SCOOBA — East Mississippi Community College women’s basketball coach Sharon Thompson and men’s basketball coach Billy Begley take pride in their school’s football program.
“They set the tone on campus for athletics,” Thompson said. “They have shown what it takes to win national championships. A high-profile program like that helps grow the student base, but it also helps grow the other sports programs.”
While many on the EMCC campus are consumed by the No. 3 football team and its pursuit of a state and national championship, it is time for some basketball.
The 2016-17 seasons will begin tonight for Thompson and Begley, as the EMCC women take on Lawson State Community College in Birmingham, Alabama, and the EMCC men will play host to Faith Preparatory Academy of West Memphis, Arkansas.
Thompson begins her 12th season as head coach, while Begley is set to begin his second season after earlier serving as an assistant coach for three seasons to former coach Mark White.
“It has been great to be back,” Begley said. “Athletics are very important to this college. We have a lot of teams competing every year for championships. We are doing our best to hold up our part. It’s a challenge,m but we have a plan in place. The players are buying in and we are excited about getting started.”
Under White, EMCC advanced to the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) national championship four times. Begley’s first squad then made it five appearances in seven seasons after placing second in the Region 23 tournament. The Lions finished 20-9 after a first-round loss to Ranger College (Texas).
This season, EMCC has a new look with two returning players and 13 newcomers. All five starters from a season ago signed with Division I schools.
“There has been a little more teaching,” Begley said. “Even though it was a new head coach, we still were doing a lot of the same things. There were some changes, but they weren’t major. There was a lot of continuity. The kids worked hard and had a great season.
“The biggest challenge was to get the teamwork and the chemistry down. That’s the biggest challenge at a two-year school because in a lot of ways you are starting over every year, if not every two years.”
Raymond High School’s David McFarland and Quitman High’s Anterio McKines are the returnees. They combined to average 12 points and six rebounds per game.
EMCC is also counting on Charleston Southern transfer Melvin Brooks, two-time Alabama Sports Writers Association (ASWA) All-State guard Cam Horton, and Horn Lake’s Carlos Thomas. Another addition is Iowa Central C.C. Jerrod Moorer. Moorer was the nation’s fifth-leading scorer (23.5 points per game) last season.
Begley’s roster also includes Keith Harris and Josh Skinner from Starkville High, as well as Quan Hines from Columbus High. Harris is transfer from Hinds C.C. Starkville’s Darius Wilson is also part of the program, but he is expected to redshirt.
On the women’s side, the Lady Lions finished 13-9 last season and returned to the Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges (MACJC) state tournament. Four starters return from that team.
Columbus native Kiki Patterson, who has moved on to Jacksonville State, is the lone starter to replace.
The return of former East Webster High standout Quantesha Patterson gives Thompson a good starting point. A preseason All-American selection, Patterson averaged 20.4 points and 10.6 rebounds per game last season. She ranked second nationally in field goal percentage at 65.8.
“(Quantesha) really developed as a team leader last season,” Thompson said. “She and Kiki really did a great job of playing off one another. They made for a very good one-two punch. We are expecting big things from Quan this season. She didn’t have a long adjustment period. She jumped in right away and made an impact.”
The other returning starters include Brandon’s Coco Hobson, who transferred last season from Kennesaw State, Jackson Jim Hill’s Anissia May, and Southeast Lauderdale’s Gabrielle Cole.
Former West Lowndes standout La’Quesha Clemons is the lone local player on the roster.
Off the court, other developments are also taking place with the EMCC program.
Athletic director Randall Bradberry said a renovation of Keyes T. Currie Coliseum is slated for after the 2016-17 season. A new indoor facility for the softball program was just recently completed, while a new indoor facility and locker room and coaches’ offices for the football program are on the drawing board.
Scott Walters is a sports writer for the Commercial Dispatch. He can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @dispatchscott.
Scott was sports editor for The Dispatch.
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