PHEBA — Hebron Christian School basketball player Tori Nichols was not persuaded by Southern Arkansas University’s athletic facilities.
Instead, an animal or two helped tip the scales.
“They have a farm on campus, with animals and everything,” Nichols said. “I love animals. That really stood out to me. I fell in love with the campus right then and there.”
Nichols will leave next month for Magnolia, Ark., where she will be a freshman basketball player at SAU. She will be the lone Mississippian on the Muleriders’ roster.
While getting ready for this next challenge in life, Nichols will be eternally grateful for the opportunities presented at Hebron Christian. This season, Nichols averaged 23.2 points and 12.9 rebounds per game, while helping lead the Eagles to a third-place finish at the Mississippi Association of Independent Scools Class A state tournament.
For this success, Nichols has been chosen as The Dispatch’s All-Area Girls Basketball small schools Player of the Year.
“After losing three seniors off last year’s team, I don’t think a lot of people thought we were going to be any good,” Nichols said. “I think the players on the team also doubted that we could be any good. Once we started practicing together and then played some games, things changed. We learned we could hang with anybody.
“Once we got some confidence, we were able to have a good season.”
The Eagles finished 24-12 overall. Hebron Christian won its district championship, before placing second at north state. The Eagles lost to Tri-County Academy in the north state title game but made amends for that defeat by beating that same squad in the overall state tournament
“Beating Tri-County in the third place game was very special for us,” said Nichols, a two-time district most valuable player, as well as second-team all-state selection this season. “It meant a lot to us since they had beaten us the week before. Beating Claiborne (Academy) was a big deal, too. I think we really made the most out of our season. There are big expectations for our program because we always win games.”
Hebron Christian first-year coach William Cotton had no worries entrusting a tradition-rich program in the hands of Nichols and her fellow seniors.
“Tori is such a complete player and an even better person,” Cotton said. “When you first interact with her, you know what type of commitment that you are getting. She worked extremely hard to make the most out of her senior season. That is why she is having the opportunity to play on the next level.”
Ironically, Southern Arkansas was not initially on Nichols’ radar.
“Early in the year, we played Winston Academy,” Nichols said. “Mary Ann Ward was on that team. A few days after the game, she Facebooked me, and asked if she could give my contact information out, because her dad knows a lot of college coaches. All of a sudden, I was able to get a lot more interest. It was a little overwhelming at first, because I was not sure what type of opportunities I had.”
After doing her research, Nichols and her family had the compass pointed in the direction of Henderson State University in Arkadaelphia, Ark.
“I was really interested in Henderson from the beginning,” Nichols said. “The coach at Southern Arkansas (Carrie Slaton) was so sweet; it was hard to get her off my mind. I decided since I was going on a visit to Henderson that I would stop off at Southern Arkansas on the way.”
Coach Slaton, with the help of an additional animal or two won her over.
“I loved the entire experience,” Nichols said. “Southern Arkansas was a small school. To be honest, I was always afraid I would go off to college and wind up on a campus, where I got lost easily. That was not the case here. I found everything easily. The team was a close-knit family. It was like my high school in so many ways.
“It also turns out that Henderson did not have my major, so that made my decision-making process became a lot easier, too.”
At Southern Arkansas, Nichols will be the lone Mississippian on the roster. An NCAA Division II member, the Muleriders play in the Great American Conference.
“She will be an asset to them,” Cotton said. “She is a competitor and a hard worker. I think they will find she is a nice addition to what they are trying to build. They are a young team, so she will be able to step in and contribute right away.”
Nichols has been playing basketball since fourth grader. From the very beginning, her career goals included playing on the college level. Early dreams of playing for childhood favorite, University of Tennessee faded.
“I knew I was not dedicated enough for that,” Nichols said. “Once I entered high school, my goal was to find a place to play college ball. It really didn’t matter where. I just wanted to go and have a positive experience and play somewhere.”
A love for the game was nurtured at an early age by Tess Nichols, Nichols’ mom.
“My mom played high school basketball and some in college,” Nichols said. “She was always there for me. Driving me to all of these AAU tournaments and helping me with my game. She was always my biggest supporter. MY dad could not always be there, but he made the financial commitment. My mom made the physical commitment.”
Doug Nichols, Nichols’ father, worked two different stints as a contractor, building ice plants in Iraq. Doug Nichols was here for his daughter’s seventh and eighth grade years. After a second stint in Iraq, he returned home for good last November.
“Having him here for my senior year meant a lot to me,” Nichols said.
Nichols also got beneficial feedback from Cotton.
“Even though this was his first year, I really enjoyed playing for him,” Nichols said. “He helped me with every aspect of the recruiting process. He yelled a lot at us, but it was always constructive yelling. Some of the things that he coached us to do, I had been told for several years, but for whatever reason, it finally clicked.”
For Nichols, many things clicked this year. Aside from basketball, she also played softball and ran track. Away from school, her athletic exploits include playing soccer and golfing. Back at school, Nichols was a treasurer for her class, as well as for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Nichols was a member of the National Honor Society, as well as an active member of Parkway Baptist Church.
While preparing for her move six hours from home, Parkview is helping keep Nichols busy this summer. It is also helping her realize another love, along with basketball and animals.
“At Vacation Bible School, I am teaching 2-year-olds,” Nichols said. “Now, that is what I call a challenge.”
Scott was sports editor for The Dispatch.
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