2011

THE NEWTON COUNTY APPEAL

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

ECCC Lady Warrior Basketball Team Setting their sights on a successful campaign are members of East Central Community College women's basketball team for 2011-12, who include (seated from left) manager Shak:i McLaurin of Scott Central; guards Xzandra Dowd (24), of Neville High School, Monroe, La., Inessa Adams (4) of Hom Lake, KeJcia Bufkin (25) of Scott Central, and .Jaianah Matthew (21) of Texarkana, Ark.; forward Ariel Merriweather (22) of Tuscaloosa, Ala., guard Alli Kirby (12) of Edinburg; and manager Ashley Lyle Scott Central; and (stand– ing) Britta Stephens, assistant coach; forward Ashlee Hardy (31), Newton; centers Chaunderial Bell (32) of Kosciusko, Jakela Johnson (34) of West Jones, and Ellen Black (5) of Scott Central; guard Ja'Monica Orton (23) of Dayton, Ohio, Walter E. Stebbins !:lS; !or– ward Renisha Evans (30) of Newton County; Bill Smith, head coach; and manager Pasha Williams of Scott Central. Not pictured is manager Blake Gordon of Philadelphia.

ECphoto of West Jones; guards Allie Kirby (5-7) of Edinburg, Jaianah :\fatthew (5-7) of Arkan- a-; High School in Texarkana, Ark., and Xzandra Dowd (5-8) of Neville High School in Monroe, La.; and for– wards Ariel Merri– weather (5-8) of Tusca– loosa Central (Ala.), and Reneisha Evans (5-9) of Newton County.

"Kelcia be counted on heavily," commented Smith, ·'as will Ashlee Hardy. who \\ill add orne muscle for us inside." Hardy is a 5-foot-10 forward from Newton. Other members of the talent-laden freshman group include centers Ellen Black (6-foot) of Scott Central, and .Jakela .Johnson (6-foot) will

and product of Walter E. Stebbins High School in Dayton, Ohio. Orton aYeraged 15.6 po.:l< per game and was one of the few freshmen to garner MACJC All-State and All-Region 23 honors. Other returnees include lnessa Adams, a 5-foot-6 guard from Horn Lake, and Kurlysha Bell, a 5-foot-

10 from Kosciusko, who aver– aged 5.8 and 4.3 points, respectiYely. ·An th.fee will hope– fully provide a leader– ship role needed to be successful," Smith said. The freshman class "should be a good one., and is led by redshirt Kelcia Bufkin of Fore ·t. a 5-foot-3 guard from Scott Central. forward