County basketball player Claire Williams has added a new layer to her game this season, one that did not always come naturally.
Once hesitant to shoot from beyond the arc, Williams has turned the three-point shot into a strength, thanks in large part to encouragement from head coach Jim Brown. Early on, Williams said she preferred to operate inside the line, a habit formed during her middle school years when her height gave her an advantage closer to the basket.
“I used to never shoot threes. I kind of refused to do it,” Williams said. “And then [Coach Brown] would just push me to shoot threes, kind of yell at me, but I needed to be yelled at, and I feel like that’s what I do good now.”
Williams enters her senior season at Jackson County as one of four seniors on the roster. Williams said this season allows allowed the Lady Blue Devils to grow together in ways she did not always think would be possible.
“We kind of like learn how to play with each other during those games,” Williams said. “We’re not usually as structured as we are during the season. We kind of just go out and play, so we kind of get the feel of the game.”
Williams said that freedom, paired with consistent competition, has helped her and her teammates discover new strengths. Jackson County has played five games against teams outside the Upper Cumberland, traveling from Gatlinburg to the city of Jackson to play various tournaments and Hall of Fame games.
“It’s good to get experience and play against different people,” Williams said. “They’re really competitive and we kind of learn how to play with each other during those games.”
Jackson County will travel out of state to play their next foe. The Lady Blue Devils will next face Windermere Prep in Florida as part of Windermere’s Christmas tournament. Depending on the results, Jackson County could face Upperman in the tournament’s final day.
