Women’s Basketball Finalizes Roster With Seven Additions For 2024-25 – Georgia Southern University Athletics

STATESBORO – Georgia Southern women’s basketball head coach Hana Haden has finalized her roster for the upcoming 2024-25, announcing the addition of seven new student-athletes to play for the Eagles.

The final group includes three junior transfers – guard Jazmyne Jackson (5-7, Jr., Dallas, Texas / Grambling State), forward Deannasty Smith (6-1, Jr., San Antonio, Texas / Northwest Florida State) and guard Nakiyah Mays-Prince (5-5, Jr., Chicago, Ill. / Delaware) – and one sophomore transfer, center Paris Gaines (6-3, Soph., Orlando, Fla. / Kansas). Three incoming freshman round out the newcomers, including twin sisters Jamiria Jones (5-9, Fr., Birmingham, Ala. / Huffman HS) and Tamiria Jones (5-9, Fr., Birmingham, Ala. / Huffman HS) as well as local product Ashantay Noble (5-10, Fr., Statesboro, Ga. / Bulloch Academy). 

“The addition of these seven players to round out our 2024 recruiting class is very exciting for the future of our program,” Coach Haden said. “While we will have six seniors to replace in the 2025 class, these seven will provide us a great nucleus to build around and hopefully allow for some great continuity going forward.”

Read about the seven newcomers below!

Jazmyne Jackson

5-7, Jr., Guard

Dallas, Texas

Ray Braswell HS / Grambling State

Played for two seasons at Grambling State from 2022-24 … Averaged 8.0 ppg in 33 games as a sophomore in 2023-24 … Hit game-winning three-pointers to defeat Oral Roberts, 93-91, in the WNIT on March 22 … Earned SWAC Women’s Basketball Impact Player of the Week honors on March 5 … Played in 29 games as a freshman in 2022-23, averaging 2.5 ppg … Played four years at Ray Braswell HS in Aubrey, Texas … Earned first team All-District honors twice … Earned TABC UIL 6A All-Region honors as a senior … Two-time Academic All-District honoree … Played club for DFW Elite.

Deannasty Smith

6-1, Jr., Forward

San Antonio, Texas

Tom C. Clark HS / Northwest Florida State

Played for one season at Northwest Florida State College in 2023-24 … Played in 29 games, averaging 2.0 points and 2.0 rebounds per game … Played for one season at Moberly Area CC in 2022-23, averaging 3.0 points and 3.8 rebounds per game … Played for Tom C. Clark HS in San Antonio … Earned second team All-Region honors … Also played volleyball, earning honorable mention All-Region honors.

Nakiyah Mays-Prince

5-5, Jr., Guard

Chicago, Ill.

Example Academy / Delaware

Played for two seasons at Delaware … Saw action in 28 games, making seven starts, for the Blue Hens as a sophomore in 2023-24 … Averaged 4.6 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game … Scored a season-high 14 points vs. UNCW on March 7 … Played in 28 games as a freshman in 2022-23, making four starts … Averaged 6.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.4 steals per contest … Had 13 career double-digit scoring games at Delaware … Four year member of the basketball team at Example Academy … Helped Example Academy claim the 2022 National Independent championship.

Paris Gaines

6-3, Soph., Center

Orlando, Fla.

Jones HS / Kansas

Played for one season at the University of Kansas … Appeared in seven games, totalling 16 points and 15 rebounds in 52 minutes of action … Scored a season-high six points against Central Arkansas on Dec. 16 … Played at the Class 5A level for Jones HS in Florida, graduating in 2022 … Averaged 5.7 blocked shots per game her senior season … Totaled 10.0 points, 10.5 rebounds and 3.6 blocks per game over her final two seasons at the prep level … Played for West Orange club team at the Brazz Sports Elite Preseason Classic, where she was named a tournament all-star in 2019.

Jamiria Jones

5-9, Fr., Guard/Forward

Birmingham, Ala.

Huffman HS

Played for Huffman HS, helping the Vikings to back-to-back state championship game appearances … Named third team All-State by the Alabama Sports Writers Association … Averaged 20 points, four assists and seven rebounds per game in her senior season … 2x AHSAA 6A State Finals All-Tournament Team honoree … 2024 AHSAA 6A Northeast Regional MVP … 2x Area 11 All-Tournament Team and Northeast Regional All-Tournament Team … Also played softball.

Tamiria Jones

5-9, Fr., Guard

Birmingham, Ala.

Huffman HS

Played for Huffman HS, helping the Vikings to back-to-back state championship game appearances … Named first team All-State by the Alabama Sports Writers Association as a senior … Also a finalist for the 6A Player of the Year award … Averaged 15 points, six rebounds and three assists per game in her senior season … 2x AHSAA 6A State Finals All-Tournament Team honoree … 2023 AHSAA 6A Northeast Regional MVP … Second team All-State by the Alabama Sports Writers Association as a junior … 2x Area 11 All-Tournament Team and Northeast Regional All-Tournament Team.

Ashantay Noble

5-10, Fr., Forward

Statesboro, Ga.

Bulloch Academy

Played for Bulloch Academy, where she earned All-State honors in 2022-23 and 2023-24 for the Gators … Averaged 18.1 points per game, 6.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 4.0 steals as a senior with 11 double-doubles and 1 triple-double … Scored 1,507 points in her high school career and grabbed 1,017 career rebounds … 4x All-Region honoree … Won the 2024 Coastal Georgia All-Star 3 Point Contest … Selected for the Coastal Georgia All-Star Team … Also competed in soccer, track and softball, earning All-Region honors in track and field.