by Erika Thornsberry | Mar 17, 2014 | Sports
For any athlete the day must come when they have to hang up their shoes and say good-bye to the game they love, and for senior basketball players, Jess Reece and O’Neisha Smith, that day came March 11th as the Lady Bisons ended their season in the first round of the Atlantic Sun tournament. Reece and Smith have had two different experiences during their time at Lipscomb. Reece finished her last minutes on the court, but due to double knee surgeries Smith was unable to play her senior year. Stepping back and reflecting on their four years as student athletes, they say they have learned a lot and made a lot of memories along the way. “One thing I will take from playing college basketball would be the importance of being positive and always working hard no matter what struggles you may encounter,” Reece said. “I think God made me realize that although I do love the game, it is just that, a game. He brought me to a place where I can glorify him through playing.” Both Reece and Smith traveled out of their home states to go to college. Being away from their hometown family and friends, they quickly learned to bond with teammates. “As far as memories go, I have too many to count. Most of them are not from games though, but rather bus rides and traveling and hanging out with my teammates,” Reece said. “I’ve made some amazing friends through playing and have met some great people.” “My favorite memory was freshman year when we traveled to Colorado to play Air Force,” Smith said....
by Hunter Patterson | Apr 21, 2010 | Sports
Lady Bison coach Frank Bennett and his staff signed three new players last week, forward O’Neisha Smith, center Jessica Reece and guard Haley Nelson. Smith, a 5’11 forward out of Georgia is described as a defensive player who can finish underneath the basket and grab rebounds. She is from the same high school as Lipscomb men’s basketball player Brandon Barnes. In high school Smith was the captain of her team, and was twice selected to the All-Region team. Smith has also competed in the high jump in high school, reaching 5-foot-6 in 2009. She plans to also compete on the track team for the Lady Bisons. “O’Neisha is a very good athlete,” Bennett said. “She was state runner up the last two years in the high jump, and hopes to jump 5-8 or more this year.” “She is developing her skills as a player,” Bennett said of her basketball skills. “She is a left-hander, more of a rebounder or a slasher, or someone that can finish and gets fouled a lot. She adds a lot of quickness and jumping ability that will help us. “In her high school career the team progressed each year, eventually reaching the state tournament in 5A,” Bennett said. “Her team had a lot of firsts during her career. “With her athletic ability we feel that she has a chance to make a lot of improvement when it comes to working on her shooting technique and little things to help her with her game. I feel that she is the type that is very coachable and will develop quickly.” Jessica Reece, a 6-3 center from Fletcher, N.C., was...
