A new era: Dr. Phillips High girls basketball chasing history

Doubt can be a powerful motivator. 

When it comes from the outside, doubt can fuel people to prove others wrong and themselves right. When it comes from the inside, doubt can push people to do whatever they can to avoid their internal fears becoming reality. 

For the Dr. Phillips High girls basketball team, it seems as if since March 9, 2024 — the day the Lady Panthers claimed their third consecutive FHSAA Class 7A state championship — the outside world began doubting that the 2024-25 version of this team could do it again — not without its Georgia-bound star player, Trinity Turner. 

“Since the jump, everybody has been saying we’re not the same without Trinity,” coach Anthony Jones said. “They’re absolutely right; we can’t fill her shoes. So we’re not the same … but that doesn’t mean we’re not capable of getting back to the top. I understand, and my players understand that we can play with anybody … and with the idea in the back of their heads that people think we can’t do it again now that Trinity is gone, there is plenty of motivation from this group to prove themselves.”

Jones, however, knows that motivation by itself isn’t enough. His team needs to harness that feeling and use it as fuel to maintain the standard this program is known for.

“We know we’re capable of anything, but we still have to go out there and complete the mission,” he said. “I’m not going to tell them this is going to be easy; it’s not. It’s definitely going to be hard, but if we want it bad enough and do whatever it takes, we’ll get there.”

Gauntlet

When Jones, a six-time state championship-winning coach, began preparing for this season, he knew his team needed to learn how to win and the best way he knows how to teach them is by throwing them in the deep end.

“Throughout my coaching experience over the years, I understand how big of an impact our preparation has on getting to the big dance,” Jones said. “Because this is now the post-Trinity Turner era, I knew that I needed to make the schedule as tough as possible and throw them in the fire so they can learn to adjust and win without her. Last year, because Trinity took most of that pressure on her own shoulders, I feel like our group this year needed to feel that pressure because now they really have to compete. They really have to go out there and make plays. … I thought the first half of the season challenged them and I know it wasn’t perfect. I didn’t expect them to be perfect, but throwing them in the fire to gain experience and learn was important for this group.”

To say Dr. Phillips had a difficult schedule would be a bit of an understatement. The Lady Panthers have faced the No. 1 team in MaxPreps’ rankings from Florida and Georgia, the No. 4 ranked team in Kentucky and four more teams ranked in the top 25 of their respective states.    

“We’ve definitely grown a lot because of the tough competition we played so far,” senior guard Anilys Rolon said. “We’ve learned a lot as a team and knowing that the competition we’ll face in Florida for a state title is way different than what we’ve competed against so far. It gives us confidence going into this last part of the season. We know that playing this tough schedule gives us an advantage over these other teams because we got the chance to learn more and get better as a team so we can dominate in the playoffs.”

Jones’ plan has worked to perfection. His team has come out on the other side of this murderer’s row of a schedule as a stronger team.

“The start of the season was pretty rocky — more than expected,” DP junior guard Jamila Ray said. “But as the season progressed, we’ve been able to gel as a team. Our chemistry has really grown, and it is going to really show up in the second half of the season.”

Stepping up

One of the biggest questions Jones faced coming into the season went beyond replacing production — it was about filling the leadership void every high school team faces when seniors graduate. For the Lady Panthers, the answer was a team effort.

“This year, the team is much more balanced,” Jones said. “They all have accepted the challenge of becoming leaders in their own right. They’re all not just leaning on (one another), but they are also trying to contribute in their own way. … This tough schedule really helped them bond more and understand one another more on the court. I’ve seen a lot of improvement since the beginning of the season, and most of it has come from them just being mentally tougher and building trust.”

Jones’ players are developing as leaders in their own ways. Junior Kendall Perry, for example, has taken the responsibility of leading the team as its go-to scorer, and — with the help of her Turner — she has stepped up to become more of a coach on the court. 

“Since my freshman season, I knew this was the year Trinity wouldn’t be here, and I was going to have to step up as a leader,” Perry said. “So, I just watched what she did, and I learned how she would coach us on the court and off the court. She always would give me pointers here and there over the two years we played together. I still lean on her today, even with her being in college. She really helped me become more of a leader for this team, so we can keep winning and complete that four-peat.”

Senior co-captains Elise Horne and Rolon, who have been on the team for each of the three championships, are key leaders for DP because they’ve seen it all. 

“Our co-captains Elise and Anilys have been with us for four years now and they understand what it takes to win that fourth title,” Jones said. “So we’re just leaning on their leadership to help us get there. Leadership is not necessarily about skillset or who’s the leading scorer, but it’s about who can motivate the team when we’re going through hard times and help us get through struggles. It’s about using their experience and stepping up when your team needs you. Telling each other it’s going to be okay and we’re going to get through it. That’s what those two bring to this team.”

Chasing history

No other coach in West Orange and Southwest Orange understands the experience of chasing consecutive state championships more than Jones; he’s led Dr. Phillips to three consecutive titles on two different occasions.

“I tell everybody this: completing a three-peat is the hardest thing to do in high school sports,” he said. “Especially at the higher classifications because the talent is so spread out.”

So, how does he view going for number four?

“Completing a four-peat is darn-near impossible,” he said. “Over a four-year span, you’re hoping you have the same personnel, and you’re hoping you don’t endure any type of major injuries. That’s why it’s almost impossible to four-peat.”

With most of its roster returning and no major injuries so far, DP is ready to chase the impossible, and Jones thinks his team has what it takes.

“I’ve been telling the girls we can make the impossible possible,” he said. “We just have to focus more and lean more on each other … and they’ll write their names in the history book and be known as one of the greatest assembled teams in state history. It’s going to be tough, like I’ve told them: it’s almost impossible, but we’re motivated. We’re motivated to get in the playoffs and defend our crown. It’s up to us to get it done. I’ve told them it’s going to take more fight than they’ve ever fought in their entire basketball-playing lives.”