Jada Guinn saw the All-Southern Conference teams come out and, like any athlete would do, found what she felt was disrespect.
It wasn't as if the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga senior guard didn't think Wofford's Rachael Rose was a deserving candidate for conference player of the year, it's simply that Guinn felt as if she herself was the best player in the league and deserved the honor.
She had found her motivation to play her role for the Mocs in the SoCon tournament, although she's a largely emotionless player during games. Maybe a little smile here or there, but mostly she just gives encouragement to her teammates.
But with 1:41 remaining in Sunday's SoCon championship game against UNC Greensboro and the Mocs clinging to a 62-58 lead, Guinn dribbled the ball into a defensive switch, crossed over Spartan post Antoniette Emma-Nnopu and shot a floater, getting fouled in the process.
As the ball circled through the net, Guinn walked up to Emma-Nnopu and yelled, "And One!" before being pulled away by Sigrun Olafsdottir, leading an ESPN announcer to add, "It's been Guinn's tournament."
In that moment, UTC head coach Shawn Poppie got Guinn's attention and simply pointed to his head, signaling for her to be smart and not earn a technical foul which could have given the Spartans a chance to rally even closer.
"A little bit of me is a little proud because she's the most emotionless superstar I've ever been a part of until it's crunch time and I've been challenging her that we need more," Poppie said. "Maybe it's not your voice, it's just how you walk around, how you talk, how you carry yourself that pushes confidence into an Addie Grace Porter, a Sigrun Olafsdottir, but to watch that little bit of chip come out, you get a little proud."
When the lights were brightest, Guinn had shown up, with a 32-point performance in the Mocs' 69-60 win that would have been a career high had it not been for the 33 points she put up 48 hours prior in the semifinals against Mercer.
On Sunday earned the unique distinction of being named Most Outstanding Player for her team in the conference tournament, for two different schools, in two different conferences.
Last season she did it for Tennessee Tech in the Ohio Valley Conference championships, helping TTU to its first appearance since 2000.
"It's not about individual stats, but as a competitor, I feel like I'm the best player in the conference," Guinn said. "I wasn't picked and I just had that chip on your shoulder and I just wanted to come here and do what I could for my team. It's been an amazing opportunity to help a team go to the NCAA tournament last year, then being able to do the same thing, it just means a lot and I'm happy to do it here at Chattanooga."
Added freshman Hannah Kohn: "Jada all year has stepped up in crucial moments. She's that type of player, I love her to death off the court and I think she deserves everything she gets, but player of the year is something she deserved for sure and I think she stepped up and proved who should have won that award."
Poppie said one thing that drew Guinn to Chattanooga was the opportunity to prove that she had a next level to her game, as she was mostly used as a point guard at Tennessee Tech.
And she's been proven right. After scoring 984 points in 120 games with the Golden Eagles, Guinn has 630 (and counting) this season, which is the third-most points scored in a season by a UTC player. Only Alex Anderson (677 in 2006-07) and Regina Kirk (654 points in 1987-88) have more.
Guinn's average of 19.7 points per game is tied for the sixth-best scoring average in a single season.
"It's awesome when it comes full circle," Poppie said. "We preach humble confidence, taking things personal, getting up underneath your skin, and I think there may have been a few internal middle fingers coming up and that's not any disrespect. It's a chip on your shoulder to try to prove who you are because she is that girl, right? She makes me look like a heck of a lot better basketball coach than I really am.
"We put the ball in her hands and everything on her shoulders, both in the semis and (championship). Probably the biggest thing is that you want to give her what you said you were going to in the process and to watch it come full circle, that's what's so special. She's grown up so much and I'm really proud of her."
Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com.
Staff photo by Olivia Ross / UTC's Jada Guinn (24) looks for the pass. UT Chattanooga took on UNC-Greensboro at home on Saturday, February 24, 2024.