FAYETTE — Kailyn Hammett has the true spirit of a Lady Tiger.

The second the Jefferson County High School senior walks on to the court, she’s ready to pounce.

“You have to leave everything on the court,” Hammett said. “And, if I work 100 percent, I need everyone else around me to do the same.”

Spearheading the efforts of a 22-6 season, Hammett left no stone unturned as she averaged 14 points, eight assists, seven steals, five rebounds and three blocks per game. She was named the MHSAA Region 7-3A All-Region Player of the Year as she totaled 20 double-doubles on the season.

For her efforts, Hammett has been selected as The Natchez Democrat’s 2017-18 All-Metro Girls Basketball Player of the Year.

Despite the honor, Hammett said it wasn’t on her list of goals in her final campaign.

“I usually don’t worry about awards and all that. I know what type of player I am,” she said. “I never really cared about what people had to say. I know what I do, and how much work I put in on the court regardless of what awards I get.”

Still, Hammett said to be recognized validates everything she already knew about herself.

“To be picked, I feel really good about it,” she said. “Nobody really taught me to be like that. It’s just how I’ve always been.”

Since eighth grade, Hammett has established herself as a starter for the Lady Tigers. Often showing a great deal of emotion — pumping her fists and wearing her heart of her sleeve — Jefferson County coach Flora McKnight said it’s not hard to see how much Hammett loves the game.

“She’s been a gym rat forever,” McKnight said. “She certainly is different than many of the players I have coached over the years. She has such passion for the game, and it shows.”

One thing Hammett did have on her list of goals was to get a scholarship to play at the next level.

“I knew I wanted to go play basketball, but where, I didn’t have just one place I wanted to go,” she said.

Hammett said colleges started heavily recruiting her this past year, where she ended up with offers from Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, Copiah-Lincoln Community College and Southwest Mississippi Community College.

Hammett’s ultimate choice, however, came from her pure desire to win, finally committing to Hinds Community College in Raymond.

“Hinds was pretty good and I went to a couple of their games this season,” Hammett said. “They mainly had freshmen this year, so I know next year they will be even better.”

If fellow JCHS senior Antrell Gales joining her in a commitment to Hinds wasn’t enough, Hammett also said she chose The Eagles because she thinks she will have a good chance to start as a freshman.

“They told me that they don’t really have any true point guards,” Hammett said. “They have guards, but really just shooting guards. I’m really excited to see how my first year turns out.”

The reasoning, Hammett said, leans heavily on her roots at Jefferson County.

“I’m looking to see how much pressure I can take,” she said. “I want to lead the team as a freshman.”

Through her years, Hammett said her background has well prepared her for the future. This year, the Lady Tigers fell in the second round of the MHSAA Class 3A Playoffs, yet her team has consistently been in the hunt for a state championship.

“When I was younger, everyone used to always tell me to shoot the ball and not to pass it so much,” Hammett said. “I used to have zero points with 10 assists. I didn’t care if I had two points or 20 points. Now, I have the same attitude about wanting to win, but I knew I had to step up this year.”

And just as she raced down the court, weaving her way through defenders as a Lady Tiger, Hammett said she will take that same passion with her wherever life takes her.

“I really enjoyed it,” she said. “I’m just ready to graduate and see how that goes.”