Coach Hilda Hankerson has been the head girl’s basketball coach at Westlake for 26 seasons. Last season she received the Pat Summitt Trophy. Here is what she had to say about her team’s most recent accomplishments.
Q. Before I ask you about the current season, I want to say congratulations for an incredible run you are having at Westlake! Not only winning the state championship four times straight, but winning the GEICO national championship, as well! Can you tell us what this run has been like?
A: Winning four straight state championships and the GEICO National Championship is an experience where you know you have truly been blessed. Our program at Westlake has been very successful prior to this time. We have been in every state playoff (except two) since 1995. We continued to put the goal of a championship before each team. We prayed and worked so hard for the first one in 2018. The other three championships were like the icing on the cake. We went to the GEICO Tournament in 2018 and didn’t win it. In 2020 we were invited again and Covid shut down the tournament. In 2021 we were determined to get to GEICO again so that we could win it. We defeated Paul VI. We were on a mission. Once we did all of this, it reminded me of something my pastor would say…”He will pour you out a blessing that you don’t have room enough to receive.” We finished the four years with a state record of 112-0. We never lost in the state of GA in four years. This includes teams that came into the state.
Q. Coach, I know you had some great players during the last four years that have moved on. Can you talk about those players that made that run possible?
A. Raven Johnson…Naismith Player of the Year, Gatorade player of the year, McDonald All-American [and] Miss GA Basketball 2020 and 2021. [Her] basketball jersey is hanging in the women’s basketball hall of fame in the ring of honor for one year and [she] signed with South Carolina. [Raven is] one of the most celebrated athletes to ever come from the state of Georgia and the only GEICO Champion and Max Prep first place ranking. We are blessed to have had someone like her on our team.
Q. Coach, Let’s talk about the season so far. Your team is still very much in the thick of things. How is this year, and this 2021 team different from perhaps last year’s or even the teams of the past four years?
A: TaNiya Latson played three years and had to move to Miami her senior year. She was our leading scorer her senior year and an All-State player. She has been named as a McDonald All-American this year. She is going to Florida State. By the way…I have been named the McDonald All-American Coach of the East Team this year and will get the opportunity to coach her one more time. I look forward to this reunion.
Q. Coach, you have had a fantastic career, now in your 26th season as head coach of the Lions girls team. Any thoughts of how much longer you plan to do this?
A: It’s over when it’s over. No time table set yet.
