By By Marty Stamper/The Meridian Star
June 9, 2001
The cream of the two-state senior crop will showcase its skill in the 11th-annual Mississippi/Alabama All-Star Basketball Games today at Florence, Ala.
The girls open the day when they clash at 1 p.m. at Flowers Hall on the campus of the University of North Alabama.
The boys' game follows at approximately 3 p.m.
All three of the area's participants will be in the girls' contest. Making the Mississippi team from The Meridian Star's coverage area are Mississippi's all-time career scoring leader Monique Horner of Class 3A state champion Southeast Lauderdale, Cantea Brown of Class 5A state runner-up Meridian, and Tausha Evans of Class 4A state semifinalist Neshoba Central.
Horner, a Meridian Community College signee, averaged 36.2 points, 10.0 rebounds, 7.0 assists, and 3.0 steals as Southeast went 32-8 in winning the 3A state championship.
Horner, a 5-foot-4 guard, finished her six-year high school career with a state record 4,853 points. Her 1,449 points this season set a new state single-season scoring record. For good measure, Horner also set a state single-season record for made 3-pointers this year with 185.
Brown, a 6-foot-1 center/forward also headed to MCC, averaged 16 points, 11.5 rebounds, and 3.0 blocks for Meridian as the 32-5 Lady Wildcats reached the 5A title game before falling to Tupelo.
Evans, a 5-foot-2 guard and a signee with the University of West Alabama, averaged 24.0 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 3.3 steals for the Lady Rockets as they went 28-11, losing to Crystal Springs in the 4A state semifinals. Evans was a 74.9 percent free-throw shooter this year.
Other players on the Mississippi roster are 5-foot-7 guard Tan White (25.7 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 6.7 steals, 6.0 assists) of 5A state champion Tupelo, 5-foot-11 guard Raven Rogers (21.6 ppg, 8.4 rpg) of Murrah, 6-foot forward Monique Cowan of 5A semifinalist Moss Point, 5-foot-9 guard Sheree Thompson of McComb, 6-foot center Crystal Robinson (22.3 ppg, 13.5 rpg) of Callaway, 5-foot-4 guard Shianeka Freeman (25.6 ppg, 6.0 assists) of 4A state champion Raymond, 6-foot-3 center Amber Watts of Hinds AHS, 6-foot-2 forward Lia Green of Warren Central, and 5-foot-10 forward Shelly Jones of Columbus.
Mississippi coaches are Gary Miller (head) of Clinton and Nanci Gray (assistant) of Tupelo. Judy Morgan of Quitman is the assistant administrative coach.
On the Mississippi boys' roster are 6-foot-2 guard Maurice Williams (25.7 ppg, 8.6 assists) of Murrah, 6-foot-3 forward Bennie Denton (22 ppg, 9 rpg) of 4A state champion Oxford, 6-foot-4 forward Solomon Forbes (18.5 ppg, 6.7 rpg) of 4A state runner-up Lanier, 6-foot-8 center Jasper Johnson (27.3 ppg, 12 rpg) of 3A state champion Hollandale Simmons, 6-foot-2 guard Keesler Johnson (22 ppg, 8 rpg, 7 assists) of 5A state runner-up Hattiesburg, 6-foot-2 guard Mario Jointer (19 ppg, 6.4 rpg) of 5A state semifinalist Jim Hill, 6-foot-4 forward Michael Archie of Greenwood, 6-foot guard Jamal Bouldin of Natchez, 6-foot-4 guard Chey Christie of 5A state champion Biloxi, 6-foot-6 center Tim Green of Canton, 6-foot-4 guard O'Brien Lowe of 3A state runner-up Nettleton, and 6-foot guard J.R. Willis of St. Stanislaus.
Mississippi's boys' coaches are Michael Martin (head) of Natchez and Jerry Stephenson (assistant) of T.L Weston.
Marty Stamper is a sports writer for The Meridian Star. E-mail him at mstamper@themeridianstar.com.