By By Marty Stamper/The Meridian Star
July 20, 2001
Five area players and two coaches with area connections have been selected for Saturday's Coca-Cola All-Star Basketball Games at Holmes Community College in Goodman.
All seven will be attempting to get wins for South teams when action begins at 1 p.m. with the 37th-annual girls' game at the Frank Branch Coliseum. The 47th-annual boys' game is slated for 3 p.m.
The three area girls selected for the South team are Kanecia Williams of Meridian, Tamekia Foley of Newton County, and Thelma Cooper of Wayne County.
Williams, a 5-foot-11 forward, averaged 17 points and 11.5 rebounds as the Lady Wildcats of Meridian went 32-5 and finished as the state runnerup in Class 5A.
Foley, a 5-foot-11 forward, averaged 25 points, 8 rebounds, 3 steals, and 3 assists for the 27-5 Lady Cougars of Newton County.
Cooper was a 6-foot guard/forward for Wayne County's 22-8 squad.
One of the South coaches is Diana Lyons Jones of Hattiesburg. At East Central Junior College, the Neshoba Central standout averaged 23.6 points and 17.3 rebounds as a sophomore before going on to excel at the University of Southern Mississippi.
On the boys' side, Quitman's Renaldo McKenzie and Rayford Everett of Wayne County will be playing for the South. Steve Hampton of Quitman will be one of the South coaches along with Ricky Stone of Harrison Central.
McKenzie, a 6-foot-4 forward, averaged 16 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists for the Panthers during a 15-13 senior season.
Everett, a 6-foot-5 center, averaged 14 points and 8 rebounds for the 25-4 War Eagles of Wayne County.
Also on the South girls' team are 5-foot-11 center/forward Kristie McKinley of Hattiesburg, 5-foot-4 guard Andrea Austin of Raleigh who was also chosen for today's all-star tennis match, 5-foot-8 guard Shenma Ambrose of Bay St. Louis, 5-foot-6 guard Jennifer Jackson of Class 4A state quarterfinalist Stone County, 5-foot-7 forward LaToya Johnson of Class 3A state semifinalist Hazlehurst, 5-foot-7 guard Ykeisha Gray of Purvis, 6-foot center Jansei Newsome of Petal, and 6-foot-2 center/forward Christle Reddix of Ocean Springs.
Also coaching the South girls is Sam Smith of Stone County.
Also on the South boys' squad are 6-foot guard James Ball of Class 5A state runner-up Hattiesburg, 6-foot-4 forward Corey Bryant of Brookhaven, 5-foot-11 guard Orlando Lewis of Harrison Central, 5-foot-10 guard Tim Jones of Class 5A state champion Biloxi, 6-foot-3 guard Lawrence Noel of Class 2A state champion Hinds AHS, 6-foot-4 forward Gerren Jones of Pascagoula, 6-foot-5 guard Justin Turner of Vancleave, 6-foot guard Edward Frazier of Crystal Springs, and Earnest Hassell of Piney Woods.
On the North girls' team are 5-foot-11 forward Candance Roberts of Class 4A state champion Raymond, 5-foot-7 guard Priscilla Berry of Class 1A state runner-up Myrtle, 5-foot-7 guard Melissa Winters of Class 1A state quarterfinalist Ethel, 5-foot-11 forward/center Chassidy Hadley of Smithville, 6-foot forward/center Terri Crudup of Pontotoc, 5-foot-9 forward Priscilla White of Class 5A state quarterfinalist Columbus, 5-foot-8 guard Natalie Reeder of Class 3A state runner-up South Pontotoc, 5-foot-4 guard Kerby Jones of Callaway, 5-foot-9 forward Tanelda McDonald of Madison Central, 5-foot-8 guard Crystal Jackson of Class 5A state quarterfinalist Murrah, 5-foot-7 guard Carol Ford of Horn Lake, and 5-foot-9 forward Kasten Jackson of T.L. Weston.
North girls' coaches are Scott Tallant of Columbus and Beverly Taylor of Montgomery County.
On the North boys' squad are 6-foot-5 forward/center Anthony Hankins of South Panola, 5-foot-10 guard Daniel Hall of T.L. Weston, 5-foot-8 guard Hosea Butler of Class 5A state semifinalist Columbus, 6-foot-4 guard Adrian Harper of Class 5A state quarterfinalist Clinton, 6-foot-4 guard/forward Byron Huggins of Aberdeen, 6-foot-3 guard Ashkelon Stapleton of Class 2A state runner-up Shelby Broad Street, 6-foot-1 guard David Doty of Wingfield, 6-foot-3 guard Jason Dunn of Rosa Fort, 6-foot guard Roman Henderson of South Panola, and Demetric Allen of Vicksburg.
North boys' coaches are Wilbert Beard of South Panola and Bob Frith of Murrah.
Tickets are $5.
Marty Stamper is a sports writer for The Meridian Star. E-mail him at mstamper@themeridianstar.com.