Senate Resolution 25

A RESOLUTION COMMENDING AND CONGRATULATING THE OLIVE BRANCH HIGH SCHOOL "LADY QUISTORS" BASKETBALL TEAM AND COACH JASON THOMPSON FOR WINNING THEIR SECOND CONSECUTIVE MISSISSIPPI HIGH SCHOOL ACTIVITIES ASSOCIATION 6A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP.

WHEREAS, the Gold Ball State Championship trophy returned to DeSoto County. The Olive Branch Lady Quistors celebrated their second straight State Girls Basketball Championship after a 75-51 victory over top-ranked Clinton on March 8, 2020, played at the Pavilion; and

WHEREAS, game MVP Endya Buford scored 40 points in leading her Lady Quistors (24-6) to a resounding 75-51 MHSAA 6A State Girls Basketball Championship victory over the Clinton Lady Arrows (25-5). Buford was named the Championship Game's Most Valuable Player to add to last year's Championship Game MVP, and after last season was named the Mississippi Gatorade Player of the Year; and

WHEREAS, the win was Olive Branch's second straight State Championship, with the 6A victory following last year's 5A crown. Buford and the Lady Quistors came into the game ranked fourth in Mississippi girls basketball, according to the national high school sports service MaxPreps, to Clinton's Number One ranking overall and in 6A. But Olive Branch made an early statement that those numbers should have been reversed, taking a 17-9 lead in the first quarter and a 21-14 lead at the end of the period. Coming out for the second half, Olive Branch seemed to play inspired for Gillespie, and Buford in particular. "One of the things I wanted them to do was give us a run that was so insurmountable that they kind of got devastated by it," Olive Branch Coach Jason Thompson said. "We wanted to have a lot of defensive stops in a row and then find a way to score on those defensive stops." Thompson said he was glad that Buford performed on a big stage and showed the state the type of basketball player she is. Officially, the Championship win marked Coach Thompson's eighth State Championship, six at H.W. Byers and the last two in Olive Branch. That number does not include the 2017 6A Championship victory against Starkville; and

WHEREAS, the 2020 Lady Quistors Championship Roster is: DeAsia Jeffries, Laila Wright, Brynea Eason, Crystianna Whitehead, Bryneisha Eason, Nadia Gillespie, Trinity Franklin, Abagail Cumber, Alyssa Brown, Amya Black, Endya Buford, Rhema Pegues and Ariel McKinney; and Coach Jason Thompson; and

WHEREAS, it is with great pride that we recognize a group of student athletes who have brought honor to their school, their community and to the State of Mississippi:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby commend and congratulate the Olive Branch High School "Lady Quistors" Basketball Team and Coach Jason Thompson for winning their second consecutive Mississippi High School Activities Association 6A State Championship, and extend our best wishes to the team, coaches, parents and sponsors for future success.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to Coach Thompson for the team and Olive Branch High School Principal Jacob Stripling, forwarded to the DeSoto County Board of Education, and made available to the Capitol Press Corps.