Lady Lions have scoring punch returning
Two years removed from claiming the school’s first women’s basketball conference championship in 36 years, veteran East Mississippi Community College head coach Sharon Thompson’s 2021-22 Lady Lions team returns five of its top six scorers from last year’s 12-5 squad.
However, the Lady Lions must find a way to replace 14 points and 10 rebounds from their lineup with the departure of All-region 23, ALL-MACCC forward Ja’mia Hollings. The West Point product took her talents to Troy University after helping lead the Lady Lions to a two-year composite record of 36-8, which included being an integral part of EMCC’S 2019-20 conference championship run.
With not having Hollings’ services available this season, the biggest adjustment this year’s EMCC team will have to make is the transition from high school to college in terms of the toughness, physicality and pace of the collegiate game.
Comprised of three guards and two forwards, EMCC’S top-five returning scorers all averaged between 5.4 and 7.9 points per game a year ago. Leading the way for the Lady Lions are sharpshooting guards Shakira Wilson and Jenessa Souza, who averaged better than 15 points per game between them a year ago in addition to both shooting 35% from beyond the 3-point arc and making a combined total of 58 treys. Wilson, out of Southeast Lauderdale High School, averaged 7.9 points an outing last season, while Souza, a California native and Blinn (Texas) College transfer, followed close behind at 7.5 points a game.
Along the frontline and looking to post improved numbers with the loss of Hollings, East Mississippi returns forwards Siarra Jackson and Kyunna Thomas. Jackson, a two-time all-state selection at Ripley High School, averaged 7.1 points and 3.4 rebounds an outing for EMCC as a freshman. Thomas, a 201819 Jackson Clarion-ledger Dandy Dozen preseason pick at Lawrence County High School, averaged 5.8 points and 5.1 boards last season for the Lady Lions after transferring from Jones College.
Additional backcourt help looks to be provided by returning versatile guard Markiema Lancaster, who averaged 5.4 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.3 assists per contest as an EMCC freshman after transferring from Mercer University in Georgia. Also back after receiving a medical redshirt season a year ago is point guard Ciara Jackson, a product of Shannon High School.
Seven incoming freshmen straight out of high school will join EMCC’S six returning players for the 2021-22 season. Leading the way and expected to contribute immediately will be two-time honorable mention all-state point guard D.J. Williams, who led Columbus High School to the 2019-20 Class 5A State championship.
Also coming on board for Thompson and first-year assistant coach Roderick Woods is the Starkville High School tandem of Sukkima Suell and Jada Odneal, who should add depth at the forward and guard positions, respectively. Also new to the Scooba campus this season are forward Zaniyah Brown (Velma Jackson HS) along with guards Kennedi Jimison (Northeast Lauderdale HS), Jordan Seales (Moss Point) and Jada Watkins (Panola, Alabama).
Men
Looking to return to the championship form they experienced three years ago as conference champions for the first time since the 1930s, the East Mississippi Community College men’s basketball team enters the 2021-22 season with a veteran quartet of returning starters joining forces with a talented group of experienced newcomers.
Seventh-year head coach Billy Begley and assistant coach D.J. Evans bring back four of their top five scorers, rebounders and playmakers from last year’s 11-6 EMCC squad. With a trio of thirdyear starters coming back, the experienced Lions look to be headlined by two-time All-region 23 forward Jakorie Smith, who has averaged 14.5 points and 8.2 rebounds per game while having shot 49% from the field and 75% from the line through his first two EMCC seasons.
Veteran guards Traemond Pittman and Danny Washington, who have totaled 54 career starts between them entering the 2021-22 season, combined to average 13.3 points and 6.3 assists per game this past year.
Nick Walker will join Smith on EMCC’S formidable frontline after averaging 12.1 points and a team-high eight rebounds per game a season ago in addition to connecting on 66 percent of his shots and 73% of his free throws. The Hattiesburg product was one of 48 returning players invited to participate in the prestigious JUCO Advocate hoops showcase this past summer.
The Lions’ fourth returning starter is versatile guard Blake Butler, from Louisville, Kentucky., who averaged 12.1 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.5 assists per contest as an impact freshman.
East Mississippi also brings back third-year veteran forward Elijah Newsome, who redshirted the 2019-20 campaign, and reliable point guard Kevin Henry, who spent the 2019-20 season at Mississippi Delta Community College.
Along with returning plenty of firepower from last year’s team, the Lions also welcome a half dozen newcomers to this year’s veteranladen EMCC squad.
Looking to make immediate contributions within the MACCC this season will be fellow Atlanta products Chris Newell and Brandon Deravine, who teamed together on ELW Takeover to win the Juneteenth 3-on-3 Hoop It Up Jamboree this past summer. The sharpshooting Newell played a season of post-grad basketball at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., while Deravine previously gained experience at the University of Texas Permian Basin and most recently at Georgia-based Andrew College.
Also expected to make an instant impact on this year’s EMCC squad will be versatile guard Jaquevias Tarvin, who earned Jackson Clarionledger All-state and Dandy Dozen recognition a few years back as a prep standout at Brandon High School.
Other newcomers to this year’s EMCC men’s squad include incoming freshman forward Jacob Reese, out of Starkville, along with Mississippi junior college transfer forwards Cortez Mccarty and Atavius Jones. Mccarty, out of Stone High School, initially played at Coahoma, while Jones, from Starkville, previously competed on the gridiron as a tight end for Copiah-lincoln.