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Columbia guard Na’Haviya Paxton is the 3-time LCR Girls Basketball Player of the Year. (COURTESY)
Head coach Anthony Perry threw a tough schedule at Columbia guard Na’Haviya Paxton for her senior season.
She said bring it on.
The Tigers faced several playoff teams this season and Paxton rose to the challenge every single night. Although Columbia missed the postseason for the first time since 2018, finishing with a 7-14 record, it wasn’t due to a lack of effort from its star point guard.
Paxton once again excelled in all phases for the Tigers, leading the team in scoring at 15.4 points per game while leading the area in rebounding (9.1), assists (5) and steals (4). She blocked one shot per game as well, and finished the season with 11 double-doubles, one triple-double and a quadruple-double.
Add it all up and it equals a 3-time LCR Girls Basketball Player of the Year honor to cap off one of the best careers in program history. She’ll be remembered for years to come, helping revive a dormant program that hadn’t made the playoffs since 2009 before her arrival.
“I want people to remember how hard I played every game, no matter who the competition was, and how great of a leader I was,” said Paxton, who will play collegiately at Florida Southern. “I just played hard, and I was ready every game. I came to Columbia for these four years and I made my impact on this program. Hopefully I left my legacy.”
There’s no question about it. Perry says her leadership on and off the court will be irreplaceable.
“Na’Haviya had another stellar season for her senior year,” Perry said. “Of course, the record won’t reflect that but we did that on purpose. But just like we thought, she still played hard, got through it, and she grew from the experience. That was just the benefit. She’s a true player in every sense of the word and we’re happy for her. She’s going to leave a legacy and the whole senior class will.”
The only thing missing from Paxton’s resume at Columbia is a district title and a playoff win. That was the goal for her senior year after the Tigers finished district runner-up and lost in the opening round of the playoffs for three straight seasons.
The 2022 campaign came down to the District 3-6A championship against Gainesville, a game Columbia needed to win to qualify for regionals again. Paxton brought it that night, scoring a season-high 29 points as she left it all out on the floor for her squad
Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough as Gainesville squeaked out a 70-62 win. Without the automatic berth, the Tigers’ playoff fate came down to the FHSAA rankings where they finished three spots out in 11th.
“Our season didn’t end the way we wanted it to,” Paxton said. “But I had a great senior season just enjoying it with the girls and just playing hard every game. At the end of the day, I’m going to college to play so I had a great senior season.”
Still, Paxton believes her senior season ended prematurely. Nine of the Tigers’ 14 losses this season were to teams that made the playoffs, and Paxton believes some of the teams that finished in front of them didn’t play the gauntlet that they went through this season.
The Tigers could have played an easier schedule like some of the teams ahead of them to finish with a better record. Take Fleming Island for example, which Columbia defeated 80-56 in the district semifinals.
Somehow, Fleming Island still finished ahead of Columbia in the standings.
“Even though we played that schedule and lost those games, we fought every game,” Paxton said. “The games were always close against those hard, tough teams. Everybody was counting us out so I definitely feel we should have made the bracket.”
Paxton’s basketball career is far from over though as she’s signed to play at Florida Southern. It took a college awhile to come to the table with a scholarship, even after Paxton averaged over 25 points per game as a junior, but Florida Southern finally did in January.
After talking with head coach Betsy Harris and visiting the campus, Paxton knew she found a new home for the next four years.
“It was one of my biggest dreams,” Paxton said. “I wanted to go play college basketball. I’ve wanted this since I was little so I’ve just been stressing about it. Now finally I’m going to play, so I’m excited.”
ALL-AREA TEAM
G: Na’Haviya Paxton
Columbia, senior
The LCR’s Girls Basketball Player of the Year averaged 15.4 points per game and led the area in several stat categories, including rebounds (9.1), assists (5) and steals (4.8). The Tigers point guard, who also averaged one block per game, finished the season with 11 double-doubles, one triple-double and one quadruple-double. She scored a season-high 29 points against Gainesville in the District 3-6A championship and has since signed to play in college at Florida Southern.
G: Anzarria Jerkins
Columbia, senior
Averaged 9.9 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.8 steals per game. Had three double-doubles and scored a season-high 21 points against Fleming Island.
G: Jacovya Major
Fort White, senior
Led the area in scoring at 15.9 points per game and led the team with 4.4 steals to go with 4.4 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game. Finished the season with one triple-double and two double-doubles, scoring a season-high 31 points against Cedar Key.
G: N’Coreyia Atkins
Fort White, sophomore
Averaged 10.4 points, 2.4 rebounds and 2.6 steals per game. Had one triple-double and scored a season-high 21 points against Eastside.
G: Zjamyah Wilson
Branford, freshman
Led the Buccaneers in scoring with 10.6 points per game to go with 2.9 rebounds and 1.4 steals. Scored a season-high 26 points against Union County.
G/F: V’Kaylynn Ward
Suwannee, senior
Led the Bulldogs with 10.1 points and 3.3 steals per game to go with four rebounds and 1.7 assists. Scored a season-high 20 points against Wakulla.
F: Isreal Hart
Fort White, freshman
Led the area with 2.6 blocks per game and led the team with 6.4 rebounds per game to go with 10.9 points and 2.1 steals. Finished the season with six double-doubles, scoring a season-high 19 points against Hamilton County.
F: Jolena Gardner
Columbia, freshman
Averaged 7.2 points, 7.9 rebounds, 1.8 blocks, one steal and one assist per game. Had four double-doubles and had a season-high 14 points and 21 rebounds against Creekside.
COACH OF THE YEAR
DeShay Harris, Fort White
His first year back as head coach was historic. The Indians finished with their best record in program history at 17-3, won their first district championship in program history, and made the regional playoffs for the first time since 2013. They were ultimately bounced by Lafayette in the regional semifinals, but the future is bright with only two graduating seniors.