Wakil Atig
Sports Writer
The Lady Tigers of Jackson State University traveled to Bill Harris Arena in Birmingham, Ala. on March 16, to take on top-seeded Southern University for the Southwestern Athletic Conference championship game.
The Lady Tigers were coming off a competitive double overtime victory against Prairie View A&M University and looked to finish the season in dominant fashion by winning the conference championship.
The Lady Tigers finished the regular season 18-14 and looked to solidify their spot as the best team in the SWAC.
For most of the first half, the Lady Tigers held the lead until the final two minutes of the second quarter where Southern went on a crucial 4-0 run. Southern led 20-16 at the half.
At the start of the second half, The Lady Tigers came out aggressive on defense and determined on offense.
Senior guard, Christina Ellis nailed a smooth jump shot just inside the 3-point line to give the Lady Tigers a burst of momentum.
Ellis finished the game 12 points and 4 rebounds in route to earning all-conference second team honors.
Although the Lady Tigers struggled offensively, they maintained their dominance throughout the game simply from executing their offense and staying poised on defense. They shot 0-of-13 from the 3-point line, but made 13-of-20 from the free throw line.
The Lady Tigers’ offensive presence in the second half came from none other than junior forward, Marneisha Hamer.
Hamer shot 6-of-13 from the field and finished with a game high of 17 points. Her offensive tenacity in the second half was big for the Lady Tigers.
Everything from finishing at the rim to making free-throws when they counted earned her all-conference first team honors.
The Lady Tigers eventually gained their first lead since the 1stquarter with two clutch free throws made by junior guard, Kaisah Lucky with 3:40 remaining in the game.
Lucky grabbed a game high 9 rebounds along with scoring 6 points. She earned the New Comer of the year award for the 2018-19 season.
Although they made a late game push, the Lady Tigers couldn’t execute down the stretch as Southern made pivotal game changing shots at the end of the game.
Southern went on to defeat Jackson State 45-41 to win the SWAC championship and clinch a spot in the NCAA Tournament.
Despite the disappointing end to the season, the Lady Tigers of Jackson State University had a great season.
After getting off to a 2-5 start, the Lady Tigers completely turned the narrative of their team around. Players completely stepped up their game while buying into the coaching staff’s system.
This was Tomekia Reed’s first year as head coach for the Lady Tigers after a successful 3-year coaching stint with Hinds Community College.
She previously worked for Jackson State University from 2006-09 as the women’s basketball recruiting coordinator.
Taronta Gines, a junior biology major from Moss Point, Miss., said the women’s team represented JSU the right way.
“The women’s team was solid this year. They handled their business in the regular season to get to the point they are at. They represented the school the right way. I’m proud to call myself a JSU Tiger,” said Gines.
Conelous Stiff, a junior civil engineering major from Yazoo City, Miss., is already looking forward to next season.
Stiff stated, “Overall, the season has been good. The women’s team did a good job on both ends of the court for the most part this season. I’m kind of upset we didn’t go out with a bang like I thought, but hopefully we’ll get it next year.”
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