2004

EAST CENTRAL WEATH ERFORD, TX 63 52 EC stays alive, reaches final day of tourney

WEEKOF~Y~a~~~h~~~----

By MARTY STAMPER Special to The Democrat SALL':A. Kan. - Mission accomplished.

After losing their first-round game in the NJCAA Women's National Basketball Championship on Tuesday, the Lady Warriors of East Central Com– munity College had to revise their goals here. Mak– ing it to consolation bracket chan1pionship game on Saturday became their new cause. Thanks to a sizzling first 11 minutes from 3-point

range the Lady Warriors defeat– ed Weatherford (Texas) College 63-52 Friday afternoon to reach Saturday's 1 p.m. contest with the College of Southern Idaho. The winner of the champi– onship matchup will place sev– enth, while the loser will finish eighth. Southern Idaho, 28-7. advanced with a 60-58 win over Vincennes (Ind.) Friday.

Bender "That was our objective, to find a way to get here on Saturday," ECCC head coach Brad Hodge said. ··our performance in the first game was not a typical performance for us. I think we've gotten better each game we've played and, hopefully, we can come out and demonstrate some more improvement tomorrow (Saturday)." Against Weatherford, the Lady Warriors· were a remarkable 6-of-9 from behind the arc in the fmt half with all six baskets coming in the first 10 min– utes, 15 seconds. Kristin Chancy started the trifectas with Kotreece Bender knocking down the next 3 over a span of just under 3 minutes. Kim Cox came off the bench to bury two bombs for a 26-11 lead with 9:45 left in the half. The Lady Warriors shot 52 percent (13-of-25) from the Ooor in the first half and 85.7 percent (6-of- 7) from the free-throw line. They also had a 21-14 advantage on the boards. "Knowing it's playing to get to Saturday, to get off to a good start, to get a good feeling and take a lot of pressure off our defense, that was an awesome beginning to the game," Hodge said. ''That group that started the game came out ready to play and demonstrated it that first 10 minutes or so." Two baskets by Kimyatta Viverette and a basket and two free throws from Ebone'e Leverette gave the Lady Warriors their biggest lead of the game at 34-14 with 6:16 to go before halftime. Weatherford went bn a 9-0 run, capped by a See GAME 3, page 58

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LAK sec UN II WIN SPIF

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