How long have you been playing basketball?
Andi: Since kindergarten.
Tabitha: Since first grade.
Did you play together before you got to Harding?
Tabitha: Andi always played up on my travel team when we were little, and then we played middle and high school together.
Did you know you wanted to play together in college?
Andi: When Tab came here, I still had two years of high school left, so I was never like ‘oh, I want to go here or there.’ I had other options, but none of them felt as right as Harding did. I do not think it was ever me thinking ‘Oh Tab is going there, I want to go there too.’ I guess God had it in his plan for me to come here and play with my sister.
What is the best thing your sister does on the court?
Tabitha: We look the same, but we are exact opposites. She is the driver that knocks through people. She can basically score on anyone. I think I am more of the shooter, a finesse type of player. In high school, we were the ultimate combination.
Andi: We are opposites. It was always good, because in high school she started off as a point guard. I cannot shoot well whatsoever, so she moved to the shooting guard. It was almost better that way because I could drive in and draw the defense off of her, then kick it back out for her to shoot. I am definitely more of the driver, and she is the shooter. It is fun because other teams cannot tell us apart. So, it is nice because they have to question whether I am the shooter or driver. We both have the other’s skills to our advantage since people cannot tell us apart.
What is something that annoys you about your sister?
Tabitha: We have the typical big sister-little sister relationship. She thinks I am uncool and old. I think she is the baby and doesn’t understand, so that annoys me.
Andi: Once she left for college, I always used to say she thought she was better than me since she had moved on from the high school level. She does act like the typical mom to me.
Do you have other siblings?
Andi: We have a little brother who is 11. He is definitely better at basketball than we are.
Describe the experience of playing with your sister.
Andi: It has definitely been easier on me. Growing up we were always on the same team, so it was never a worry because we had each other. It was a lot easier for me to transfer into high school from middle school because Tab had been there two years. I felt more comfortable, and I knew she was always looking out for me. The same can be said for college. She has made everything a lot easier on me. Being able to have those easy transitions into each step of my life that should be nerve wracking; I have always felt so comfortable because I have such a great older sister.
Tabitha: I hoped that she would come here since we had always been on the same team. I had always been there for her. I always wished she would be able to do better than what I did before. If somebody messes with her I automatically become a momma bear. At Harding, I did not know that they had never had sisters play together at the same time. It is pretty cool to be a part of that, especially since we have had such a successful season. We do stuff on the floor that just kind of happens because we are sisters.
If you had to pick one favorite thing about playing with your sister, what would it be?
Andi: I am very competitive, so I tend to pick fights. Playing with Tab, it is easy for us to get into fights and then get over it. Since we are sisters, it won’t last a week. We can go at it and be rough on the floor, then the next minute go and eat dinner or go back to the apartment like it never happened. Just having that connection with somebody is really great to have on the floor.
Tabitha: We take pride in being the Lady Bisons, but to me it means even more because it is also a family thing. I have a lot invested in the team. It is important to us, and to be able to share that with my best friend, who is also my sister, is awesome. I have been able to see how hard we have worked over 10 years to get to where we are now.
Does your sister have any bad habits you wish you could change?
Tabitha: I am just thinking about something that is fresh on my mind, like you not doing the dishes.
Andi: Tab is really sassy. Let’s be honest: really sassy. Sometimes she gets a little worked up. I get mad, but she gets sassy-mad. All up in your face, cat fighting. I am more of the type that at least I will be nice to your face. You will know if Tab is upset with you. I don’t think that is something I would change, but it is something that I am going to nit-pick at her for.
Tabitha: You just don’t do your chores around the house. She also sings in this obnoxious voice …
Andi: Oh yeah she does get mad at me…
Tabitha: She will blurt out like opera singing. I can’t control it. It is always in a small room or space, and I can’t get her to shut up.
Andi: When I am acting too goofy, she definitely lets me know about it. (Looks at Tab) You act like a mom.
Do you have any embarrassing moments that involve each other?
Andi: This one time in high school… (Looks at Tab) Is this what you are thinking about?
Tabitha: I don’t know, but I am guessing it is what I am thinking about.
Andi: Sometimes we have the same thoughts and finish each other’s sentences, which is weird. But, in high school our coach would always put us on opposite teams in practice. In college, we made a vow to not guard each other, so it doesn’t get bad. So, in high school practice one day, we were playing three on three, and we just get into a full-out fight. Like we were not even playing basketball anymore. We were pulling each other’s hair and hitting each other. Our coach is just standing there watching us.
Tabitha: Our teammates just stopped and watched us fist fight on the ground.
Andi: At the same time we just go “Keep Playing!” at them, because they were just staring.
Tabitha: It was kind of embarrassing that everyone was just watching. It wasn’t like a cool fight.
Andi: I don’t get embarrassed.
Tabitha: Like we could have done that at home, but it happened in front of everyone.
Andi: I bet a lot of people are interested to hear about that.
