By By Marty Stamper/The Meridian Star
May 18, 2001
La'Shonda Ford, a member of this year's Region 23 champion women's basketball team at East Central Community College, was killed in an automobile accident on May 11 in Rankin County.
Services will be Saturday at 10 a.m. in the gym at Forest High School. Mapp Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Ford, a 5-foot-9 freshman, averaged 3.9 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.0 steal, and 1.0 assist as ECCC went 22-7 and reached the NJCAA Women's National Basketball Championship in Salina, Kan., in March.
At Forest High School, she helped the Lady Bearcats go 36-3 and finish second in the state in Class 3A during the 1999-2000 season.
During her high school career, Ford was all-district and all-state in three sports basketball, cross country, and track.
ECCC women's coach Sammy Pace said Ford was a very hard worker who gave her full effort any time she was on the court.
Forest assistant coach Chantelle Herchanhahn said Ford always worked for the good of the team and put it ahead of herself.
That was evident in a questionaire Ford filled out for the national tournament.
Ford is survived by her mother, Carolyn Ford Nettles, and a sister, Kinsasha Fortune.
Marty Stamper is a sports writer for The Meridian Star. E-mail him at mstamper@themeridianstar.com.