DEEP RUN — Caroline Jones had those moments where she wanted to give up basketball. After all, as a four-sport athlete at South Lenoir the program she was part of that was the least successful was girls basketball.
Such is not the case anymore, and Jones is glad she continued to push herself on the hardwood.
South Lenoir, which hasn’t played in a state playoff game since 2008, earned a 10-seed when seeding was announced on Saturday and will travel to No. 7 East Bladen (21-6) for a first round game at 6 p.m. on Monday.
Jones, a senior who runs cross country and plays volleyball in the fall then runs track at the conclusion of basketball season, had thoughts of dropping hoops. But she didn’t, and as a senior she’s helped the Blue Devils do a complete turnaround this season.
“It was very trying just because it was so hard sometimes to keep working at something when it seemed like you weren’t getting anywhere. But this year paid off, for sure,” Jones said.
“I couldn’t sit in the stands and watch the girls play (without me).”
No player on the Blue Devils’ roster has played in a public school state playoff game before, something that had discouraged Jones during her freshman-junior years.
She has competed in the state championships individually in both cross country and track and field, and is a starter on a volleyball team that is a virtual lock to reach the state playoffs each season.
Come basketball season Jones would be tired given the work she’d put in to two sports during the fall.
There were times when she didn’t feel it was worth it, both physically and mentally.
“You have to give a lot of credit to Caroline. … Sometimes you just need a couple of days to regroup and find yourself and comeback and do the thing that you love to do,” said Blue Devils coach Mishella Craine, who allowed Jones some time to think about her decision before asking her to make it.
“She’s done a great job. To be a senior and to be in the situation that we’ve been in it’s been kind of tough mentally and physically.
“She’s put in the time, and they all deserve all the credit that they’ve gotten this year because they’ve all pushed each other and worked very hard.”
One thing that kept Jones coming back was knowing the talent was there. It just needed to be tapped into.
“We’ve always had potential, I feel like, so that’s always given us hope,” she said.
One of Jones’ biggest supporters has been her father, Joe Clay Jones Jr.
Jones Jr., who played college basketball at Mount Olive from 1981-83 when it was a junior college and then at Campbell from 1983-85, has helped South Lenoir (17-6) through the years and has been a personal coach to his daughter.
Caroline confided in her family for advice about whether to continue playing basketball, she said.
With their support, she was urged to keep on for the sake of the program and not for herself.
“The motivation was, not so much to jump out and win a conference championship as much as it was getting the girls into a winning frame of mind,” Jones Jr. said.
“You’re doing it for the sake of the school more than the sake of one season. You’re trying to get it to a level where kids want to play and don’t want to go out there and expect to get beat.”
This season South Lenoir has played exactly that way.
Not only did the Blue Devils completely turn around their fortunes to reach the playoffs, they also finished tied for second with East Duplin in the East Central 2A Conference after three straight last-place finishes.
Jones’ decision to continue playing hasn’t been the sole reason for their success, but it helped. They also added senior transfer Heather West from Parrott Academy, got solid point guard play out of junior Hanna Meready, and the interior play was much improved with Demeyia Adams and Marquia Suddeth stepping up big.
In all, it was a total team effort this season by South Lenoir, from those on the floor as well as on the bench.
“They’re all so very important,” coach Donald Mooring said. “I hope Caroline’s senior year has been fun for her because she hasn’t had to try and do everything. She’s just had to go out there and play ball and play her part for the team’s sake.”
Added Craine: “I’ve been in some great situations with any program that I’ve worked with but I don’t think I have been more proud of a group of girls than these. I know where we started, and I know where we’re at right now. It’s enjoyable to go out there and watch them play and practice.
“All of them have been working and they’ve all improved and have so much confidence in themselves, and that’s what’s enjoyable — all their hard work is paying off.”
For Jones, the decision to stay is one she’s glad she made.
“We have more of a winning mentality now because we’ve experienced it,” she said. “Even though the first three seasons we were losing I don’t feel like they were wasted because I learned so much individually. That tied it all together.”
Ryan Herman can be reached at 252-559-1073 or Ryan.Herman@Kinston.com. Follow him on Twitter: @KFPSports.