By Robert Wilson
Mia Wheeler was a starter on Hartfield Academy’s Class 4A state championship team last season as a junior.
Now a senior, Wheeler has become the leader of the Lady Hawks’ team as they try to win another state title and a possible MAIS Overall championship.
The 5-foot-10 center averaged 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds in four games last week.
For her outstanding performance, Wheeler has been named the Performance Therapy/Mississippi Scoreboard Metro Jackson Girls Basketball Player of the Week.
Wheeler started off the week with 24 points, 7 rebounds, 3 steals and 1 blocked shot in a 71-64 loss to Choctaw Central, a MHSAA Class 3A power who is ranked No. 5 among all MHSAA and MAIS teams in Mississippi by MaxPreps. She had a career-high 29 points, 8 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 assists in a 56-51, Class 4A, District 3 victory over Central Hinds. Wheeler had 9 points, 12 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals in a 48-42, district victory at Simpson in a rematch of last year’s 4A state championship game. She had 16 points, 15 rebounds, 3 steals and 1 blocked shot in a 41-34 loss at Jackson Prep in a rematch of last year’s Overall semifinal game.
Wheeler is averaging 18 points, 8.7 rebounds, 2.5 steals, 1.2 assists and 1.0 blocked shots for 14-7 Hartfield, which has won 14 consecutive district games, 10-0 last season and 4-0 this season.
“Mia is a quiet leader who works hard every day and loves to compete,” Hartfield coach Benton Ingram said. “She is an incredible teammate who is loved by everyone who knows her.
“Mia’s effectiveness reaches far beyond her ability to score and rebound. She has a calming demeanor that gives her teammates confidence to overcome any challenge. That leadership was on display this week as she helped her team find a way to compete and pull out important district wins.”
Wheeler averaged 16 points, 7 rebounds, 2 steals and 1 assist and helped Hartfield to a 32-7 record as a sophomore.
The Priority One Bank/Mississippi Scoreboard Metro Jackson Boys Basketball Player of the Week will be announced Wednesday.
Coaches please contact Robert Wilson by text or call at 601.506.2276 or email at [email protected] with your nominations by 3 p.m. Sunday.
