Westview's Tasia Jones suffers knee injury in Class AA quarterfinal win over Alcoa

MURFREESBORO — "Tasia, Tasia, Tasia"

That was the chant from the Westview student section when point guard Tasia Jones returned to the scorer's table to check in with 4:23 remaining in the third quarter.

Jones had been out for more than 12 minutes after going down screaming under Westview's basket with a knee injury.

Her time back in the game was short-lived, as she went out 43 seconds later, but her teammates rallied around her to beat Alcoa 41-36 in the Class AA state quarterfinals Thursday.

"That is kind of getting slapped in the face really quick," Westview coach Brian Haskins said. "Let's be honest. We struggled a little bit. It wasn't pretty, but we maintained our composure. Deja Graves played unbelievable, and Zanasha Gadlen played well. We had some girls step up."

Jones missed most of last season with an ACL injury, and that was the first thought that popped in her head.

"It felt like the first time when I tore my right ACL, but (Westview trainer Brian Smith) told me that he didn't think it was, so that was good news to hear," Jones said. "I was more scared than hurt."

Haskins said that Smith said Jones suffered a kneecap injury.

"If she can go, she can go," Haskins said. "The kneecap just popped out of place a little bit. We will re-evaluate it tonight."

Her status for Friday's semifinal game is day-to-day.

But with Jones missing the majority of the 2016-17 season, Westview playing without her is nothing new.

"I am very proud of them," Jones said. "Like I told them in the locker room, it is their time to step up and play hard, and they did."

Graves scored a game-high 19 points, and Zanasha Gadlen took over at point guard.

"I would say that Tasia has the ball in her hands 80 percent of the time," Haskins said. "Z(anasha) has to grow up a lot in 24 hours, and I think she will. She grew up tonight in front of our eyes. It is more mental with her. She knows she is the quickest kid on the floor, and that is with Tasia out there."

Gadlen was worried about her teammate but knew she had a job to do.

"I was a little down and worried about her because I know she loves basketball so much," Gadlen said. "I know that she really wanted to be here. I knew I had to step up. I had to do it for my team."

And if Jones can't go Friday, she will be doing what she did most of the quarterfinals.

"She will be our assistant coach," Haskins said. "She is our coach on the court, and she wants to be a coach one day. I think that is what she wants to do. I hate it for her because she is a leader and has been up here so many times."

Reach Michael Odom at michodom@jacksonsun.com or 731-425-9754. Follow him on Twtter @JSWriterMichael.