1954-1972

WARRIOR SPORTS

Division crown . - pepdated from another goal by Carter. But the THE MERlDIANSTAR1 Wamorettes never led by .more ' By BILLY TURNER than five, and after Julie Latham SCOOBA--Two shots were fouled out at 3:45, the Squaws heard round the state from the had finally rallied to lead 80-77 gym at East Mississippi Junior with l:14 to go. . . . . . College here Tuesday night. Philadelphia's Diana Lyons The first shot sent a hush bucketed a shot with 1:05 left to through the crowd. The second bring E U C to withiin 80-79to set shot sent hysteria rushing up the up the final basket. spines of all East Central Junior Itawamba couldn't freeze the College followers as it gave the ball since the 30-second clock - North DivisionMississippi Junior allows no such foolishness. Ita- College women's title to the wamba tried to use as much time Wamorettes. as allowed, but turned the ball That one little moment will be over. long remembered as it gave East Central immediately E U C an 81-80 win over de- moved to the attack. Bender fending state champion Itawam- scwped up the loose ball and ba in the North finals. Both began her fast break pattern. She teams enter the overall state filledthe middle lane, with hopes playoffs starting Friday at East for one of her jumpers to come Central's campus in Decatur. from inside 20 feet. . .- .- , 2 East Central will face Co-Lin, a Itawamba cut her off-about 25 69-63loser to Southwest Tuesday feet out, so she tossed the ball night in the South final, with inside to Lyons. Lyons tried to Southwest facing Itawamba. get the shot off with 19 seconds The first shot came at the end left, but Itawamba's Nancy Mur- of the half. Trailing 39-34 with a phree cut her off. few 'seconds left. East Central But . . . the Tigerettes didn'f rebounded a .missed Itawamba have proper defense onthe right try and started a fast break. side. Noone had cut off the Evelyn Bender, a short Lucy charging Carter, and Lyons, Hams (like Pete Maravich is a though slightly off balance at the short Kareem Abdul-Jabbar), free pitch line, got the ball to her. took the outlet pass, strode two Carter played the ball up meager steps across the time against the glass, and as the line, and fired smartly towards ticker showed 16, the ball the basket with but two seconds dropped through. It might not left on the clock. have started a revolutionary war. As the buzzer sounded, the but it had a few people hopping. ball banked off the glass and shot It also took away a chanfpionship through the hoop. from Itawamba. . As cokes and popcorn sprink- Easi Central shot only 37 led across laps in the stands. the percent from the field in the first exultation turned into astonish- half. but the last-gasp shot by ment on both East Central and Bender near the end seemed tu Itawamba rooters. awaken the Warriorettes, setting The shot only made it a the stage for the later dramatics. three-point deficit at the half, Excellent balance, and what 39-36, but deep in the minds of East Central Coach Lucille Wood the Itawamba girls, unbeaten in called "determination to beat junior college competition in the them." turned the game around. two years they have had a pro- Five players turned in double gram, the shot had made its figure performances for ECJC effect. - with Bender getting 24. Lyons The second shot was the 20. Carter 14. Jeannette Barnes clincher. After proving this 12and Latham 11. Murphree had wasn't going to be any hayday for 21. Lisa Hooker 19, Charlotte the Itawamba club. East Central Jackson 14. and Jennie Loyd 12 took the game with a bucket by for Itawamba. now 19-4. Donna Carter with 16 seconds If East Central (16-5) can get a left. few more shots to go with the East Central had taken the ones it had Tuesday night, the lead in the second half with 16 overall state title might not be as minutes left in the final period on hard to obtain. n

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