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Two Troup High girls basketball players will be continuing the journey together into the next ranks. Nasha Daniel and Jaz Williams both signed to play basketball at South Georgia Institute starting in the fall.

“Their coach invited both of us to a workout, we went down there and everything went well,” Williams said. “They offered a scholarship, and it felt like the right fit.”

“I was unsure of going three hours away at first,” Daniel added. “I probably only wanted to go an hour away from home, so I can make sure I take care of my mom, but sometimes you have to make sacrifices.”

Both Troup High graduates have had to claw their way up the pecking order the last several years with the Tigers — eventually, both earned spots in the starting lineup.

“My role really expanded my 11th grade year, and that’s when I really started to think about playing in college,” Williams said. “I wasn’t really sure about playing in college before then.”

Daniel started some during her senior year and was called upon to be the sixth woman off the bench. The shooting guard never complained and always found a way to impact the team.

“It wasn’t always easy, but coach (Carla Thornton) is a great coach and I trust her,” Daniel said. “She’s tough on us, though; she doesn’t sugarcoat it.” 

The bond the two share with their coach is a special one.

“We went through some hard times, but you always kept the faith and stayed steadfast. You all pushed, you endured, and you were able to make it to this day and say you are able to sign a college scholarship and still play college basketball,” Thornton said. 

“I can’t even describe this, if y’all know Jaz and Nasha, then y’all already know what I’m talking about,” she added, laughing. 

After the best stretch in program history, culminating in a state runner-up in 2020, the Tigers went through a retooling period during the early 2020s. The team was full of youth after that strong stretch of putting girls in high-class college programs. Daniel and Williams helped expedite the rebuilding process as the two of them helped the Tigers make the playoffs in all four years with them on the varsity team.

“We’ve been balling out together for a while now, and it’s going to be so great to have her at South Georgia with me,” Daniel said. 

At South Georgia Institute, Daniel and Williams will be getting in at the ground floor. The Huskies had their inaugural women’s basketball season in the spring semester of this year. South Georgia athletics is rapidly expanding, with baseball to be introduced in the 2025-26 school year. 

Daniel and Williams will get a chance to come in right away and compete for a spot before transferring to a four-year institution after one or two seasons with the Huskies.

A statement on the South Georgia Women’s basketball team’s website says, “As the program begins its journey, the focus will be on establishing a strong team culture, recruiting talented athletes, and laying the groundwork for future success. Our ultimate goal is to create a program that not only competes at a high level but also prepares student-athletes for the next steps in their academic and athletic careers.”