Friends and family filled Bulloch Academy's Legacy Gym to celebrate senior Ashantay Noble's decision to play college basketball at Georgia Southern University on Monday afternoon.
Noble played 5 years as a member of the Bulloch Academy women's basketball team. During those years, she led the team to three final fours and a state runner-up in 2022. Noble is also a part of an elite group of players that finished their high school career with both 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds.
Ashantay Noble had several options when it came to where she wanted to continue her athletic and academic career. She ultimately decided to stay in Statesboro and attend Georgia Southern.
"When I talked to the coaches, they made me feel like I was at home," Noble said. "They encouraged me to be the best player that I could be and I need that. I need someone that believes in me and someone who will make me a better player and a better person."
Bulloch Academy head coach, Chandler Dennard, shared a few words about his player. "It's easy to take your team to three finals fours and one state runner-up when you are the best player on the team and also the hardest worker on the team," Dennard said. "Ashantay is an excellent basketball player and obviously an excellent student, but she's an even better person."
MaryAnne and Herbert Noble got to witness their daughter take another step towards accomplishing her dream of going to the WNBA.
"She worked really hard and put the work in," Herbert Noble said. "This is just a result of hard work and dedication and a lot of training."
They are even more excited that she is staying close to home for college.
"Her community can come out and support her now," MaryAnne said. "They have a really good reason to go and support Georgia Southern women's basketball now."
Noble had a message for her future school: "I will make GSU proud and happy to have me because the best is yet to come. Go Eagles."
