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Thursday , October 30, 2003

I LOCAL SPORTS ECCC men, women to open hoops season From school reports

Oct. 30, 2003

Contents

DECATUR- Basketball season !Ips-off Saturday for the East Central Community College Lady Warriors and Warriors who face squads from ltawamba Community College at 1 p.m and 2:45p.m.• respectively, rn the Brackeen-Wood Phys1cal Education Bu1ldmg The Lady Warriors, led by third-year head coach Brad Hodge feature four starters among the e1ght returnees from last year's 15-11 squad whtch landed berths tn th~ MACJC and Reg1on 23 tournaments. R1ta B1rden, a 5-foot-10 guard from St. Frednck Htgh School tn Monroe, La.. IS the top returning scorer with 12 points per game. Other top po1nt makers are 6-foot guard/forward Kimyatta Viverette of Lake and 6-foot-1 forward Lenore Gray of Newton, who each averaged nine points per contest..

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Hodge said his sophomores are the key to success.

"The strength of this year's team has to start with our experience and leadership ," Hodge said . '"The sophomores have done an outstanding job of leading the freshman class on what to expect and the work ethic required .''

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Hodge said his freshmen will also be called on to contribute early.

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"The depth of this team will definitely be a posit1ve factor," Hodge said. "Many of our entenng freshmen will be competing for a start1ng posit1on 1mmedtately. And thanks to our talented group of freshmen and sophomores , this could possibility be the deepest team talent-wise we have had 1n many years "

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Hodge sa1d goals for this year's team are the same as in the past.

NF1rst, w1n enough games to be in the top four of division play 1n order to qua rfy 'or the state tournament," Hodge sa1d. wSecond . be 1n the top seven of the state and qua ~'or the reg1on tournament. Then, we would like to be peaktng around tournamem t1me have a few lucky breaks, and put ourselves 1n positton to possibly win the tournaments. Ultimately, we would like to qualify for the nattonal tournament in Saltna, Kan. However, with the quality of teams tn our leagLe and diVISIOn, tt ts unfortunate that only one team gets to participate. But, that is basketbal the team that plays well at the right time and gets a few breaks, comes out al1ve."

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