Women's Basketball

Six Sign NJCAA Letters of Intent With Cowgirls Basketball Squad

WARNER – Connors State women’s basketball coach Eddie Kite has announced the signing of six players to NJCAA National Letters-of-Intent on Thursday.

Joining the Cowgirls for the 2013-14 basketball season are Sherrell McHenry, 5-8 guard from Haskell High School; Janet Hill, 6-0 center from Eufaula High School; Katie Smith 5-8 guard from Checotah High School; LaNessa Grayson, 5-11, forward from Oktaha High School; Mari Jackson, 5-10, forward from Muskogee High School and Lauren Godfrey, 6-1 center from Liberty Eylau High School in Texarkana, Texas.

“Individually all these young ladies are going to bring a lot of athleticism and quickness,” said Kite. “All six of these girls work and play hard.

“We believe these ladies will bring back the style of play (up-tempo) that we want for the Cowgirls.

“They all know each other and have played together which will add to our chemistry of the team. It (chemistry) wasn’t at the level we wanted last season. These girls give us a good start for next year.”

McHenry, who  average 16.0 points per game and 10 rebounds for the Lady Haymakers was a Tulsa World All-Metro honorable mention selection. Hill scored 9.0 points and 9.0 rebounds a game for the Lady Iron heads. Checotah’s Smith averaged 13 points a game and two assists an outing, while Grayson pulled down 6 rebounds a game and 12 points a game at Oktaha.

Jackson, who averaged 11 points an outing and 8 rebounds a game for the Lady Roughers last season,  also was a Tulsa World All-Metro honorable mention selection.

Godfrey pulled down 13 rebounds per game and 12 points an outing at Liberty Eylau High School.

Connors Athletic Golf Scramble Set for June 8 at Cobblestone

Connors State Athletic Department will hold its annual golf scramble on Saturday, June 8 at Cobblestone Golf Course in Muskogee.

All proceeds from the scramble will go to student athletic scholarships. The scramble is limited to one flight only and to the first 36 teams.

A four-person team is $100 per person which includes green fees, ½ cart and lunch. Prizes include first place $400, second place $300 and third place $200. Ties will be determined by scorecard play-off.

Check in time is 7 to 7:45 a.m. with a shotgun start at 8 a.m.

For additional information call Connors State Athletic Director Bill Muse at 918-463-6231. Make checks payable to Connors Development Foundation.

Kite Named Region II Director

Connors State women’s basketball coach Eddie Kite has been named the Region II Women’s Director.

Kite, who has been head coach of the Cowgirls for 11 years, is one of 16 NJCAA Region Directors across the United States and is only the third CSC staff member to serve in the position.

 Former Athletic Director Ed Hardeman, served in the position for 25 years and former Cowgirls women’s basketball coach and Athletic Director Monte Madewell for 20 years.

Kite assumed the position in December, replacing Jason Carmichael of Mid-South Community College in West Memphis, Ark., who took a position as assistant Athletic Director at Western Colorado University. Kent Lashley of Rose State will serve as Kite’s assistant.

“Connors has a pretty good tradition of leadership in athletics with Hardeman, Madewell and now myself and Bill (Muse, Cowboys head coach and Athletic Director) as president of the Oklahoma Collegiate Athletic Conference for the past five years,” said Kite.

“In our region it’s kind of been a tradition to serve in those positions. It’s a position that I look forward to serving for the betterment our region and for Connors State,” said Kite.

The duties of the Region II Director is extensive, involving all 11 schools that make-up Region II in Oklahoma and Arkansas.

Kite will assist in coordinating all Region II athletic events. He will also serve as a liaison between the coaches, umpires in softball and officials in basketball.

“In this position I will have my finger prints on everything,” said Kite. Some of the duties also includes taking surveys and rankings for Region II sports and forwarding them to the NJCAA national office.

“There is a lot involved, which includes administrating discipline issues of players and coaches, such as ejections at athletic events.”

Kite said one of his first tasks was assisting in the Region II basketball tournament at Shawnee and the renewing of the contract for the next three years at Shawnee.

