By Angie Ledbetter
Chasity Kearney, a senior at South Panola, signed with Meridian Community College to play basketball.

Kearney was a  three-year a starter on the basketball team at South Panola. She ended her senior year with a record of 17-6 in 23 games scoring 496 points, averaging 21.6 points per game, was a 75 percent free throw shooter, averaged eight rebounds, two steals and one block per game. She made All-Division three years.

Kearney said it was always her dream to play basketball in college.

“The signing meant a lot to me,” Kearney said. “I’m very excited about going to Meridian to play. I went down for a visit and really liked it. It’s a good school and they have a winning team. I think I’ll fit in good with their basketball program.”

Lady Tiger head coach Ralph Stallings said Kearney had a great year.

“She started out about midway of her sophomore year when another player moved away,” he said. “Chasity had been kind of sitting back and letting everybody else do it. When that player moved it thrust her into the limelight and she really shined. She helped lead us to a trip to Jackson and we ran into number four ranked Murrah but she made the All-State tournament team that year.

“Chasity is really deserving of an opportunity to get a chance to play basketball at another level,” Stallings added.

As a junior, Kearney played in the North/South All-Star game. This past March, she played in the Alabama/Mississippi All-Star game.

Stallings said his first couple of years at South Panola, nobody ever looked at any of the players to go to the next level but now this makes about five that we put into the college ranks.
“Coach (Hilary) Allen from Meridian was already asking about some of our players in the future so this gives us recognition for our program and an opportunity for some of our upcoming players to get a chance to play.”