How vengeance, and a stuffed animal, are powering the most dominating team on the MS Coast
He watches over the court with all the regality and poise his position bestows upon him as the Biloxi Lady Indians prepare for each battle. He’s there when the lights are off and no one is watching and he’s there when the red glow of Biloxi’s home gym bathes a packed house before tip-off.
He has presided over moments of pain and exhaustion. He’s the center of celebration in times of glory.
His name is Promecheus Arato and he’s far more than just a stuffed lion. Promecheus is one important piece in coach Devin Hill’s new strategy involving the use of symbolism to transfer the emotional weight of disappointment and shock into rallying vengeance and paced fight.
And it’s working.
“Promecheus is kind of like our team mascot,” Hill told the Sun Herald. “We draw strength from him.”
Biloxi is 19-0. It’s superstar sophomore duo consisting of Zaniya Johnson and Jayla Carriere combined for 26 points in a 51-12 rattling of reigning Region 4-7A champions St. Martin on Tuesday in the first meeting of a potentially three-game series between the vengeful and the targeted.
Promecheus was there, as always.
His first name is Greek and his last name is Latin. Both loosely translate to “Champion.” He serves as a daily reminder to the girls who make up the Lady Indians to continue pushing toward their goal.
“Promecheus is kind of like Oz,” Hill said. “We’re just on the Yellow Brick Road trying to get to Oz. Sometimes, one girl may need some extra courage. You never know what kids are going through on a daily basis so Promecheus is there to remind you... that you’re an important person. You’re an important part of our puzzle. So when you don’t have it, we inject you with it. We say ‘go rub his mane and get it.’ Whatever you need.”
Boot camp bonding
Promecheus didn’t obtain his own personal seat on the bus without doing anything to earn it. He was there during Hill’s intensive nine-week boot camp during August and September.
The Lady Indians pushed sleds at 6 a.m. and ran bleachers when the heat index soared. And they did it all donned in the reminder of failure.
Biloxi beat St. Martin in their first meeting last season, just as it did Tuesday. It won the second meeting, as well. But the Yellow Jackets would stun Biloxi in the district championship en route to a Final Four appearance. The loss left the Lady Indians reeling and ultimately led to a disappointing quarterfinal exit by way of a Northwest Rankin upset.
The scores of both losses are emblazoned on their daily practice uniforms, which they started wearing during boot camp. It was Promecheus’ championship symbolism that pushed the team through those moments.
“He helped us a lot,” Carriere said. “You got to think about the championship. We’re outside, it’s hot, but we have to push through. We have to think about the end. We want the other team to feel how we felt in those times.”
“Nobody worked how we worked,” Johnson added. “If we’re going through all that, you’re going to feel what we’re feeling. Just know that.”
To the credit of boot camp and Promecheus, Biloxi has won its 19 games by an average margin of 24.2 points. It’s 4-0 in district play with a 17-point win over D’Iberville representing the closest regional match.
But painful memories, brutal workouts and comforting plushed lions did more than push their limits. They bonded a team.
“Boot camp plays a big role because it can be hot and it challenges your mental,” Johnson said. “One person could be down and one person could be this close to quitting. You need your teammates to pick you up. You can’t do that alone.”
Sophomores driving the Indians
Carriere joined Biloxi last summer after playing her freshman season with district rival Harrison Central. She brings depth and high-level potential to what is already a deep backcourt.
The combo guard adds more than just complimentary off-ball services to Johnson’s dominant post presence, but is a budding star herself within a guard rotation that includes standouts Aaliyah Davison, Nakenyah Terry and Aubrey Hill.
“You know when you get a thousand-piece puzzle and you’re just looking for that one piece that’s going to make the puzzle pop? Jayla is that for us,” Hill said.
Carriere is averaging just under 13 points per game and has already buried 50 triples. That’s made life difficult for defenses that are already tasked with attempting to deny the imposing presence Johnson brings to the low block.
Johnson — the Sun Herald Player of the Year as a freshman a year ago — is scoring 16.4 points a night with 9.6 rebounds and 2.3 blocks in her fourth year playing varsity.
She’s already obtained scholarship offers from Tennessee, Louisville, Florida State and more.
“She was the best player on the Coast last year and she still is,” Hill said. “She’s elevated her game every season since she’s been in our program.”
Manifesting the future
Hill bought a piece of locker room decor designed to be replaced. It’s a replica of the Gold Ball trophy. The real version can only obtained from the Big House in Jackson, but the fake further motivates the girls who have to look at it every day.
It’s another symbolic gesture and important to Hill because he doesn’t want his team to forget where they’ve been and avoid the thought of what could be.
“Last year we kind of shied away from talking about what we wanted,” Hill said. “We were scared to say the word ‘championship.’ Deep down inside, I don’t think we really felt like we were a championship team. This year we talk about it every day. We don’t shy away from it.
“We look at the scores from last year. Last year had to happen for us to get to where we’re trying to go to.”
The mentality has worn off on the Lady Indians. Many sprints were won a year ago, but the marathon was lost. Now there’s a grander vision built through struggle and supported by a stuffed jungle cat.
“The state championship is what we want this year,” Johnson said.
