Golden girls

Moments after the final buzzer sounded inside Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Goldsboro High School Head Coach Khadijah Bryant fought back tears as she held one of her players in her arms.

All around them, scenes of celebration were playing out.

There was jumping up and down.

There was screaming.

There were tears of joy.

There were high-fives exchanged and kisses blown toward the crowd.

But Bryant kept holding Nierah Smith — lost in the emotion of a Lady Cougars celebration 44 years in the making.

Those who have followed GHS since the coach signed on to lead the program understood.

During her first two seasons, her teams only won a quarter of their games.

But Bryant always believed that building a championship culture would take time.

And after a 12-32 start to her GHS coaching career, everything started falling into place.

The Lady Cougars have gone 75-8 since.

But no win was more meaningful than the one that unfolded Friday afternoon in the North Carolina High School Athletic Association 3A championship game.

Because for Bryant, it meant all the sacrifices had been worth it.

“We’ve been talking about this for two or three years now, ever since we had that little swing about two or three years ago when we went maybe 24-2,” Bryant said. “Ever since then, we’ve had our foot on the gas preparing for this moment right here.”

From the opening tip, it was clear the Lady Cougars were up to the moment.

But several early turnovers saw them down 10-5 early in the first quarter.

Some teams might have, under the pressure of a championship game in a college arena, folded.

Not GHS.

The Lady Cougars stormed back — ending the first half on a 16 to 7 run to go into halftime with a 21-17 lead.

And when, in the second half, the team watched its 11-point lead slip to a single point with 4:45 remaining on the clock after East Surry’s pressure led to several turnovers, they, again, responded.

“It took composure. That’s what it is. You know, for four years I’ve been talking about being composed in tough situations,” Bryant said. “We knew that they were going to try to speed us up a little bit, get us to turn the ball over. We knew if we could get that ball breaked up the front line … we’ll have somebody on the backside to get a couple of buckets for us late in the game.”

Aziyah Boyer, Kennedy Barbour, and Imari Buckom did just that — hitting crucial buckets and putting the game out of reach.

“We always said that we were going to do it, and we always believed that we could, but actually doing it, it’s a whole different feeling,” Aziyah said. “It was very, very exciting, and we’re just trying to take it all in.”

Three Lady Cougars would end up with three double-digit scoring efforts.

And while Amiyah Ford led GHS with 14 points and earned the Most Outstanding Player Award , Aziyah took home Most Valuable Player honors by posting an 11-point, 11-rebound double-double.

Neither, though, was concerned with individual honors.

Not after being a part of history with their teammates.

Still, Amiyah reflected on the mentality that resulted in her game-high point production.

“I don’t usually look to score, but I knew that in a tough game or a tough situation, I would have to, you know, put my foot forward and try to help the team,” she said. “I knew that I had to step up in that moment.”

And she knew, in part, because of how close the young ladies on the GHS team have become.

The championship was, after all, built not in one season, but over years of relentless hard work, trust, and growth — with players pushing each other, coaches guiding every step, and a community cheering them on from the beginning.

Moments after the final buzzer sounded inside Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Gladys Best McClary fought back tears as she held one of the GHS players in her arms.

And while, all around them, scenes of celebration were playing out, she put her hand on her granddaughter, Aziyah’s head and pulled her in closer.

That moment, Aziyah said, was a special one because Gladys was on the team the last time the Lady Cougars won a state title more than four decades ago.

But for the GHS star, what made the championship even sweeter was winning alongside her best friend and longtime teammate Imari.

Their bond, formed in kindergarten and tested through years of competition, was at the heart of the Lady Cougars’ title run.

“(Imari) is my sister. Since kindergarten, you know, we’ve been playing together for a really long time,” Aziyah said. “Even though we went to separate high schools (freshman year), it’s crazy because going to different high schools, we always said that we were going to end up together. Winning it is special but winning it with my girl feels really good.”

And the MVP also made sure to recognize the Cougars’ army of supporters — the fans who traveled to Winston-Salem, and the alumni who paved the way for the team’s historic run.

Because without the love and encouragement of the Goldsboro community, the championship would not have been possible, she said.

“This is our championship, and this is theirs, too,” Aziyah said. “And we’ll forever thank them for helping this program grow. They had a huge part.”

So, it wasn’t surprising when, as the Lady Cougars rolled into the Goldsboro High School parking lot Friday evening behind a motorcade that included the North Carolina State Highway Patrol, Goldsboro police, State Rep. John Bell, Mayor Charles Gaylor, Mayor Pro Tem Beverly Weeks, and Councilman Chris Boyette, more than 100 fans were waiting.

For them, that state title is bigger than just a game won, a banner hung, or a trophy that will soon find a home in a case.

It is proof of what is possible when players, coaches, and a community come together.

And Friday evening, as more tears fell, it felt, to the many onlookers taking in the celebration, more than worth the 44-year wait.