Apache Ladies defeat Jacksonville at Wagstaff
Box Score: https://www.apacheathletics.com/sports/wbkb/2023-24/boxscores/20240210_3qxn.xml?view=boxscore
Phil Hicks can be reached at phicks@tylerpaper.com
Injuries and sickness have been taking a toll on the TJC Apache Ladies.
With only seven players dressed, the Apache Ladies snapped their two-game skid with a 79-37 victory over Jacksonville College in a Region XIV women's basketball game on Saturday at Wagstaff Gymnasium.
The victory moved Tyler to 12-10 on the season and 4-5 in league play. The Lady Jaguars fell to 2-18 and 0-9.
"This came at a great time. It gave our kids some needed confidence," TJC Coach Trenia Tillis Hoard said. "This gave us the opportunity to use some things we have been working on. I've been taking 30 minutes before practice just working with the guards. Just me and the kids, just letting them know what I want. ... These are young kids, never played college basketball.
"It is getting the mindset of playing in this conference. They are having to take a lot of hostility from years of TJC beating up on the Kilgores, the Panolas, the Angelinas. And this year we have a depleted roster and they are not understanding why we are getting [other teams'] best shots. They are celebrating it like it is the national title. At Kilgore, we had kids crying after the game because Kilgore's football players and men's basketball players ... they were kind of rude. These kids are not as tough as our normal kids, but they are going to get thicker skin from this year. They are learning to get through adversity and get tougher."
Six Apache Ladies scored in double figures, led by 14 points from Shalayne Morgan, a 5-8 freshman from Houston.
Also in double digits were Scejeonna Anderson (13), Kamora Jackson (12), Fenishka Berthol (12), Kiana Bennett (11) and KeleChi (11).
Jackson, the freshman from Tyler High, was 4 of 6 from 3-point.
Grace Zebilo added six points, plus 13 rebounds.
Bertho had eight boards, followed by Bennett (7), Dike (5), Anderson (4) and Morgan (3).
Bennett had three steals and Dike drew three charges.
Jacksonville was led by Grace Okih, a 6-0 sophomore center from Lagos, Nigera. She had 19 points and five rebounds.
Others scoring for the Lady Jags were Chidera Ezeilo (7), Karlee Andrade (6) and former Martin's Mill standout Mattie Burns (5).
JC was 9 of 15 from the free throw line and 4 of 17 from 3-point (Andrade, 2; Burns, 1; Okih).
The Apache Ladies were 7 of 10 from the free throw line and 8 of 17 (Jackson, 4; Anderson, 3; Morgan, 1).
Other Region XIV women's results: Trinity Valley 56, Blinn 54; Angelina 83, Kilgore 81; and Panola 61, Paris 58.
This week's schedule includes:
Tuesday, Feb. 13 — East Texas Baptist JV at Panola (10-11, 4-5), 5:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Feb. 14 — Tyler (12-10, 4-5) at Trinity Valley (16-5, 6-3), 5:30 p.m.; Kilgore (14-9, 7-2) at Coastal Bend (6-15, 2-6), 5:30 p.m.; Paris (7-16, 3-6) at Blinn (17-7, 6-3), 5:30 p.m.; Jacksonville (2-18, 0-9) at Angelina (16-7, 8-1), 6:30 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 17 — Blinn at Tyler, 2 p.m.; Angelina at Trinity Valley, 2 p.m.; Coastal Bend at Jacksonville, 2 p.m.; Panola at Kilgore, 2 p.m.
Region XIV men's results on Saturday: Trinity Valley 60, Panola 58; Navarro 90, Paris 71; Kilgore 72, Bossier Parish 58; Coastal Bend 105, Jacksonville 74; Angelina 76, Victoria 63; and Blinn 87, Lamar State 74. The Apaches had a bye.
This week's schedule includes:
Wednesday, Feb. 14 — Navarro (13-10, 6-7) at Tyler (14-9, 6-7), 7 p.m.; Kilgore (18-6, 8-5) at Panola (20-4, 11-2), 7 p.m.; Jacksonville (8-16, 2-11) at Lee (20-3, 11-2), 7 p.m.; Lamar State-Port Arthur (11-11, 4-9) at Victoria (4-18, 1-12), 7 p.m.; Bossier Parish (10-14, 3-10) at Paris (15-9. 7-6), 7:30 p.m.; Blinn (18-6, 9-4) at Coastal Bend (14-10, 5-8), 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 17 — Tyler at Trinity Valley, 4 p.m.; Victoria at Jacksonville, 4 p.m.; Coastal Bend at Lamar State-Port Arthur, 4 p.m.; Panola at Navarro, 4 p.m.; Paris at Kilgore, 4 p.m.; Lee at Angelina (16-8, 7-6), 4 p.m.