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I LOCAL SPORTS ECCC tips off in NJCAA tourney By Marty Stamper I EMG sports assistant

March 16, 2004

SALINA. Kan. -Enough already

Enough of the waiting , the bus nding, the hours of practicing.

East Central Community College's 1Oth-seeded Lady Warriors (29-2) take the court today at 2 p.m. in the Bicentennial Center when they put a 22-game win streak OQ the line in a first-round NJCAA Division I Women's National Championship game against the seventh– seeded Lady Raiders (26-5) of Three Rivers (Mo.) Community College.

The game can be heard locally on WZKR (1 03.3 FM).

The two have one common opponent this season - Northeast Mississippi Community College. The Lady Warriors led by as many as 38 points in whipping Northeast 92-67 in the Region 23 Tournament at Clinton on March 3. Northeast defeated Three Rivers 96-87 on Feb. 12 at Booneville. Three Rivers led 47-40 at halftime before getting outscored 56- 40 in the second half. "They can shoot it really well," said ECCC third-year head coach Brad Hodge of the Lady Raiders, who are shooting 49.7 percent. "They're probably the most fundamentally sound team in the half-court offense we've faced all year. "They're a well-coached team, and they beat Moberly (Area Community College) by 30 (82-52) in the Region 16 championship game, so they've got to be doing something right," Hodge added. "Obviously, we've got to take care of our business and try to get a full-court game for 40 minutes and take advantage of our speed and quickness. If we can do that, it would be to our advantage. "If it's a half-court game, we're not afraid of that either, but we definitely want to try to take them out of their game." Top players for Three Rivers are 5-foot-6 sophomore guard Jessica Wilson (13.2 ppg), 5- foot-7 sophomore guard Ashley Williams (12.9 ppg), 5-foot-7 sophomore guard Bliss Roberson (12.6 ppg), 5-foot-10 sophomore guard Nicole Rivers (10.0 ppg, 5.7 rpg), 6-foot freshman center Emma Ledwaba (9.2 ppg, 7.0 rpg) from Cape Town, South Africa and 6- foot-3 sophomore center Victoria Richards (8.9 ppg, 7.2 rpg).

Leading the Lady Warriors are 6-foot-1 sophomore Lenore Gray (12.9 ppg, 8.0 rpg), 5- foot-4 freshman Kristin Chaney (1 0.8 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 2.4 apg), 6-foot sophomore Kimyatta

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