For the past three seasons, Mississippi Delta Community College Lady Trojan Basketball Head Coach Tangela Banks has made the post season. With a team goal of making the Elite 8 this season, the ladies did just that as the eight-seeded team in Region 23. On Monday night, the Lady Trojans won the first round, taking down the Lady Bears of Baton Rouge Community College, 55-47.
The Lady Trojans had double-digit leads but couldn’t keep them as the Lady Bears fought back till time expired. The Lady Bears of Baton Rouge Community College finished their season with a 13-14 overall record.
“They were a good team and we just had to hold on at the end. We started missing free throws down the line,” Coach Banks said. “That’s what kept them in the game. We could have started breathing a little bit but we’ve got a bad habit of relaxing when we get up. I tell them that’s when you need to play harder. Hopefully, they’ve learned a lot this year that will transfer to next year.”
Ti'Alone Banks led the Lady Trojans with 15 points, 10 rebounds, six assists and two steals while Shakendalah Jones added 14 points, two rebounds, three assists and three steals. Cha'Myrean Ellis had 11 points, four rebounds, one assist and two steals. Tariyah Washington had four rebounds, four assists and two steals. Katelyn Coleman had three rebounds, two steals and one assist. As a team, the Lady Trojans had 15 assists and 12 steals. The team hit 20-of-47 shots for 43 percent and were 5-of-17 behind the 3-point line for 29 percent. Their free throw percentage was a meager 46 percent on 11-of-24 shooting.
The Lady Trojans are now 16-10 overall and advanced to take on #1 seed, Jones County Community College, 22-3 overall and first in the MACCC, on Wednesday, March 1 at Jones County at 6:00 p.m. Jones had a first-round bye. Due to press deadline, the E-T was not able to cover the game for this edition but check our online news at www.enterprise-tocsin.com for complete details. But Coach Banks’ plan is to hold on to the basketball.
“We’re going to run the time down as much as we can,” she said. “Get in a half court and full court zone press and slow them down.”
Even facing the number one team in the MACCC, Coach Banks is ready for the competition.
“We’ll go and play our best and try to match up with them. We already know what they’ve got and what they can do. I tell my girls just go play, don’t let them intimidate you. We’ve already achieved our goal of making the Elite 8. You don’t have anything to lose or be sad for, just go play as hard as you can.”
The NJCAA Region 23 bracket includes 12 teams and will culminate with a Final Four at Mississippi College on March 4 and March 5. To keep up with all MDCC athletics, check out MDCCTrojans.com.
