2009

. " ;;) EC teams must With one ga.t11e rcm:uning in 2009 for East Cemral Commumty College's ba">ketball :.quads, both head coaches agree theu re~pecove ~uad~ arc "playing well" but will need to ''kick it up a notch" when action resumes in 2010. Bill Smith, who is in hts fifth year as Lady Warnor head coach, said he is ba~1call> pleased with his squad, whtch sports a wmnmg rccotd going il1to Thw-...da)' 's year-ending battle wuh ltawamba Community College in Fulton. a team the Lady Warriors defeated by live pomts earlter thts season. ''So far thJs season has been a successful one m the fact that we have gone 6-3." Smith said. "I think the team has played really hard and woo a couple of games by sheer effort." Smith said thts week's rematch \\ith the Lady Indians "\\ill be a tough one on the road...we need to get this one so we can go into the break on a lugh note.'' He added, "We will he deep into di' ision play once v.e get back after Chnstmas...and that will be what really matter- as v.c try to make the state and region playoiT<;.'The Lady Warriors swept their season series with Holme~ (82-74. 70- 41 ), defeated Coahoma (69-56) and Jta,.,amba (86-81), l>plit decistons with Northeast and Ea.,t M1s"''"IPP and fell to Copiall-Lincoln. The EC women were cltpped 58-56 by the Lady Lions m Scooba but avenged that loss with a 72-64 decision in Decatur. The Lady Warriors pounded ~onheas"'t 81-59 at home but were later edged 75-74 b} the Lad) Tigel"> in Booneville. The undefeated Lady Wolves. ranked sixth in the latest NJCAA poll, cruised to an 86-66 'r!CtO!) O\er the EC women in the MAOC South Ot\tsion opener for both teams last week in Decarur.One of Srruth main ~oob lhis season is another retum to the post-\Ca,on and to capture another championship. The 2007-08 squad v.on the R~oo 23 title and advanced to the JCAA Tournament m Kansa~. finishmg at 22-8. The Lad) Warriors were ~ed high as ninth in the NJCAApoll. The 200 -09 team ad\'a:red to post-season play and finished 17-10. The success of this year's M}uad \\ill depend on the _ ership and ab1hties of his four ··erumee . who mdude Hannah Lee (5-11) of I .eake Acadcm~ , Daruelle Cole S-– Philadelphia. Yolanda Jones (5-5) ofLake and S ma Croff 4). a product of r-:ev.ton County Htgh cbool With onl)' four '>Ophomore-., Snuth said the te will also be detcnnined on how the freshmen perform

pi !leO ••

ECCC

l), both of Columbus, Kenondre Hodges (5-11) of Newton, Jasper Bronson (6') of Forest Hill, Greg Hodo (6-3) of Northwest Rankin and Kendrick McKee of Scott Central; shooting guard Victor Taylor (6') of oxubee; point guard Shelton Banks (5-9) of Monon; forwards Titus Mims (6-7) and Jonathan Mclenden (6-7), both products of Alief Hasting High School 10 f[ou ston, Texas: and forward/center Aquill llaynard (6-7) of Jackson Provine. "I just can't <>ay enough how hard these guys have .worked.. .I hope fan~ will be pleased with the product we put on the floor this year," he said. Comehus Gilleylen begms his second year as Bov.ie's a'>sistant EC squads begin competi– tion m 2010 by batthng Delgado Community College Thursday, Jan. 7 m the Brackeen-Wood Physical Education Building. The women's game begins at 6 p.m. followed by the men's contest at 8 p.m. The Lady Wamors and Warriors host Coahoma Saturday, Jan 9; with game times set at 2 a.tld 4 p.m.

Continued from page 10 Bowie said his goals this )ear are "to graduate all our sophomores and give it all we've got every day or night tstered a ke\ W'ln O\er and play for a championship." ltawamba (68-63). coached b\ Only three sophomores Bowie's former boss and rerum from last year's squad, ECCC head coach. Mam but Bovne said all three will be Cooper. The Warrior... toUowed considered "captains and supen tsors." Northeast The imtely taken the bull by the Warrior... snappt"d their two- horns and embraced hts posi– game skid b, han!!m" on to lion and goal." he said. clip Coplall-Lm\. ~ ( O-n) in Retw11ees are poiJ1t guard the MACJC S '~';.!) Dt\'l,ion Antonio Grace (5-7) and opener for hot' team~ last shoorillg guard Steve Edwards week in Decatur.Bowie (6'). both products of Newton descnbes thi... year\ squad a.-. High School: and guard "very fa., 1 and smart" and one Kenneth Thomas (6-4) of that "makes good dectsions on Jackson Provine. and otlthc coun." Bowie is also complimenta- "T lo\e the wa) ffi} ~!ll)'> ry oflus freshman players. catch on to things and pick ''I'm very pleased with the them up the first ume around, players we recruited thts year he satd. 'The'r ha\e a good because they all want to be a basketball IQ ~d know v.hat\ pan of something special and going on ''hen. tht>\ are on the are \villmg to work hard to get court." · it.'' Bowte ~d. ''Not all k.tds "I k.tlov. v.e are not going to are going to put in the work, over-pov.er aD) body with but this group has gone beyond strength or o;ize." BO\\ic added, what we asked them to do." "but. although 'mall. we are a Freshman squad members d are guard!> Jo~hua Carothers smart team an vel)' diSCI- ~- _ __,1,.5;_-_;;;S~l- .,a.t=Ju Kendall Jackson (6- 79-71 ). the llawamba ncton b\ Jo,in!! a nail-biter to ~~ ~li~, 1 ,.,ipp; ''Each player has a differeD! (78-75) and fallmg to jobtodoandeachooehasdef-

"I hope they (freshmen) can adju~t to the co a hurry,'' Smith said of the nine fre~hmen. hi since taking O\er the v.omcn·~ program m '2005 have to contribute ca.tly for us to be suC'tt';sful.. Newcomers include guards Ah e 81) Northwest Rankin, Shancqua Bufun (_3 Shantel ~eel) 5-3) of Scare). Ark and Oemenu 5) of Bradford, Fla.: forwards Xenob a Lz; Noxapater. JakJala ~lcWdhams .>-– Quenunett( Odom (5-8) of S ott Cmtrai (5-10) of Oti' e Branch: and centeJ' Bl3DC3 Sebastopol

APPEARED IN:

CARTHAGINIAN -------- NEWTON COUNTY APPEAL ---- SPIRIT OF MORTON MERIDIAN STAR --------

Knstm Chaney be!!tfu her seC'OOO ~ rant

NE~

SC(

Fourth-)ear head M~--e

·1' era! I and more

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Jo(]'Jit~:i-.:SII:l•;:talll!pat-10111

WINSTON h:i... guy, .. are really playmg ue theu aggre,,p;e pla~

CU

''\\'e are gettlilg up and down the rom; ing has really impro\ed. ~pectal1y ~ Bowie commented. After ~tart.ing the ~'On w1th naJT'O\\ losses (7 -69) and E.t.-.t \11 1"1ppi (63-56 . EC rc:spoo.i::'l! consecuuve wms over \;Ofthe&t (6.3-5- and Ca::b:J~ 77 mOT). EC lost Jts rematch v.1th Holrr'- See ECCC