Archives
 By  Staff Reports Published 
9:44 pm Friday, March 19, 2004

East Central wins at NJCAA tourney

By By Marty Stamper / EMG sports assistant
March 19, 2004
SALINA, Kan. The Kansas jinx was officially put to rest on Thursday as East Central Community College knocked off Lake Region (N.D.) State College 74-66 in the NJCAA Division I Women's National Basketball Championship.
ECCC got its 30th win of the season and advances to a noon contest today with Weatherford (Texas) College, 25-10.
ECCC went 0-2 in the 2001 tournament at Salina's Bicentennial Center and was 0-1 this time around.
ECCC snapped its 0-for-Kansas skid by the method that's seen the Lady Warriors win 30 of their 33 games thus far… a lot of players contributing.
Eleven Lady Warriors had seen action by halftime. Kristin Chaney finished with 18 points, four rebounds, two steals, and two assists. She played a team-high 34 minutes. Kimyatta Viverette had 11 points, 11 rebounds, and four blocks. Kotreece Bender had 10 points and five rebounds. Rita Birden added eight points, Lenore Gray had seven points, four rebounds, and three steals; Britney Burks had seven points and three steals, Monique Overstreet had six points, and India Backstrom had five points and six rebounds.
ECCC jumped out to the game's biggest lead by scoring the first 10 points over the first four minutes, but the Lady Royals drew even at 22-22 behind 12 points from Jen Streifel, who frequently got behind the Lady Warrior defense for runout layups.
Streifel had 16 points by halftime as the Lady Royals carried a 35-32 lead into intermission. Lake Region outrebounded ECCC 25-13 in the first half. ECCC's defense, however, did force the North Dakota team into 20 first half turnovers.
The Lady Royals took their biggest lead of the game at 40-35 on a 3-pointer with 16:25 remaining.
The Lady Warriors responded with a 12-0 run to go up 45-40. Chaney had two big plays in the run as she converted a pair of three-point plays in a 15-second span to tie the game at 40, then give ECCC a three-point lead. The Lady Warriors never trailed again.
Viverette's three-point play with 9:21 remaining was a prime example as she pulled down two offensive boards before finally putting the ball in the hole and drawing a foul for a 58-52 lead.
Lake Region closed to within 60-57 on a 3-pointer with eight minutes left before Birden scored back-to-back baskets to give ECCC a 64-57 advantage with 4:13 left.
Viverette made two free throws 70 seconds later for a nine-point lead and Bender, Viverette, Burks, and Chaney combined to go 8-for-8 at the line over the final 51 seconds.
The Lady Warriors made their last 18 free throws and were 24-of-29 for the game.
Lake Region, 24-10, got 21 points from Streifel and 11 each from Olga Sevim and Jen Conely.

Also on Franklin County Times
Thorpe to play at Blue Mountain Christian
High School Sports, News, Russellville, ...
Brannon King For the FCT 
July 16, 2025
RUSSELLVILLE – Brennon Thorpe made his plans official to attend Blue Mountain Christian University and play baseball for the Toppers during a recent s...
Russellville High Class of 1967 gathers, reminisces
Columnists, News, Opinion, ...
HERE AND NOW
July 16, 2025
You can’t really go back to the good old days of high school, but you can pay them a visit now and then. That’s exactly what the RHS Class of 1967 has...
Former Cypress Lakes official to lead Guntersville State Park
Lifestyles, News
Bernie Delinski For the FCT 
July 16, 2025
GUNTERSVILLE — Heath Puckett had an Auburn University degree and golf course superintendent certification in his pocket when he arrived at Cypress Lak...
European travel builds bonds across cultures
Lifestyles, News, Russellville, ...
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
July 16, 2025
RUSSELLVILLE -- A group of Franklin County travelers spent nine days this summer walking through catacombs, exploring castles and standing in places w...
Little Free Library welcomes readers in East Franklin
Lifestyles, News, Phil Campbell
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
July 16, 2025
PHIL CAMPBELL — Eleven-year-old Aiden Hall is an avid reader, but he doesn’t just want to read books. He also wants to share them, and the way he deci...
King becomes elementary curriculum director
Lifestyles, Russellville
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
July 16, 2025
RUSSELVILLE — Molly King says every child can learn, though not necessarily in the same way or on the same day — a belief she plans to carry into her ...
New Junior Leaders begin their training
Franklin County, News
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
July 16, 2025
FRANKLIN COUNTY — Forty-two high school students from across Franklin County are beginning 10 months of hands-on leadership training and community ser...
Fire destroys 2-story garage, guest suite
Main, News, Russellville, ...
Kevin Taylor For the FCT 
July 16, 2025
R U S S E L LV I L L E – Jason Gist leaned against the wall of his home with a look of disgust while dozens of firefighters worked to extinguish a fir...

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Latest Stories
July 4, 2025Augusto Simon Diaz, 42, of Russellville, passed away July 4. Visitation and funeral were held at Spry Memorial Chapel on July 12 from 2pm ...
July 16, 2025
July 8, 2025Jamie Kerby Cummings, 41, of Russellville, passed away on July 8. Visitation took place July 13, at Spry Memorial Chapel from 1 pm to 3pm....
July 16, 2025
July 11,2025Julie “JuJu” Welch Black, 63, of Russellville, passed away on July 11.Graveside service was held at 1pm on July 13, at Belgreen Cemetery w...
July 16, 2025
July 9, 2025Scott Noel Benford, age 58, of Muscle Shoals, passed away on July 9. Visitation was held at Pinkard Funeral Home in Russellville on July 1...
July 16, 2025