By By Marty Stamper/EMG sports assistant
March 20, 2004
SALINA, Kan. Mission accomplished.
After losing their first-round game in the NJCAA Division I Women's National Basketball Championship on Tuesday, the Lady Warriors of East Central Community College had to revise their goals here. Making it to Saturday became their new cause.
Thanks to a sizzling first 11 minutes from 3-point range, the Lady Warriors defeated Weatherford (Texas) College 63-52 Friday afternoon to reach today's 1 p.m. contest with the College of Southern Idaho. The winner of today's game will place seventh, while the loser will finish eighth.
Southern Idaho (28-7) advanced with a 60-58 win over Vincennes (Ind.) Friday.
Against Weatherford, the Lady Warriors were a remarkable 6-of-9 from behind the arc in the first half with all six baskets coming in the first 10 minutes, 15 seconds. Kristin Chaney started the trifectas with Kotreece Bender knocking down the next three over a span of just under three minutes. Kim Cox came off the bench to bury two bombs for a 26-11 lead with 9:45 left in the half.
The Lady Warriors shot 52 percent (13-of-25) from the floor in the first half and 85.7 percent (6-of-7) from the free-throw line. They also had a 21-14 advantage on the boards.
Two baskets by Kimyatta Viverette and a basket and two free throws from Ebone'e Leverette gave the Lady Warriors their biggest lead of the game at 34-14 with 6:16 to go before halftime.
Weatherford went on a 9-0 run, capped by a three-point play by Kristen Harrell to close to within 34-23 with 4:17 left before intermission.
ECCC took a 38-27 lead into the break after being outscored 13-4 over the final six minutes.
The Lady Warriors went scoreless for six-and-a-half minutes midway through the second half as the Coyotes rallied to within 46-39 on a 3-pointer of their own with 10:30 left in the game.
Viverette stopped the 8-0 run with a basket with 9:19 remaining. She missed a free throw after getting fouled on the play, but when ECCC came up with the rebound, Viverette stuck it back in for a 50-39 lead with 8:58 to play.
The Coyotes got to within seven again at 52-45 with 7:37 left on back-to-back baskets by Sandra Viksryte.
ECCC's India Backstrom just beat the shot clock for a 54-45 lead with 7:04 left.
The final damage was done when Bender buried her fourth 3-pointer with 3:35 to go for a 63-48 lead.
From then on, the Coyotes were content to get a basket here and there and let ECCC run the shot clock down without fouling.
Viverette led ECCC, 31-3, with 15 points, 11 rebounds, two blocks, and two steals. Bender had 14 points, five rebounds, and five assists. Lenore Gray had 11 points, four rebounds, and two assists. Chaney had seven points, seven rebounds, and three assists. Cox had six points and three rebounds, while Rita Birden had four points, seven rebounds, four assists, and three steals. Leverette had four points.
ECCC shot 50 percent from the floor, making 22-of-44 attempts. The Lady Warriors were 12-of-21 at the charity stripe. ECCC outrebounded the Coyotes 42-32.
Weatherford shot only 32.8 percent (21-of-64) from the floor and 53.8 percent (7-of-13) from the line. The Coyotes forced ECCC into 29 turnovers, while turning the ball over only 17 times themselves.
Weatherford, 25-11, was led by Viksryte with 21 points and 10 rebounds. Harrell had eight points.