The last thing on April Jenkins' mind was the action of last Thursday's Class A Lower State second-round girls basketball playoff game. Jenkins, Ridgeland's all-state senior guard, had been hit hard on a drive to the basket midway through the third quarter against visiting Latta and her left ankle and big toe were hurting.
She was carried to the training room as her team regrouped. But instead of relinquishing their two-point lead, the top-seeded Jaguars were jolted by the challenge and scored eight consecutive points en route to a 59-45 win.
"It's a team effort, even though she's an all-state player, it's a team effort, that's what it says," Ridgeland coach Frederick Toomer said.
As her teammates extended the lead, Jenkins, toe and ankle throbbing, heard the cheering crowd.
"I kept hearing the shouting and I was wondering what was happening and who was scoring," Jenkins said.
What was happening was her cousin and backcourt teammate Matesha Stevenson was making sure the defending champions were going to advance.
After Shantavia Swinton made a free throw and passed to Ny'Jae Boozer for a jump shot, Stevenson, a senior, scored and on the next possession was fouled and made a free throw. After a trap forced a Latta turnover, Stevenson drove hard, jump-stopped, and put the Jaguars ahead 40-30.
Stevenson scored seven of her nine points in the third quarter.
"We knew once April was down we had to step up and have her back; we couldn't let that stop us from where we need to go," Stevenson said.
Jenkins, who scored 20 points, returned with 1:39 remaining in the quarter and Ridgeland was not challenged the rest of the game, leading by as many as 19 points.
Even though Ridgeland's season ended Monday in a 61-35 Lower State semifinal loss to visiting Timmonsville, the Jaguars' backcourt proved all season is whas among the state's best.

‘Just as good as April'
Jenkins often smiles during games as she weaves through the defense. Stevenson is stoic. Hers is a determined look, intent on not being distracted. Together they helped lead the Jaguars to last season's title and this season Jenkins lived up to her preseason all-state hype by leading the team in points (12.7), steals (5.8) and assists (4.1) per game.
But Toomer thinks he has two standout guards.
"If you ask me, Matesha is just a good as April and she's as much as a leader as April can be," Toomer said. "When it's time for her to take charge, she takes charge."
Stevenson is the team's second-leading scorer (9.3). Against Latta she was scoreless in the first half and was in foul trouble. After two early third-quarter turnovers, Toomer called a timeout. The score was 30-30.
"At that point I told them it was 0-0, lets' go ahead and forget all the bad things that happened earlier," Toomer said.
Stevenson scored on the next possession.
"She knew what she had to do when I was out," Jenkins said.
Stevenson and Jenkins grew up together playing basketball and Stevenson said their familiarity built chemistry.
"When it's me and April it's like we as one," she said. "Once we are together we have to take care of business."
Toomer praised Stevenson's ball-handling skills and how Jenkins and Stevenson complement each other.
"We've got one of the best backcourts in (Class) A in the state, I believe that," Toomer said.

Big-game preparation
During gym class last Thursday Jenkins decided to shoot. She tested angles of the backboard and shot long-range jumpers. She began to get into a rhythm and felt she could make 3-pointers against Latta.
She was right.
Jenkins made four 3-pointers, including three in the second quarter. She hit a 25-foot shot from the right wing; a shot from the left corner off a set out-of-bounds play; and one from the top of the key.
"I knew it was a big game so I put some shots up in gym class and it give you a goal," Jenkins said. "You know which shots you can make, which shots you can't."
Jenkins' shooting kept Latta from pulling away. After Ridgeland took a 13-5 first-quarter lead, Latta went on a 12-2 run. But Jenkins' right-wing 3-pointer gave the Jaguars the lead, 19-17. Another 3-pointer increased the lead to 22-17 and Jenkins' third 3-pointer of the quarter sent Ridgeland into halftime with a 30-26 lead.
"She's a senior and I expect leadership, that's what a leader does, ‘Hey, we got a big game tonight, let me go and make sure I'm extra ready,' " Toomer said.