The Butlers: sisters on and off the court

Keith Smiley and Chris Smith

Q:How did you two come to love the game of basketball?

A: Sierra: I think it all started in our neighborhood. We grew up with a lot of boys that lived beside us and they were telling us to come outside. We started at the church, we started at the YMCA and we just loved playing the game.

Q: Which one of your parents played basketball and which one pushed you guys the hardest?

Patrice: Our dad played basketball. I feel like our mom pushed us more, because I think she was tired of us just being so lazy. We were just tall and lazy at one point.

Sierra: We were just getting big and sitting in the house all summer long.

Patrice: Our mom was like no, you are going to do something.

Q: How old were you two when you first started playing basketball?

Patrice: I was in third grade.

Sierra: I was like 10 or 11.

Q: Describe your chemistry on the court.

Patrice: I know where she wants the ball and she knows where I want it.

Q: Do you ever have disagreements?

PatriceYes, all the time, sometimes we fight at practice.

Sierra: Yes, we live together, so the cleaning and the cooking. I cook all the time. If I cook she washes the dishes and vice versa.

Q: Was it planned for you two to play at Georgia Southern?

Patrice: No, it was not planned. She told me she was getting an offer from here. I actually, to be honest I did not want her to come here. It wasn’t that I didn’t want her to play; I just thought she would go to a bigger school because she was capable of doing that.

Sierra: They didn’t even know we were related.

Q: Was your mother happy about both of you playing on the same team?

Patrice: Yeah, I think she was happy. She was like “yeah I can see my babies play.”

Sierra: She don’t have to go all over the place it’s very convenient.

Q: What other activities do like to do?

Sierra: Shop!

Patrice: We like to go shopping and spend a lot of money we don’t have.

Q: What other sports did you play in High School?

Patrice: She played volleyball for a little bit. I tried out and I didn’t make it. Which is like crazy, I’m not that good of a jumper.

Q: Who would win in a game of H.O.R.S.E?

Patrice: If it was a game of horse maybe she would win, but if it was one on one, I would win.

Sierra: You think so?

Patrice: Okay I’ll give you half.

Sierra: 50/50.