Lady Hawks working hard this summer

A highlight of summer basketball for the Holly Springs Lady Hawks came Saturday, June 13, when they had the opportunity to play at the University of Mississippi.

“The overall experience at the Ole Miss Team Camp was awesome,” said Sam Greer Jr., entering his first season as head coach of the Lady Hawks. “The Ole Miss coaching staff delivered a great experience that the girls will never forget.”

He said his Holly Springs team had a great time competing at the camp versus Center Hill and Lausanne Collegiate School of Memphis, Tenn.

The game against Center Hill was a battle, Greer said. Eighth grade point guard JaNiyah Stigall led the way in the win with eight points and four steals. Senior guard Nakia Martin added seven points, and sophomore guard Teyuana Reaves scored six points and grabbed seven rebounds.

“Junior forward Zianna Schlender showed great leadership defending and rebounding at a high level, and there were also great contributions from freshman guard Kayla Randle, who contributed defensively,” he said.

In a hard-fought, two-point loss to Lausanne, Reaves poured in 15 points and had six rebounds.

“The attitudes and efforts of the team are exactly where they should be at this time of summer,” Greer said. “Leaders like Zianna Schlender, A’jah Shelton, Nakia Martin and Na’kirya Martin will play critical roles in our success.”

He said the Lady Hawks are learning the new system of a new coach very well.

“The summer practice sessions, as a whole, are going well,” Greer said. “The young ladies are learning and growing. They all play hard.

“Our goals for this summer are to get better in all aspects of the game and learn how to play as one unit, offensively and defensively.”

Last season was one of the best ever for the Lady Hawks, and many talented players off that roster are back. They advanced to the Class 3A state playoffs in 2025-26 and finished 21-6 overall.