VALDOSTA, Ga. - When Lady Blazer senior guard Jacey Justice takes the court in "The Complex" you can be sure there will be a large contingent of Justice family members in the stands to cheer her on. Jacey is the third Justice to play basketball for VSU following in the footsteps of her two older brothers Blake and Beau. Jacey's cheering section includes her parents, her brothers and Blake's wife and their two children. Jacey followed her brothers to Valdosta State prior to last season, transferring from Western Carolina. Her brothers were both prominent players for the Blazers; Blake playing from 2013-2016 and Beau from 2016-2019, and both scoring over 1,000 career points. Blake served as VSU's graduate assistant coach for a year before a five-year stint as the Blazer assistant coach.

VSU basketball has been a big part of Jacey's life since she was 12-years old. She and her parents would travel to Valdosta from Ohio to watch Blake play and later her high school team would come to Winnersville for summer basketball camps. Jacey recalls fondly her visits to Valdosta. "I always loved the energy and atmosphere that was in the Complex. Blake's games were always exciting. When we were not watching him play, we would practice shooting in "The Complex". During those trips is when I first met Coach Chan (Lady Blazer head coach Chandler Merkerson). Valdosta was like a second home to me".

Jacey says she really had no choice but to become a basketball player. "My Mom, who was a coach and ended up coaching me in high school, stuffed me in the basement with my brothers and told them to turn me into a basketball player. We had a six-foot goal in the basement and the three of us spent countless hours down there playing. My brothers didn't make it easy on me. Blake would look out for me and help me out when Beau would pick on me too hard. We had a goal outside as well. We lived on a hillside and my dad had to build a wall to catch the ball on our badly missed shots so the ball would not roll completely down the hill. We competed hard against each other. My brothers set a high standard for me and pushed me to work hard and become the best I could be. To this day when it comes to basketball, outside of my coaches, the only opinions that I care about are those of my brothers.

Jacey graduated from high school during the COVID-19 Pandemic which led to a limited recruitment process. "I didn't get to play AAU ball my senior year of high school which really limited the number of coaches that could see my play. The pandemic also really restricted the ability to make recruiting visits. I almost went to Samford but ultimately decided to go to Western Carolina. Had I gone to Samford I would have played for Coach Chan so to end up playing for her here is amazing". After two-years at Western Carolina Jacey transferred to VSU, a decision she says is one of the best she has ever made. "There really is something special about VSU and being a Lady Blazer. The culture, the pride, the relationship with the fans and community, it really is like nothing I have ever experienced anywhere else. I just love it here".

Jacey realizes how lucky she is to be able to have all her family watch her play on a regular basis. "I'm so lucky and blessed. My parents moved here in July, Blake and his family live here and Beau drives two hours every game to see me play. I know how much my teammates would love to be able to have their families at games, so I truly know how lucky and blessed I am".

Jacey will graduate in May with a degree in marketing, but she doesn't rule out becoming a coach like her mom and brother. "I love the game so much. Coaching is not part of my plans at this point, but I do have to admit it is in the back of my mind."

Jacey has two favorite athletic moments. "I told you about how competitive my brothers and I are" she says.  "When Blake was in high school, he set the record for points scored. Beau came along and broke Blake's record and set a new one. The last game of my senior season I broke Beau's scoring record. When I scored the basket to break the record I looked over at Beau and gave him a wink. To hold the record and have bragging rights is awesome.  The other moment I will always remember is winning last year's GSC championship. Last year's Lady Blazer team and the season were incredible and winning the conference championship was a special moment."

Jacey and her Lady Blazer teammates open the 2025 portion of the schedule Thursday, Jan. 2, at Mississippi College at 6:30 p.m. ET, in Clinton, Miss.