What’s better than winning one state championship? Two state championships.
That is what Lady Rams head coach Jawan Bailey and his squad are looking to do after the team’s cinderella-like run to the top in the 6A state tournament.
Bailey, who enters his fourth year as the Lady Rams top coach, says that while the offseason has been great, it is time to get back to work.
“It’s been busy,” Bailey said. “We’re trying to make sure the girls can be celebrated the way they need to, but also making sure we’re getting ready to try to do it again. We got a lot of talent coming back.”
The biggest piece returning for the Lady Rams is the reigning All-Cov News and State Championship MVP London Smith. After missing her freshman season due to a torn ACL, Smith erupted onto the scene for her sophomore season, averaging 17.4 points, 5.7 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game.
While Smith was productive throughout the regular season, she specifically shined during the postseason, scoring 28 points in the final four matchup against North Forsyth and 23 points in the state title game against Grayson.
Bailey says that Smith will continue to lead this Lady Rams squad, but in more ways than one.
“This year, I think you’re going to get a chance to see London as a playmaker,” Bailey said. “She had to do a lot of scoring for us, because we didn’t have as much scoring as we do this year. The kid is a really good playmaker, too.”
Some of the scoring talent that Bailey referred to comes in two key transfers: Jazmin Maddox and Kandice Shepard.
Maddox, a sophomore, joins the Lady Rams after a standout freshman season with the Jasper County Hurricanes. During the 2024-25 season, she was the Hurricanes’ top scoring option, averaging 17 points-per-game. Newton County fans may have some familiarity with her, as she posted a 32-point performance against Social Circle in January.
Shepard makes the move from George Walton Academy. While she was limited during her junior season, the 5-foot-9 senior is a player that Bailey is quite high on.
Newton also returns former All-Cov News Breakout Player of the Year and Sharpshooter of the Year Mya Perry. With a 53% field-goal percentage, Perry was the most efficient shooter on the Lady Rams and will look to improve even more in her junior season.
The Lady Rams also return Skylar Levell, Zoey Jackson, Jamira Flournoy and Kaitlin Goodman, all of whom Bailey anticipates will see increased roles. Additionally, Bailey touted the additions of freshmen Kennedy Carter and Hayden Bell, who were standouts at Liberty Middle School and Veterans Middle School last season.
“We have a plethora of talent,” Bailey said. “I think people are unsure about how we can gel, and all the new pieces. I think we’re just going to surprise some people with how well the ball moves around the floor.”
As the Lady Rams prepare for the 2025-26 season, the entire team knows that all eyes are on them.
Newton enters as the consensus No. 1-ranked team in 6A state rankings, a feat that would flatter even the best of teams. However, Bailey is not phased.
“We’re not getting caught up in any state rankings or any expectations outside of us,” Bailey said. “We’re just coming in here and doing our daily work day-in and day-out.”
So what are those expectations for the Lady Rams? According to Bailey, it’s bringing home another trophy.
“It’s only one expectation,” Bailey said. “We’re not ducking. We’re not scared. We know exactly what it is. Every day we step in this gym, we prepare for it. We prepare as if that’s what we want to achieve and we’re working towards it.”
