This season’s finest: Janelle Bailey, Providence Day girls finish their championship goal
By Jay Edwards
Correspondent
Janelle Bailey, Providence Day Girls’ Basketball: Janelle Bailey had already had a high school basketball career for the ages, going into the final week of her senior season at Providence Day.
Bailey, a four-time all-state selection, eclipsed the 2,000-point and 1,000-rebound marks, also becoming the second player in school history to be named a McDonald’s All-American; the other is Jatarie White in 2014. She also signed to play at the University of North Carolina in November.
But despite all of those accomplishments, Bailey says her main goal was to help her Providence Day girls’ basketball win their eighth straight, NCISAA 3A state championship.
While Providence Day got contributions from multiple players, Bailey played the lead role again as the Chargers beat Rabun Gap Nacoochee in the semifinals, and High Point Wesleyan, in the state finals, to clinch another state championship.
The 6-foot-4 senior center was at her best again, as Bailey had 23 points and 18 rebounds in the 51-22 win over Rabun Gap on Feb. 24.
The next day, Bailey had 22 points, 22 rebounds and six assists as the Chargers outlasted High Point Wesleyan, 58-57, to win all.
While Bailey made a lot of big plays, she was also double-teamed full court the entire, forcing her to adjust her game. Bailey was quick to give credit to her teammates.
“I’ll be honest, when I saw that full-court, double-team come at me, I was a little bit panicked at first, because it’s something I’ve never seen before,” said Bailey, who averaged 22 points and 17 rebounds in three playoff games. “But, I knew I had to be patient and let the game come to me. I had to be a little more of a facilitator. I knew my teammates would make plays, and then get me the ball, too. …
“We had a lot of people make big plays from Laila (Barnes) to Kennedy (Boyd) to Andi (Levitz). We all had to step up our games.”
Providence Day girls’ basketball coach, Josh Springer, says Bailey’s impact goes way beyond the numbers.
“The best compliment I can give Janelle is that even when she had 22 (points) and 22 (rebounds), that wasn’t even the best two things she did for us in the championship game,” Springer said. “First, her leadership was phenomenal. She was as cool, calm and collected as I’ve seen her in four years. That leadership really helped our younger players. Second, she handled the ball a lot and helped take a lot of pressure off our guards. …
“Janelle has seen it all at this point, her poise under pressure is another way she can help us win.”
While Bailey’s Providence Day basketball career is over, she has a lot to look forward to from the McDonald’s All-American game, March 29 in Chicago, to getting ready to play for North Carolina.
While Bailey admits she is still basking in Providence Day’s championship victory, she is already thinking about her next goal, which includes: earning the Atlantic Coast Conference rookie of the year honors.
“I’m always thinking about what’s next,” Bailey said. “When you are doing something you love to do (basketball), you always want to have another goal to work towards. For me, there’s always something I can do better, something else I want to achieve on the basketball court.”
By Jay Edwards
Correspondent
Janelle Bailey, Providence Day Girls’ Basketball: Janelle Bailey had already had a high school basketball career for the ages, going into the final week of her senior season at Providence Day.
Bailey, a four-time all-state selection, eclipsed the 2,000-point and 1,000-rebound marks, also becoming the second player in school history to be named a McDonald’s All-American; the other is Jatarie White in 2014. She also signed to play at the University of North Carolina in November.
But despite all of those accomplishments, Bailey says her main goal was to help her Providence Day girls’ basketball win their eighth straight, NCISAA 3A state championship.
While Providence Day got contributions from multiple players, Bailey played the lead role again as the Chargers beat Rabun Gap Nacoochee in the semifinals, and High Point Wesleyan, in the state finals, to clinch another state championship.
The 6-foot-4 senior center was at her best again, as Bailey had 23 points and 18 rebounds in the 51-22 win over Rabun Gap on Feb. 24.
The next day, Bailey had 22 points, 22 rebounds and six assists as the Chargers outlasted High Point Wesleyan, 58-57, to win all.
While Bailey made a lot of big plays, she was also double-teamed full court the entire, forcing her to adjust her game. Bailey was quick to give credit to her teammates.
“I’ll be honest, when I saw that full-court, double-team come at me, I was a little bit panicked at first, because it’s something I’ve never seen before,” said Bailey, who averaged 22 points and 17 rebounds in three playoff games. “But, I knew I had to be patient and let the game come to me. I had to be a little more of a facilitator. I knew my teammates would make plays, and then get me the ball, too. …
“We had a lot of people make big plays from Laila (Barnes) to Kennedy (Boyd) to Andi (Levitz). We all had to step up our games.”
Providence Day girls’ basketball coach, Josh Springer, says Bailey’s impact goes way beyond the numbers.
“The best compliment I can give Janelle is that even when she had 22 (points) and 22 (rebounds), that wasn’t even the best two things she did for us in the championship game,” Springer said. “First, her leadership was phenomenal. She was as cool, calm and collected as I’ve seen her in four years. That leadership really helped our younger players. Second, she handled the ball a lot and helped take a lot of pressure off our guards. …
“Janelle has seen it all at this point, her poise under pressure is another way she can help us win.”
While Bailey’s Providence Day basketball career is over, she has a lot to look forward to from the McDonald’s All-American game, March 29 in Chicago, to getting ready to play for North Carolina.
While Bailey admits she is still basking in Providence Day’s championship victory, she is already thinking about her next goal, which includes: earning the Atlantic Coast Conference rookie of the year honors.
“I’m always thinking about what’s next,” Bailey said. “When you are doing something you love to do (basketball), you always want to have another goal to work towards. For me, there’s always something I can do better, something else I want to achieve on the basketball court.”
