Lady Tigers seeking their peak

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For 10 years, Damon Robinson built Thibodaux High School girls’ basketball into a success – a program that year-in and year-out competed for district titles and playoff spots.

Now, it’s one of his understudies who is staked with carrying that mission on into the future – a young, aspiring coach who was thrust into the spotlight after a bizarre offseason, but who has picked up the baton from Robinson and has kept the Lady Tigers afloat in tough circumstances.


First-year coach Ashley Adams has Thibodaux rolling toward the Class 5A State Playoffs, a feat that’s even more impressive when one considers that Adams wasn’t even named head coach until just days before the start of the season.

The former E.D. White standout, who also played at Nicholls, was an assistant under Robinson for several seasons. She was supposed to remain in that capacity under first-year coach Robbie Brown, the coach the school hired to replace Robinson over the summer after he resigned.

But instead, it was Adams who got a shot when Brown abruptly left the team before the start of the year.


Adams said the entire past few months have been a blur, and she’s so proud of the Lady Tigers players for pushing through adversity and staying strong.

“This team has overcome a lot of adversity this season and I am very proud of how they have been playing,” Adams said. “Their chemistry continues to grow as the season goes on. It has been really fun coaching this group of girls.”

Adams had no idea she’d be running the Lady Tigers basketball program in 2016-17 – not until a few days before the season, at least.


The 2016-17 girls’ basketball season was supposed to be Brown’s first as the head coach at Thibodaux.

The school hired her last summer after 10-year-coach Damon Robinson resigned, then ended up at Terrebonne.

Brown’s hire was celebrated, because she was an awesome player at St. Thomas More – a state champion who then parlayed that high school career into success at the University of Louisiana-Lafayette.


But she never coached a game at Thibodaux High School, leaving the school after citing homesickness.

That got Adams her shot, and she’s done the team proud.

The beginning was rough.


The Lady Tigers struggled out of the gates and limped to just a 1-3 record in Adams’ first four games.

But as the coach settled in, so did Thibodaux, and now the Lady Tigers are a force.

Since the opening days of the season, Adams said Thibodaux has found its groove and is playing much better basketball.


At press-time on Monday afternoon, the Lady Tigers are 4-2 in District 7-5A play. Barring a collapse in the second round of district play, Thibodaux should reach the Class 5A State Playoffs.

They were seeded No. 25 in the last run of LHSAA-issued power rankings, but they’ll be even higher this week after beating both Central Lafourche and H.L. Bourgeois to improve to 13-7 on the season.

“This whole situation was really stressful at first, but with the support and guidance of our Athletic Director, Tony Clark, and the administration at Thibodaux High, the adjustment became much easier,” Adams said. “I have two amazing assistant coaches, Josh Legendre and Andre’a Foote, who have done a great job this season to make my job easier. … And, of course, I was blessed with a great mentor in Coach Robinson. … I knew our team’s strengths and weaknesses and that helped us a great deal. But I’m grateful for all of the support I have had.”


Now with the Lady Tigers in calmer waters, the push is to go finish the season with a bang.

Adams has a talented squad – one which has gifted players both on the perimeter and also on the interior.

The Lady Tigers are led by senior guard Courtney Clark – a 5-foot, 7-inch combo guard who is one of the most explosive players in the area. Clark is one of the highest scoring players in the district and on any given night, she can give Thibodaux 15-20 points, if not more.


When Clark isn’t in possession of the ball, Thibodaux can pool from other guards like Erion Richard and Destiny Batiste – a pair of juniors who also play significant minutes.

Sophomore Ja’Mya Holmes is also a key cog for the Lady Tigers and is one of the team’s best defenders.

On the inside, the Lady Tigers are led by sophomore Bren’naisa Adams – all 6-foot, 2-inches of her.


She controls the block and often makes opponents change or alter their shots.

“Every girl on the team plays their part and contributes in one way or another,” Adams said. “That’s the best part about this team.”

Adams said the challenge for Thibodaux in the final few weeks of the season will be to peak at the right time.


They’ve battled back from the slow start, but Adams thinks they have another gear – one she hopes the team finds in this final push.

“We just have to keep doing what we are doing,” Adams said. “We have to continue to compete and work to get better every, single day.” •

Courtney ClarkCASEY GISCLAIR | THE TIMES


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