It was a storybook ending to the Lady Rams 2024-25 campaign as they conquered Grayson in the state title.

Just two years prior, Newton’s girls basketball team finished 3-22 in Jawan Bailey’s first season as head coach. 

On Friday, he stood on the court alongside his team as state champions.

One of Newton’s seniors, Alissa Sandifer, played on the 3-22 team as well as this year’s state-title team.

As expected, Sandifer noted that this was the best possible way for high school career to come to a close.

“Yes, there is no better way to go out as a senior than a champion,” Sandifer said. “When you go out on top, there is no better way.”

The senior noted that Saturday's game was not always something she envisioned when the team faced the lows of the 2022 season.

“It feels amazing,” Sandifer said. “Two years ago [when we were] 3-22, this is not where we thought we would be right now.”

The state title would not have been possible without a player that was not there to witness the 3-22 season, sophomore London Smith.

Smith played her best basketball when it mattered the most.

After a 28-point game in the Final Four to knock off the undefeated North Forsyth  Lady Raiders, Smith put up 23 in the Lady Rams’ win over Grayson in the championship.

Following her big game in the state title, Smith was still processing the emotions of the win.

“It hasn’t even hit me yet, it still feels like a dream,” Smith said.

For Smith, her dominant stretch at the end of the season is just a product of team basketball.

“Just being more connected with my teammates,” Smith said. “Transiting My teammates, sticking to the game plan that coach Bailey told us and just having fun.”

Despite not being on the 2022 team, Smith understood how far the team had gone and gave all the credit to Bailey.

“It’s special, shoutout to coach Bailey,” Smith said. “He put it in our minds that we could do anything we put our mind to. That is really the inspiration, the 3-22 team. Two years later and now we are state champions.”

That sentiment is shared by Sandifer, who was there to witness it all.

“It has been a rollercoaster. That is the only way I can say it — it’s been a rollercoaster,” Sandifer said. “I have been here all four years and have seen everything, been through everything — high and lows, blood, sweat and tears — there is no better feeling.”

To complete their climb to the top of Class AAAAAA, the Lady Rams had to defeat Grayson, the defending state champions and a team that had already defeated Newton three times this season.

Each game between Newton and Grayson’s girls team got closer and closer each time, and the players knew the margin would be close on Saturday.

“We didn’t want to get bear a fourth time,” Smith said. “They smacked us the first two times and we lost by six the third time. I felt like we wanted it more. We felt like they had a target on their back and we just had to try to get it.”

In particular, Sandifer spoke about how the team’s ability to play well on the defensive and attack the boards were critical in the Lady Rams earning the win.

Newton ended Saturday’s game with a 35-23 rebounding advantage over Grayson as well as a higher field goal percentage(42.9 to 40.4)

“Defense and rebounds,” Sandifer said. “Defense and rebounds were really important for this game and I think we looked at the stat sheet and honed in on that. We had a higher rebound count.”

Although the Lady Rams will lose seniors such as Sandifer, Camille Files, Tania Bailey, Jazmine Flournoy and Desiree Davis, the team returns majority of their starting five in the form of Smith, Mya Perry and Sklar Levell — all of whom are underclassmen.

With at least two more seasons of Smith, Perry and Levell, Saturday’s game is just the beginning, according to Smith.

“We are just going to try to chase after it again. The standard is now already high, we can’t let the standard go back down,” Smith said. “We got to go back-to-back, I have two more years of this so I want to go back-to-back-to-back.”