STATE EXTRA: Diggs has a million dollar smile

Million.

Dollar.

Smile.

There she was at mid court - the little freshman that is - with her hands in the air, fists clenched and soaking in the applause from adoring fans dressed in purple and gold with beads slung around their necks.

They waved signs.

Diggs waved back.

They smiled at her.

She smiled back at them.

A million dollars.

Believe it or not, she loves playing defense. It showed Thursday during the Giants' semifinal win over Bruton. It showed as she walked down the steps at the Siegel Center and Waynesboro's freshman guard took control, pushing people out of her way as she walked and talked her way out of the building.

Remember, nobody likes to play defense. Right-

"That's what they say," she said with her typical I'm-Up-To-Something-Smile (and when you see that smile, you best hang on tight to whatever is in your hands because its the same look she sported on the court just before snaring one of her three steals against Bruton). "But I just love playing defense."

That's why Devon Brown, the long-suffering best girls basketball player ever to walk the halls of Waynesboro (Lock that thread folks), reached deep inside the prop bowl, grabbed a handful and tossed it Diggs' way.

She never heard it from Brown's mouth. But someone let her know.

"It feels good she gave me props," Diggs said. "I would like to give props back to her."

Well, hang on there young Diggs. Props for Brown are coming. If she's not the Group AA Player of the Year, all of Waynesboro should storm that Group AA castle in the sky. And that full-ride to Liberty is really all she needs, right-

Guess what she said, Diggs-

"What-" the 15-year-old asked.

Well Brown, sitting in front of TV cameras, photographers and slack-jawed sports writers all wanting to talk about, well, Devon Brown, decided to drop your name a few times.

She called Diggs "great," "awesome" and the "best defensive player in the state."

Sure, you can swallow that last sentence down like it's a shot of cough medicine. But let's remember Stubblefield's claim her team was tops in Group AA before knocking off the best team in the state - Turner Ashby - in the Region III semifinal.

"For a freshman," Brown said. "She's outstanding."

Call her what you will, but Diggs never imagined she would be playing for a Group AA title as a freshman.

Never.

Count on it.

"It's exciting," she said, still walking and talking.

The plan for Saturday is the same for Diggs.

She'll keep her head up, "play hard," she said, "and play defense."

Of course, she's also hoping to raise her hands above her head as the final buzzer sounds and flash a winning smile with a big trophy over her head.

"Yep," she said.

A million dollars, folks.