March 28, 2005

For More Information, Contact: Keith Gentry (901) 333-4114 / Kimberly Stark (901) 333-4023/ (901) 489-4771

SOUTHWEST BASKETBALL COACH AND PLAYERS HONORED BY TJCCAA
Written by Keith Gentry

Several Southwest men’s and women’s basketball players, as well as men’s basketball coach Verties Sails Jr., have been honored by the Tennessee Junior and Community College Athletic Association.

Sails was named the TJCCAA Coach of the Year and Western Division Coach of the Year for the tenth time in his 26 year coaching career at the College. Sails guided the Saluqis to a 22-6 overall record this season, including a 14-2 conference record, the regular season Western Division title, and runner-up in the Region VII Tournament.

Three freshmen members of the Southwest men’s team were selected to the All-Western Division team - Anthony “A.J.” Pigram, Lester Hudson, and Moraye Ivy. Pigram, a product of Memphis Trezevant High School who averaged 14.0 points per game and led the Saluqis with 91 three-point field goals, was also named to the All-TJCCAA Team. Hudson, perhaps the best all-around player on the Saluqis’ squad, averaged 13.9 points per game and was also among the team leaders in rebounds (6.8), assists (2.7), and steals (2.1). Ivy, a high school teammate of Hudson at Central High School in Memphis, averaged 9.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game.

The Lady Saluqis, coached by Andrea Martre, placed three players on both the All-Western Division and All-TJCCAA Teams. Sophomore Ashley Mason, who prepped at Trezevant High School in Memphis, led the Lady Saluqis in scoring with a 13.9 average and was the second leading rebounder at 7.5 per game. Another sophomore, Booker T. Washington High’s Lakeisha Jackson, averaged 11.5 points per game and led the team with 50 three-point field goals. The third Southwest women’s player honored was freshman Imesia Jackson, a native of Crawford, Mississippi who played her high school ball at East Oktibbeha County. Jackson led the Lady Saluqis in field goal percentage (64 percent), rebounding (8.0), and blocked shots (1.4), and also averaged 11.9 points per game.