Player of the Year Loves “Dropping Buckets”

Senior Aniah Webb has been awarded the title of Virginia High School League (VHSL) Jefferson All-District player for the FCHS Girls Basketball team. Webb plays the positions of point guard and shooting guard.

She started playing when she made it on the middle school team when she was in 6th grade, playing for Fluvanna’s Parks and Rec league. When she got to high school she made the JV team and has been on varsity for four years.

“I like basketball because I’m good at it, so that makes it more fun. I also like giving the crowd a reason to cheer for me and my team. When I play ball, I don’t think about anything but basketball. It’s a getaway for me, honestly,” Webb said.

This season Webb scored 166 points. She didn’t expect to receive the honor of the Player of the Year title, but said when she got it, she was pleasantly surprised. The start of her season was a difficult one and she put a lot of pressure on herself, but when she won the award, she realized she had earned the achievement.

Webb said the season didn’t start off on a high note. “I wasn’t scoring as much as I should have the first few games, and it got into my head,” she said. She is grateful for her coach, Nick Ward, who helped her through her self-doubt. “Mr. Ward kept me motivated and focused because he knows the potential I have. He’s been there every step of the way and I can’t thank him enough,” she said.

Ward is very proud of Webb and her accomplishments. “Aniah is a well-rounded basketball player who can cause other teams a lot of trouble on the offensive and defensive ends of the floor. We would like to congratulate Aniah on being voted the player of the year in the district and best wishes on her future endeavors,” he said.

Webb said her favorite part of the season was anytime her home team had a reason to cheer for them. She loves the euphoric feeling of making a shot and hearing the crowd explode with cheers. She loved all of the shots she made, or as she puts it, “Dropping mad buckets on people.”

She noted that the best part of her season was playing with her team, which she loves like a family. She has been with some of her team members since middle school and said she is amazed by how much she and her teammates have grown. She added that she has also formed a bond with the underclassmen on the team.

“That’s when our team was at our peak; everyone had a great bond and we were on a eiight-game winning streak. Unfortunately, we lost, but we still made it a memorable season,” Webb said.

Webb said that although she was planning to play ball in college, she feels that with school work and a job, she wouldn’t be able to be the best possible. She said she intends to attend a four-year historically black college (HBCU), but has yet to decide on a major.