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Sandy Puckett Keenan ECCC B asketball S tandout was a S coring M achine

ognition of her success, Scott Central retired her No. 10 jersey and she was later inducted into the Scott County Sports Hall of Fame. Thanks to the efforts of Coach Wood, women’s basketball was organized on a lim- ited basis at East Central in 1965-66. When Keenan registered for classes in the summer of 1966, Denver Brackeen, who was dean of students at the time, informed her Coach Wood planned to have a women’s team that year. Six of those who tried out at ECJC had participated in the MAC All-Star game. “Even though most of us had competed against each other at some point, we immedi- ately bonded for the common cause. I don’t

Sandy Puckett Keenan was a scoring machine at Scott Central High School in the 60s before joining legendary coach Lucille Wood’s ECJC squads in 1966-67 and 1967-68 where she continued to excel both athleti- cally and academically. In honor of her success on the hardwood, Keenan will join an elite group of athletes when she is inducted into the East Central Community College Athletic Hall of Fame during Homecoming activities scheduled Thursday, October 20. “I am absolutely honored!” she said. “To be included in the same realm of outstanding athletes and coaches, many of whom have achieved national recognition, is

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recall any prob- lems, any jeal- ously, or any is- sues at all among

T o be included in the same realm of outstanding athletes and coaches ... is definitely a highlight in my life .

definitely a high- light in my life.” At the time of Keenan’s athletic

teammates. We embraced Coach Wood’s teaching and philosophy and played proudly to rep- resent East Central.” They were, however, forced to learn a new style of play from the previous three-on-three game played in high school. Keenan said, “The new ‘national’ rules were implemented under which two players from each team could play both ends of the court. They were referred to as rovers, playing both offense and defense with two stationary forwards and two stationary guards. Quarters still remained eight minutes and the three-point shot did not yet exist.” Keenan’s freshman year, the team didn’t even have uni- forms. They wore their own white shirts and black shorts. However, the Lady Warriors had immediate success and claimed victories over Meridian, University of Southern Mis- sissippi, Mississippi State College for Women, and Missis- sippi College. Keenan was high scorer in the first game with 36 points and averaged 27 for the season. As the sport’s popularity grew during that first year, more schools added programs and the schedule expanded. During her sophomore year, the Lady Warriors were provided a gold satin uniform top, black shorts, and black knee socks. “Players were still responsible for their own tennis shoes, but this was a giant step considering the previous year we played in whatever white blouse we owned with four-inch black felt numbers sewn on the back by Mrs. Ruth Hull, the home economics instructor, and whatever black shorts we had,” Keenan said. During the 1967-68 season, East Central hosted and won the ECJC Tournament, which included several senior college

career, there was no recruiting for women’s sports and very few colleges fielded teams for women. Where teams did exist the young ladies played “club sports” with no govern- ing body such as the NCAA or NJCAA. In those days, female athletes played because they loved the game, and Keenan would be among a standout group of players who would unknowingly become trailblazers for women’s athletics. “When playing basketball at East Central in the mid-60s,” Keenan said, “I had no idea our team was being a trailblazer for women’s sports. Now that 50 years have passed since the implementation of Title IX, it is gratifying to think we had a role in establishing today’s opportunities for women. To be recognized for that and my accomplishments at East Central is truly an honor.” Keenan began her basketball career lettering as an eighth grader at Morton High School before transferring to the newly established Scott Central High School in Forest for her junior year. She helped lead the Lady Rebels to the Scott County Championship and a runner-up finish in the District VI Tournament where she was named to the All-Tournament team. In its second year, Scott Central posted a 35-4 record claiming several tournament titles and finishing third in the state. Keenan was selected All-State, All-South State, All-Dis- trict, and was named Most Valuable Player in the conference tournament. She was selected for the Mississippi Associa- tion of Coaches All-Star Game where she was the leading scorer. During her senior season in eight minute quarters and without a three-point shot, she averaged 36 points per game. She eclipsed 50 points per game on three separate outings and outscored the total of the opposing team 10 times during that season. Her season high was 57 points that year, a record which stood for several decades. In rec- “

–KEENAN continued on page 23

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