by Levi Gilbert

With just seven regular season games remaining in her high school basketball career, Greenbrier’s Blysse Harmon is simply trying to soak it all in.

“I’m trying to savor every last moment with my teammates,” said Harmon, a senior forward for the Lady Panthers. 

Although her final season as a Panther hasn’t gone as she had hoped, Harmon is characteristically positive heading into the final stretch. 

“I have gotten more confident in my ability to play the game,” Harmon said. “I’ve learned that if I don’t have confidence in myself, I won’t have results. My usual position is a guard/forward, but I’ve had to play post this year to accommodate what is best for the team.”

Greenbrier is currently 5-15 (1-6), which is two wins better than last season. It’s progress, which is helping to pave the way for the future of Greenbrier basketball. 

“Our team goal is to finish with a winning record for the rest of the season,” Harmon said. “Although our record is 5-15, it doesn’t truly identify us as a team. We’ve improved greatly as a team and have had several close games where we fell short in the end.”

Harmon was selected to this year’s 501 Basketball Team — 34 players representing the best the 501 has to offer both on and off the court. The team is sponsored by Conway Ortho and Sports Medicine Center, Conway Regional Health System and First Security Bank. Harmon was nominated by her head coach, Payton Edmondson.

“Blysse is a leader,” Edmondson wrote in the nomination. “She can finish at the basket, can shoot the 3 and averages a charge per game. She’s an excellent student athlete with a lot of potential, and she exemplifies good leadership skills.” 

Harmon and the Lady Panthers return to 5A West play this Friday on the road at Russellville, and it’s a rematch that Harmon has been eyeing for a month. 

“I am looking forward to Russellville because we fought hard with them last round and fell a little short,” Harmon said. “We are ready for a rematch. Our defensive game is huge. We need to have crucial help inside with all the height they have, as well as running their shooters off the line. Our offensive game will come with the hustle and fight.”

Harmon excels in the classroom and will graduate in May with enough credits to complete an associate’s degree.

“With this achievement comes hard work,” Harmon said. “My greatest challenge is trying to balance work, a heavy load of school work and ball practice. I will further my basketball career as a Lady Scot at Lyon College in Batesville this fall.”

Harmon and the Lady Panthers return to 5A West action on the road at Russellville at 6 p.m. Friday.