2011

~Ecce~~~----~~~----- Bo'lvie said thi, year·~ \d::ion of Warrior basketball involves more than just athlEtic talen:* our bats on defense and really get after people."

freshmen every day to get better and learn quicker. We don't want to win once every five years ....we are build– ing a winning tradition here at ECCC!" Former Warrior basketball stand– out Matt Riley begins his fir::.t year a> assistant coach. Riley also sen·es the College as CBJT Grant Coordinator. Student assistants are Debrachi.a Kennedy of Lake, Orlando Rodriguez of Philadelphia, La'romeo McKee a€ Louisville and Leonard Lucas of Mor– ton. Ladies hope to improve The 2010-11 season was obvioc..slY a disappointing one for East Central Community College women's head basketball coach Smith. It represented the first losing cam– paign (8-15) for Smith, who enter:. hiS seventh season leading the LadJ Warrior program. Mter barely !~lisE ing post-season competition his firs! year at the helm in 2008-09 13-ll he led the next four squads to ,tate and regional berths. The 2007-08 Lady Warriors caP' tured the Region 23 Tournament title and advanced to the NJCAA Thurna– ment en route to a 22-8 record. Smith, who sports an overall 93- 64 record as Lady Warrior head coach, said the goal for this team c same as it is each year: have a win– ning season and return to th~

Newcomers include guards Tejimi– non Leatherwood (5-6, 145) of North– ridge (Ala. ) High School, Lavadius Lyles (5-7, 180) of Forest High School,

"I am ver~ plea,ed with my kids ....they ha~e What a lot of players don't ha\·e ... and tha:'s heart and

character." ::.aid Bov;ie. "We've got ~orne !!reat citizens and role model5 on th is year'.. team. They go our of therr y; ay to be a part of thi.. com– munity and team, and that means a lot me. I want fans t{) judge us by our hearts ... not our stature." This year's squad does not include what Bowie labels as ~name" players. "We don't have play–

Newton County Acade– my product Andrew Hanna (5-7 , 154) of Union and South Leake High School product Randy Collier (5-9, 160) of Ludlow; and forwards Akeem Toppi (6-5, 190) of Columbus High School, Nafa Maring (6- 8, 220) of Unive r sity t Park Academy in Hous– ton, Texas ; Bobby Wrench (6-3 , 200 ) of Columbus High School and Thomastown High School product Marcus Henry of Carthage. Lyles is also a two-sport standout and is a member

ers that everybody knows and are consid– er ed top players in the BOWIE state," he stated. "But what we do have is a collaborative good team that plays together and works hard for one another. I don't have to stand over them to get them to do a task. '' Bow1e sa1d Jimmie Broomfield, a 6-1 , 200-pound guard, is the only returning starter. Broomfield, a prod– uct of Scott Central High School, is also a standout on the Warrior foot– ball team, which concludes seas• n action Oct. 27 at Southwest MissiJ– sippi Community College. Also seeing playing time dt.l ring 2010-11 were guards Tho nas Straughter (5-10, 200) of Jacl.son Callaway and Glenn Thomas (5-11, 189) of Brookhaven, a product of J-.1.1.)...L&~.o:u.:.,..J.;..;.,;..:.;~.....W~=IUJ....JJ.~er o ho– mores are guards Jackson The:-n• n (6', 180) ofNewton, a product of New– t on County Academy and Jontrae Conley, who hails from Meridian High School, both of whom saw limit– ed action in 2010-11. For EC to have another successful season, Bowie said a lot will depend on how well the freshmen respond to community college basketball. "We have 10 freshmen on paper but really 12, since two sophomores really have not played much either," said Bowie. "So we ..re .;oing to hang

of the Warrior football team. "My goal is to keep evaluating the freshmen and help them improve each game," said Bowie, a former first team All-State selection at ECCC. "We are taking this week by week and making sure we learn not only from one another but from other teams as well." Bowie said the game plan for this year's success basically involves one word: speed. "We have to play

MACJC State and Region 23 tourna- ments. Howe\·er success will depend on a mostly fre::.h– man squad. "We will be \'erv inexperienced ... with only one returning starter," said Smith. ~-we will have to rely on our freshmen to

really fast because we are small but strong," he said. ''T his has been "Our guard play is a group of girls that

our strength but our --Uilder..,.ized fon,ards are athletic and fun to watch as well." stopped short of making a prediction, Bowie is confident Although he

has worked hard and shown a lot of

. t ,

gn ·

--Bill Smith

----------- really come along

quickly." Smith said one word best describes the 2011-12 Lady Warriors: "gritty." "This has been a good group of girls that has worked hard and shown a lot of grit in preparing for the upcoming campaign," said Smith. "This is also a team that hustles and

success will continue in 2011-12, his sixth year at the helm. "These kids will be in every game this year - no matter who we play - because of their attitude and refuse– to-lose mentality. The guys who were here last year know what's at stake this year and they have pushed the