“This is a very detailed position and one of the good things about this is that my assistant coach, Jamie (Fisher) is very organize. He lifts a little of the burden off my shoulders with our own basketball program,” said Kite, adding, “that allows me to focus a little more on the new duties.”

Kite will leave next Wednesday to attend the NJCAA National Convention representing the Region II schools, where he serves on several committees.

“There is a lot involved in the position, a lot more than I really realized,” said Kite. “But being a coach I think it will help our Region as far as pushing for national ranking’s and national prestigious.”

Cowgirls Fall in Opening Round of Region II Play

Connors State Cowgirls held an 11-point lead midway the second half, but could not hold on as Arkansas Baptist rallied behind the 29-point performance of Taylor Green for a 63-59 victory in the opening round of the NJCAA Region II Basketball Tournament at Melvin Self Field House Monday night.

The Cowgirls complete the season 16-14, while Arkansas Baptist advances to a quarterfinal game in Shawnee on Thursday against Northeastern A&M.

Poor free throw shooting and the in ability to hit from behind the arc doomed the Cowgirls. Connors was just 18-of-33 at the line and was 1 of-10 on three-point attempts.

Connors held a 35-24 advantage with 15:51 remaining, but the Lady Buffs came roaring back to get the win.

Tiara Hall and Shakayla Love scored 16 points each to lead the Cowgirls scoring. Tonisha Dean followed with 11.

The last Cowgirls lead in the game was 59-58 with 1:26 remaining.

Cowgirls went on a 7—0 run in the final 3:54 of the first half to take a 25-22 lead. Connors took its first lead with 50 seconds remaining in the half when Tonisha Dean drained the front end of a two-shot free throw to give the Cowgirls a 23-22 lead.

Miscues hurt the Cowgirls in the first half as they committed 12 turnovers in the first 20 minutes of action. Shakayla Love came off the bench to lead the Cowgirls scoring in the half with 8 points.

NJCAA REGION II Tournament First ROUND

WOMEN

ARKANSAS BAPTIST 63, CONNORS STATE 59

Arkansas Baptist 22  41--63

Connors State 25  34--59

Arkansas Baptist (15-15)—Green 29, Jordan 13, Davenport 8, Hill 6, Smith 4, Rutledge  2, Raynor 1,

Connors State (16-14)—Love 16, Hall 16, Dean 11, Williams 7, Garrett 5, Bunch 4.

Cowgirls Playoff Basketball Game on Internet

Connors State Cowgirls NJCAA Region II play-in basketball  tournament game with Arkansas Baptist College will be streamed on the internet on Monday, March 4.

Lou Kelley will broadcast the game beginning at 6:50 p.m.  from Melvin Self Field House in Warner.

The Cowgirls, who are 16-13, will meet the Lady Buffs for the first time this season. The Arkansas club enters the playoffs with a 14-14 record.

Cameron, Harris, Henderson, Dean Named to Region II Team

Connors State placed three men and one woman on the Region II All-Region basketball teams announced on Sunday.

For the Cowboys, Josh Cameron was placed on the All-Region first team while Hakeem Harris and Dennell Henderson made the second team.

The Cowgirls’ Tonisha Dean was the only Connors woman to earn postseason honors as she was selected to the Region II second team.

The Oklahoma Collegiate Athletic Conference also revealed its men’s and women’s all-conference teams and the same quartet received OCAC honors.

As with the Region II squads, Cameron was placed on the OCAC first team with Harris and Henderson earning second-team honors. The same could be said for Dean as she earned a spot on the league’s second team.

Cowgirls Roll Over Western State 91-80

ALTUS— Connors State Cowgirls placed four players in double digit scoring and raced to a 91-80 Oklahoma Collegiate Athletic Conference victory over Western Oklahoma State Friday on the Lady Pioneers home floor.

The Cowgirls are now 16-13 for the season and 7-11 in league play and advance to the Region 2 play-in game Monday at Melvin Self Field House against a yet to be determined opponent. Tip-off is 7 p.m.

Tiara Hall led the Cowgirls scoring with 27 points with Shakayla Love pouring home 23 with Tonisha Dean adding 13 and Shakemia Franklin 12.

Cowgirls held a commanding 51-32 lead at the intermission and held off the Lady Pioneers in the second half, as Ebony Nelms led the attack with 33 points.

