Nifong Wins Mental Attitude Award
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
BOURBON - This fan, one of the more than 1,000 gathered at Sunday's celebration at Triton High School, spoke for himself, the rest of the fans, coaches, teammates and everyone else gathered in the gym.
His shout came during one of those hushed moments, so he was heard loudly and clearly.
"Missy, you're the bomb," he yelled.
He was referring to senior Missy Nifong, and just how important she is to Triton became evident Sunday when her teammates gave her an impromptu standing ovation as she sat in a chair.
Nifong, who received the ovation at a community celebration at Triton High School, hit two key three-pointers to help Triton rally to win the Class A state title 57-54 over No. 4 Rising Sun. But Sunday her teammates stood up to honor her for winning the Patricia L. Roy Mental Attitude Award.
Three people -ÊTriton coach Mark Heeter, Triton Athletic Director Mike Byron and principal Ted Chittum - contributed in nominating Nifong, the lone senior on Triton's team. One senior in each of the four classes at the girls basketball state finals won the award, which was given to athletes who "excels in mental attitude, scholarship, leadership and athletic ability in basketball." The award is named for the former assistant commissioner who retired in 1999
Nifong received a plaque, and Triton received a $1,000 scholarship in Nifong's name.
"We had to write a very good letter," Heeter said. "With Missy, that wasn't very hard to do. She's in so many things, she volunteers her time, and she's an outstanding student. But you had to get everything all on one page."
In the press conference after Saturday's game, Nifong deflected the credit when asked about winning the award.
"It's nice to be honored this way," she said. "My coach and administrators did a good job putting my stuff together to nominate me."
Nifong, who hopes to play basketball at the college level, is fourth in her class and is the National Honor Society vice-president. She founded Triton's Big Buddy Program and is on the student council as well.
"She's been playing basketball since the fifth grade, and she'd like to continue to play in college, whoever will take her," Judy, her mother, said.
Saturday Nifong had a day most people only dream of.
With Triton trailing 54-48 in overtime, she hit an unlikely three-pointer that bounced high off the backboard yet found its way into the basket to make it 54-51 with 59 seconds left. Fourteen seconds later, she hit another three-pointer to tie the game at 54-54, setting up sophomore Amber Feldman's game-winning shot as time ran out. Nifong led Triton with 17 points.
Then she received the mental attitude award on top of the state championship.
"She's fantastic, isn't she?" Judy said. "Melissa has said to us, 'Just get me under pressure, I can make 'em.' She come through under pressure. She comes through under pressure and shows leadership."
After the game, Steve, her father, held her plaque and the $1,000 scholarship written on an enlarged cardboard check. That his daughter won the award came as a small surprise to him.
"We didn't think she had gotten it," he said, "because someone had told us we would be told ahead of time. We never heard anything.
"To win an award like this, it shows the coaches believe in her."
Missy and her family reside in Etna Green. She has an older sister, Kimberly, who attends college, and a younger brother, Chad.
As the lone senior, Nifong has been the team leader that rallied her teammates in tense times. When Triton left its Friday practice, one girl - Nifong - told her teammates, "We will win state tomorrow."
She talked the talk, and as evidenced Saturday, she was not afraid walk the walk by taking the big shots. Down six with a minute to go, Heeter called Nifong over and said, "Missy, we gotta start hitting some threes." She nodded her head and replied, "I'll do it."
And she did, like Heeter knew she would.
"Being the only senior on a team and the sole leader, by herself like that, can sometimes be tough," Heeter said. "I hope some of that rubs off on our other girls.
"We will miss her." [[In-content Ad]]
BOURBON - This fan, one of the more than 1,000 gathered at Sunday's celebration at Triton High School, spoke for himself, the rest of the fans, coaches, teammates and everyone else gathered in the gym.
His shout came during one of those hushed moments, so he was heard loudly and clearly.
"Missy, you're the bomb," he yelled.
He was referring to senior Missy Nifong, and just how important she is to Triton became evident Sunday when her teammates gave her an impromptu standing ovation as she sat in a chair.
Nifong, who received the ovation at a community celebration at Triton High School, hit two key three-pointers to help Triton rally to win the Class A state title 57-54 over No. 4 Rising Sun. But Sunday her teammates stood up to honor her for winning the Patricia L. Roy Mental Attitude Award.
Three people -ÊTriton coach Mark Heeter, Triton Athletic Director Mike Byron and principal Ted Chittum - contributed in nominating Nifong, the lone senior on Triton's team. One senior in each of the four classes at the girls basketball state finals won the award, which was given to athletes who "excels in mental attitude, scholarship, leadership and athletic ability in basketball." The award is named for the former assistant commissioner who retired in 1999
Nifong received a plaque, and Triton received a $1,000 scholarship in Nifong's name.
"We had to write a very good letter," Heeter said. "With Missy, that wasn't very hard to do. She's in so many things, she volunteers her time, and she's an outstanding student. But you had to get everything all on one page."
In the press conference after Saturday's game, Nifong deflected the credit when asked about winning the award.
"It's nice to be honored this way," she said. "My coach and administrators did a good job putting my stuff together to nominate me."
Nifong, who hopes to play basketball at the college level, is fourth in her class and is the National Honor Society vice-president. She founded Triton's Big Buddy Program and is on the student council as well.
"She's been playing basketball since the fifth grade, and she'd like to continue to play in college, whoever will take her," Judy, her mother, said.
Saturday Nifong had a day most people only dream of.
With Triton trailing 54-48 in overtime, she hit an unlikely three-pointer that bounced high off the backboard yet found its way into the basket to make it 54-51 with 59 seconds left. Fourteen seconds later, she hit another three-pointer to tie the game at 54-54, setting up sophomore Amber Feldman's game-winning shot as time ran out. Nifong led Triton with 17 points.
Then she received the mental attitude award on top of the state championship.
"She's fantastic, isn't she?" Judy said. "Melissa has said to us, 'Just get me under pressure, I can make 'em.' She come through under pressure. She comes through under pressure and shows leadership."
After the game, Steve, her father, held her plaque and the $1,000 scholarship written on an enlarged cardboard check. That his daughter won the award came as a small surprise to him.
"We didn't think she had gotten it," he said, "because someone had told us we would be told ahead of time. We never heard anything.
"To win an award like this, it shows the coaches believe in her."
Missy and her family reside in Etna Green. She has an older sister, Kimberly, who attends college, and a younger brother, Chad.
As the lone senior, Nifong has been the team leader that rallied her teammates in tense times. When Triton left its Friday practice, one girl - Nifong - told her teammates, "We will win state tomorrow."
She talked the talk, and as evidenced Saturday, she was not afraid walk the walk by taking the big shots. Down six with a minute to go, Heeter called Nifong over and said, "Missy, we gotta start hitting some threes." She nodded her head and replied, "I'll do it."
And she did, like Heeter knew she would.
"Being the only senior on a team and the sole leader, by herself like that, can sometimes be tough," Heeter said. "I hope some of that rubs off on our other girls.
"We will miss her." [[In-content Ad]]