Unaka’s Tipton does it all for Lady Rangers

Published 2:44 pm Tuesday, January 2, 2018

When Unaka senior Sarah Tipton suits up for the Lady Rangers basketball team, she brings a little bit everything to the floor.
Whether she is needed inside or on the perimeter, Unaka head coach Kenneth Chambers said the Lady Rangers can count on Tipton.
“Well she is a great outside shooter,” said Chambers. “She sees the floor great. She plays one through four. She is probably our two guard. But because of size, I sometimes have to use her as a four. This year she has to play inside, outside, she brings up the ball, you know, she does it all. She can play about anywhere that we need here to.”
Tipton may not be the loudest player on the court, but the senior leads by example said Chambers.
“She’s not a vocal leader, but she is a role model leader,” said Chambers. “The girls all look up to her. Her being a senior helps, but even if she was a sophomore or junior they would still look up to her. They try to follow what she does.

“A lot of the time our team goes if she goes,” added Chambers. “If she is playing good, we are pretty successful. If she is having a hard night, we tend not do as well.”
The Lady Rangers are 7-5  on the season and 0-1 in their league as of Thursday night after a tough loss to Hampton on Dec. 18. Thursday night, the Lady Rangers opened play in the Sgt. York’s Southeastern Christmas Invitational in Jamestown, Tennessee. At this point in the season, Tipton said she feels the Lady Rangers are coming together as a team.
“We are doing really well so far,” said Tipton. “We are all playing like a family. We are like one big family.
“We are hoping to finish out the second half of the season strong and win the rest of our conference games,” added Tipton.
In the spring, Tipton also competes for the Lady Rangers on the softball diamond.
This past season, the Lady Rangers made a deep postseason run to the TSSAA Class A Softball in Murfreesboro. Tipton said playing two sports can take up a lot of time but it is something she loves to do.
“I dedicate a lot of time to it,” said Tipton. “I just do it because I love it and love to compete.”
Over the years, Chambers said he has seen Tipton grow as an athlete and that she has really come on strong her senior campaign.
“This year, she has come into her own,” said Chambers. “She is more vocal this year. She will tell me her opinion. I like that because I want to be a coach that can talk to my players.
“She strives to be good in ball,” added Chambers. “Her whole family, mom, dad, sister, all of them, strive to be the best that they can be. Sarah is a fighter, and she will do whatever we need her to do to win a ballgame.”

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