October 25, 2007

 17th RANKED NORTHEAST WOMEN READY FOR SEASON OPENER

BOONEVILLE, Miss.--  The 2007-08 Northeast Lady Tigers basketball team has great expectations for the upcoming season. Six sophomores return from last year’s team that went 19-6 and claimed a second consecutive State Championship and fourth-straight MACJC North Division title. Northeast's women are ranked 17th nationally in the NJCAA's preseason poll.

Northeast's six sophomores are Lesly Adkins, Queanisha Cathey, Erica Grayson, Kandi Knupp, Keisha Southward, and Kountess Welch. Along with experience, this year’s squad brings great athleticism to the floor for Head Coach Ricky Ford. “It’s an exciting time,” Ford said. “It’s an exciting group of players because this team is so talented athletically. They can run, and jump, and get up and down the floor.”
           
Coach Ford believes this group of players fits his style of coaching, and his basketball philosophy well. “I’m looking forward to this season because these kids fit more the style of play that we like, which is full court man to man defense, and when we get it we run hard on the fast break.”
           
The Lady Tigers’ bench will play an important role this season. Six freshman players will compliment the large group of sophomores. Anna McNair, Imie Hall, Suzanne Ford, Eboni Crayton, Brianna Pharr, and Erika Wright will all see their first action this season as members of the Northeast Women’s basketball team. According to coach Ford, “It’s just a matter of getting them in good physical condition, then getting them to understand our system.”
           
For the fifth straight season, Maurice Stafford will assist Coach Ford on the Lady Tigers’ coaching staff. Stafford was an All-American player for the Northeast men’s team in 1981-82, and was named JUCO Player of the Year after his sophomore season with the Tigers. A Biggersville native, Stafford spent time as an assistant basketball coach at UNA, Middle Tennessee State, and the University of Memphis before returning to Booneville.

“Without Coach Stafford, it would be hard for me to operate as far as all the other duties I have as athletic director,” said Ricky Ford. “Coach Stafford takes on probably 65-percent of the day to day activities of the women’s basketball program. Basically all I do is show up for practice and conduct the practice, and he does everything else. I could not do it if I didn’t have him. He knows what I want done. He knows what we need to do. He challenges the kids. He makes them hustle. He also is the sergeant at arms, so to speak, as far as making them attend class. So, he does a whole lot that’s not even seen on the basketball court.”

Ten regular season home games are slated for the Lady Tigers this season, nine of which are Region 23 contests. Northeast will open the season on November 1-2 at the Itawamba tournament. The first home game for 2007-08 is scheduled for November 5 as Northeast will host Northwest Shoals Community College (Ala.). The Lady Tigers will hope to earn a spot in the 2008 MACJC State Tournament which is scheduled to begin February 25, and will be hosted by the women’s North Division champion.

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