 CONNORS STATE 91, WESTERN STATE 80

Connors State 51 40--91

Western State 32 48—80

Connors State  (16-13, 7-11 )—Hall 27, Love 23, Dean 13, Franklin 12, Garrett 9, Bunch 6, Williams 1.

Western State  (11-17, 3-15, )—Nelms 33, Gaddis 17, M. Nelms 12, Bell 3, Williams 3, Johnson 2, Nelson 2, Petties 1.

Cowbgirls Rally Falls Short Against Eastern State

Connors Cowgirls battled back from 17-point deficit to within 5 points with 7:11 remaining but never catch the Eastern Oklahoma State Lady Mountaineers, falling 81-73 on sophomore and Homecoming Night at Melvin Self Field House on Thursday.

Eastern opened the second half with a 14-4 run for a commanding 52-33 advantage with 14:20 remaining and stretched it to 17 points 60-43 with 10 minutes left. That’s when the Cowgirls made a late charge, slicing it to five points, 62-57 at the 7:11 mark.

Eastern behind Shola Adebayo, who led the Lady Mountaineers scoring with 28 points, took charge the rest of the way. Kami Bunch led Connors with 17 points with Sha’Georgia Williams adding 15, followed by Shakayla Love’s 12 and Shakemia Franklin’s 10.

Rodneisha Millum followed Adebayo in the Eastern scoring with 15 followed by Rebecca Stewart’s 13 and Taylor Jones 12.

Cowgirls battled back from an 11-point deficit midway the opening 20 minutes to slice the Eastern lead to just three points, 31-29 with 3:52 remaining on a pair of free throws by Love and two baskets by Williams.

Eastern then scored six unanswered points for a 38-29 advantage at the half.

Connors State will travel to Altus to battle Western Oklahoma State Friday at 5 p.m. to close the regular season.

, EASTERN STATE 81, CONNORS STATE 73

Eastern State 38 43—81

Connors State 29 44—73

Eastern State –Adebayo 28, Millum 15, Stewart 13, Jones 12, Carter 6, Brown 5, Franks 2.

Connors State –Bunch 17, Williams 15, Love 12, Franklin 10, Hall 9, Garrett 8, Dean 2.

Connors Game With Eastern State on Internet

The Connors State Cowgirls and Cowboys basketball game with Eastern Oklahoma State will be on the internet Thursday, February 28 at Melvin Self Field House.
Tip-0ff for the Homecoming and Sophomore Night will begin at 6 p..m. with the women, followed by the men at  8 pm.
Lou Kelley will provide the play-by-play.

Cowgirls Crush NOC-Tonkawa, 79-69

TONKAWA – Connors State Cowgirls placed four players in double figure scoring a cruised to a 79-69 Oklahoma Collegiate Conference victory over Northern-Oklahoma Tonkawa Monday night at Piper-Foster Field House.

The win snapped a three-game losing streak for the Cowgirls.

The victory improves the Cowgirls to 14-12 on the season and 5-10 in conference play while the Lady Mavs fall to 3-25 on the year and 1-14 in league play.

Kami Bunch led the Cowgirls scoring with 16 points, followed by Shakayla Love’s 16, with Shakemia Franklin and Tonisha Dean scoring 15 and 14 respectively.

The Cowgirls rolled an early margin, leading 48-30 at the half and was never contested the remainder of the game.

Isidora Madzarevic led the Lady Mavs scoring with 19 points.

Connors returns home Thursday to battle Northern Oklahoma-Enid in a homecoming clash at Melvin Self Field House. Tip-off is 6 p.m.

CONNORS STATE 79, NORTHERN OKLAHOMA TONKAWA 69

Connors State 48 31—79

Northern Tonkawa 30 39—69

Connors State (14-12, 5-10)—Bunch 19, Love 16, Franklin 15, Dean 14, Williams 6, Hall 4, Garrett 4.

,Northern-Tonkawa (3-25, 1-14)—Madzarevic 19, Butler 9, Means 9, Karungi 7, Cruz 6, Flores 5, Means 3,  Krucane 3, Canady 3, Young 2, Moses 2.