LUMBERTON – It's been 67 years since the Lumberton girls' basketball program played for a state title.
And nobody has waited longer to see this unfold than Annelle Carroll, who is one of the last known surviving members from the school's 1956 Class A-AA championship team.
Carroll, who was then known as Annelle McDade, is Lady Panther royalty and arguably the greatest player in the program's history. The then 6-foot-2 forward scored over 2,000 points in her career, 1,000 of which came her senior year during the championship season. She also set the school record for most points scored in a game at 50.
And so the day before Lumberton's upcoming title game against Blue Mountain, this year's Lady Panther squad made a point of visiting her.
"I'm so proud of them," Carroll said. "I want them to go get that trophy and do the very best they can. And they don't need to be ashamed if they lose. Somebody has to win, and somebody has to lose.
"They have to play together and can't get discouraged. They can't get down or feel bad because the other team gets ahead of them. They have to put the pedal to the metal and play as hard as they can.
Carroll, who is now 85 years old and legally blind, listened to the Lady Panther's semifinal victory over Biggersville on the radio.
"There has not been a (Lumberton team) that has come this close," Carroll said. "This one has come closer than anybody. I'm excited."
Both the players and head coach were unaware of Lumberton's rich basketball history. Although the program has had several teams reach the semifinals since the 1956 season, Carroll was part of the program's most dominant run. Under the leadership of former head coach Jack Walker, who was the then superintendent, the Lady Panthers went 100-23 in Carroll's four-year career.
However, it was a history that the current Lumberton team was unaware of.
"I was shocked," said senior point guard Kelsey Joseph after learning about the program's past success. "Lumberton gets discredited. We don't get the awareness that we should have, so I think we are bringing that awareness back. It has been a long gap of putting Lumberton back on the map.
"It's a good moment for us to experience," added sophomore Kali Chavis. "To have someone from the past that long ago. It's like we are carrying on a legacy."
Even head coach Jay Lofton, who has guided Lumberton to its second appearance in the Big House in three years, had yet to learn of their pedigree.
"We are kind of getting to connect the past and get a little wisdom from her for the game," Lofton said. "I knew way back in the day, and the early 90s had some really good teams, but it's been 25-30 years since we had the kind of success we had in the past couple of years.
"This means something to her and her family, so it's giving back to the community while we got a spotlight on us."
By the time Carroll was in the eighth grade, she stood at six feet, and like many players, her career began because she was simply tall.
"I was born and raised here," Carroll said. "My sister was in the 10th grade, and the coach asked, 'Who is that six-foot girl in the eighth grade?'
"Mind you, I had never picked up a basketball. I couldn't chew gum and dribble a ball."
Both of Carroll's daughters, Laura and Lisa, attended Lumberton.
"The one thing that everyone said when I did play was, 'Are you as good as your mom?' No, that pressure was awful," Laura laughed. "The furthest we got was to South State, and we got beat. That was back in 1979-80.
"We have watched many championships in football and baseball, but for basketball, this is huge, especially for the girls."
Lisa's basketball career was much different as she stood at a mere five feet when she started at Lumberton.
"The basketball coach and my mom were best friends," Lisa said. "When she walked in, he said I pray to God you have a daughter. And she said I do, and I walked in, and he said the basketball gods are not with me."
After high school, Carroll played her collegiate career for former women's basketball powerhouse Nashville Business College. Decades before the NCAA sanctioned women's basketball with a national championship, the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) basketball was the only league where female athletes could continue their careers. The program won 11 national titles, including eight consecutive between 1962 to 1969.
Carroll then played one season for the professional Arkansas Travelers before returning home due to her father becoming ill.
"I really don't miss them," responded Carroll when asked if she missed her playing days. "I have such a good life now. I do just fine. I've got my two girls, two grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren. I have all I need."
Perhaps the most important advice she passed to the team was simple: "Appreciate life," Carroll said. "Enjoy every minute of it. I know I didn't like I should have."
Lumberton's state championship game tips off at 6 p.m. on Thursday.
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