Lovejoy’s Symone Williams to play basketball at Miles College By Luke Strickland

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LOVEJOY — Lovejoy High senior point guard Symone Williams has committed to continue her basketball career at Miles College in Birmingham, Ala.

Williams was a key part of Lovejoy’s historic 2016-17 team. She started at point guard for the Lady Wildcats and helped the team reach the Class AAAAAA Final Four. She was named to the All-Region 4-AAAAAA and All-County teams as an Honorable Mention.

“(Symone) is the epitome of hard work,” Lovejoy head coach Cedric King said. “I am very proud to have seen her growth these past two years and I am very excited about her future growth as a young lady off the court and on the court.”

Having family already in Alabama helped Williams make her decision. She said living somewhere else than Georgia for the first time will be easier because of that.

“I have family in Alabama so it felt like home being there and also the rich school history,” Williams said. “I did consider the fact that I haven’t lived outside the state of Georgia so that was something I struggled with. But sometimes, you have to explore. The school is built like a family and the few people that I met with really believed in the school and its values.”

Williams said finding a strong community was important in her decision-making. She said she received that communal vibe when visiting Miles.

“The thing I love most about the school is it’s dead center in the middle of a supportive community,” she said. “Walking around the campus and seeing the building where it all started to what it is now was beautiful.”

Williams’ high school career may be in the rear-view mirror but she’s just getting started as a basketball player. She said achieving a goal she’s worked for since she’s been young is fulfilling.

“I have had a ball in my hand ever since I can remember and I always had friends and family support me,” she said. “To finally achieve something I’ve been working for feels great.”