By TAYLOR DENMAN

The Natchez Democrat

NATCHEZ — Ernesha Chatman and Diamond Smith are two totally different basketball players, but they have one thing in common.

Smith and Chatman were selected to the 2016 Mississippi-Alabama All Star Game.

Chatman serves as Natchez High School’s point guard and facilitator. Head coach Alphaka Moore calls her the team’s “big sister,” the 5-foot-7 senior brings her own brand of unexpected and impromptu antics to her team whether she’s on the court or in her coach’s office in her letterman jacket.

Smith, however, controls the post for head coach Flora McKinght’s Jefferson County High School squad. The 6-foot-3 forward demonstrates a mature composure that bottles up the energy she displays when she’s pulling down rebounds or blocking shots.

The Mississippi-Alabama All Star Game will be on March 18 at Mississippi College in Clinton and is a rite of passage for great players that come through the twin states. It provides an opportunity for Smith and Chatman to play against some of the best players in the region, but it’s also a stage.

“More people will come down and look at Natchez,” Chatman said. “It will put us on the map.”

Chatman has narrowed down her choices to a couple of junior colleges.

McKnight said the all-star stage is important for Smith, who doesn’t play AAU basketball; she’ll be more visible to scouts and recruiters. Smith said she will wait until after the all-star game to select where she’ll play after high school.

“(Being selected) means a lot,” Smith said.

Smith’s road to the all-star game was hazy at one point in 2014. In January, Smith tore her ACL and began the six-month road to recovery.

Two years later, she’s returning to her pre-injury strength. On the 20-3 Jefferson County Lady Tigers, Smith averages 17 points and 11 rebounds per game, and has 16 double-doubles.

“A lot of people thought Diamond’s career was over then,” McKnight said. “I told her, ‘Just keep playing and keep working.’”

On Tuesday night against Wilkinson County, she posted 19 points and 12 rebounds and described it as an off night.

High expectations for someone whose coach said she’s met most of them in her high school career.

“I told Diamond when she came over in eighth grade all the goals she could accomplish, and she did,” McKnight said. “I didn’t say that to motivate her or make her play hard. She had the attitude.”

Moore coaches two Mississippi All Stars at Natchez High School — guard Kirdis Clark was selected to the North-South game for juniors — for the first time in her career.

As the coach of back-to-back state champions and former Mississippi State basketball player, she has the credentials of someone who knows a talented player when she sees one. The difference in this team, however, is that she’s built up relationships with players like Chatman since her first season at the helm four years ago, and now gets to see them going out as a senior.

“Ernesha started as a freshman point guard who would do the craziest stuff,” Moore said. “Now, I look to her to handle everything.”

Moore said her senior point guard averages 15 points and four assists per game, and generates turnovers on defense with about five steals per game. A week ago, Chatman posted 33 points against Provine High School.

Mid-February is the point in the season when lots of things begin to fall into place all at once. Both Jefferson County and Natchez are holding onto No. 1 seeds in their districts, set to start next week.

When selections for all-star games come around, on top of calls from college coaches, it can be a lot to handle all at once. Moore said her own focus can even shift at times and she reminds players that everything falls into place when the team is winning games.

Chatman, relaxed and playfully, said she’s only eager for the postseason.

“I’m ready to get district over with so we can start the playoffs,” Chatman said. “This is the team right here.”

Friday will be Smith’s final home game for Jefferson County. It will be against district rival Franklin County. It’s her senior night, and she wants to go out with a win.

Statistics show the game will have the usual points, rebounds and blocks. Box scores don’t show the stand cheers her mom will lead and her occasional declaration to dunk on her defenders.

“She has always been that loud mom in the crowd,” Smith said. “I’m just gonna play my heart out. It’s my last home game.”