By Robert Wilson
Brookhaven Academy’s Anne Rylea Thurman – the most prolific 3-point shooter in the Class of 2027 in Mississippi last season – is excited about her new coach, Alissa Adams.
Adams – an assistant at Southwest Mississippi Community College – was named this week as Thurman and her teammates’ new coach, replacing Drake Flowers.
“My first impression of Coach Adams was she is passionate about the game, cares for her players, and is a very competitive person,” said Thurman, who averaged 15.7 points and made 76 3-pointers (third in Mississippi to Leake Academy senior Jenna Allen’s 97 and Madison Central High senior Ayla Benson’s 79), shot 32.2 percent from 3-point range, and had 4.1 rebounds, 2.8 steals and 2.4 assists last season. “She seems to be very direct and demands our best effort, but also wants us to have fun. Coach Adams wants to invest in our lives and for us to feel like she made an impact on us.”
Adams was an assistant for three seasons at Southwest Mississippi CC before taking the Brookhaven Academy position.
She played high school basketball at Hancock High and at Southwest Mississippi CC. Adams ranked No. 5 in assists per game and No. 12 in free throw percentage in the country as a freshman at Southwest Mississippi CC and helped her team to the state runner-up finish and made all state as a sophomore. She got her bachelor’s degree from Mississippi State and master’s degree from William Carey. Adams was head coach at Amite School Center for two seasons and at West Lincoln High for two seasons. She led West Lincoln to the MHSAA Class 2A semifinals in 2022 and 2A quarterfinals in 2023.
“I decided to take the job at Brookhaven Academy to be able to be with my husband and children more,” Adams said. “Coaching on the collegiate level has always been a goal of mine. I’m thankful for the opportunity given to me by Coach Harris and SMCC. Ultimately, I’m looking forward to being able to a more present mom while still being able to do what I love, coach basketball.”
The 5-foot-8 Thurman, who has been starting since the eighth grade, scored her 1,500th career point and 300th career 3-pointer this season. She scored a career-high 30 points against Overall Tournament runner-up Simpson Academy. Thurman has an offer from Mississippi College.
“AR is a winner,” Adams said. “She puts in countless hours working on her game. She’s a good leader and teammate. There’s not many people that have her work ethic. I’m excited to get to coach her.”
Brookhaven Academy finished 18-12 with six losses to Overall champion Madison-Ridgeland Academy (two), Overall runner-up Simpson (two) and Overall quarterfinalist and 2025 Overall champion Parklane Academy (two), three of the top five rated teams in the MAIS this past season.
Thurman along with juniors Ruth Ellen Gates and Ali Hall and sophomore Peyton Davis are the returning starters. Also, sixth man Bailey Douglas returns next season. Brookhaven Academy is dropping down a class from Class 4A to Class 3A next season and won’t in the same district with MRA, Simpson and Parklane next year.
Adams has her first team meeting this week.
“At the team meeting, I gave each player a small tube of toothpaste,” Adams said. “The toothpaste is to be a constant reminder that effort is like toothpaste, we can always squeeze a little more out. That’s me as a coach, I want to get as much as I can out of each person on the team. Perseverance, grit, and effort will be keys to our success. We had our first open gym together Sunday and there was energy and enthusiasm. I’m looking forward to hitting the ground running this summer.”
Adams and her husband, Tucker, have two daughters, Amarie and Hollyn. Adams’ parents are Ricky and Tanna Adam of Kiln, a small town on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Adams’ second cousin is Southern Miss men’s basketball coach Jay Ladner. Ladner’s late father, Larry, a longtime Mississippi high school basketball coach, and Adams’ late grandmother, Carolyn, were brother and sister. Adams’ sister, Morgan, was a student assistant on Jay Ladner’s national championship team at Jones County Junior College during the 2013-2014 season.
