With a current third place, 8-4 Region 8-AAAAA record, the Eastside Lady Eagles are vying for playoff contention. 

Head coach Gladys King attributed the team’s success this season to the roster’s young talent stepping up when called upon. 

One underclassman leading the way for the Lady Eagles is sophomore Aysia Spivey. The 2023 All-Region player averages 9.1 points per game and had a 14-point second half performance against Loganville on Jan 16.

King described Spivey’s freshman year as a wake up call with the pace of varsity play. But  Spivey has adjusted well to it.

“Going from middle school to high school is totally different,” King said. “The competition is a little bit faster. It’s going to be a little bit tougher and a little bit more aggressive, and she’s gotten used to that.”

Another second-year player that King praised was Jarilix Rivera-Villarini. 

The guard, who the team nicknamed “Little Bit,” has been a valuable shooter for the Lady Eagles. Rivera-Villarini has put together two double-digit showings in the month of January, a stat that makes her a go-to for King when the team is in need of a shot-taker.

Rivera-Villarini said that while her game has evolved, her drive to improve has held firm.

“I expect to get better with my shooting and finishing,” Rivera-Villarini said.

Sophomores are not the only underclassmen who Eastside has utilized this season.

Freshman Ari Carter has taken meaningful minutes off the bench and has a playing style that a former coach of King said reminds him of King’s time on the court. 

King couldn’t help but smile when reminded of the statement.

“I get goosebumps,” King said. “I remember how hard I went after it. I didn’t have any worry. It wasn’t about being selfish or anything like that. It’s just about playing hard, going in, getting after the boards and stuff like that. When I see her, I do see her going in and going after the boards, and I like that mentality.

Despite not even having a full season under her belt, King left no doubt in stressing Carter’s ability to keep up with the best on the hardwood.

“She has that drive,” King said. “She has that fight. She has that willpower. She wants to win.”

Carter herself noticed the jump from middle to high school was a big one, describing the competition as “bigger, faster, and stronger” than what she has faced in the past. Carter believes that the competition spike can be overcome, however, as she gains more experience.

“I was nervous at first, but I'm comfortable now,” said Carter.

As the Lady Eagles make their final playoff push, King said that the drive to be better in her young players makes the whole team better.

“They’re hungry,” King said. “They have nothing to lose. They’re fighting for that starting spot.”