February 13, 2006

For More Information, Contact: Keith Gentry (901) 333-4114/ (901) 619-1899

TJCCAA/REGION VII TOURNAMENT FILLED WITH LOCAL FLAVOR
Release written by Keith Gentry

There will be a distinctly local flavor to this year’s TJCCAA/NJCAA Region VII Basketball Tournament with more than 40 players from the Memphis area participating. The host institution, Southwest, features a total of 15 players on its men’s and women’s rosters followed by Volunteer State (8), Dyersburg State (6), Jackson State (5), Walters State (4), Motlow State (2) and Hiwassee (1).

For the first time in 22 years, the TJCCAA/NJCAA Region VII Tournament will be held in Memphis. Twelve men’s and twelve women’s basketball teams will vie for a national tournament berth at the newly renovated Verties Sails Gymnasium March 7-12. Tournament champions will represent the TJCCAA and Region VII in the NJCAA National Tournament March 21-25. The men’s national tournament will be held in Hutchinson, Kansas while Salina, Kansas is the site for the women’s tourney.

Many of the conference’s top players are from the Memphis area, including the Southwest duo of Lester Hudson and Moraye Ivy from Central High School. Hudson is averaging a team-leading 16.9 points per game and is also among the leaders in rebounding (5.1), assists (2.9) and steals (2.3). Ivy averages 13.5 points per game and leads the Saluqis in rebounding (6.2) and steals (2.8). Trezevant High School product Anthony Pigram, an early signee with Tennessee State University, is averaging 14.6 points per game, and leads Southwest in free throw percentage (.882) and three-point field goals made (60). Other local players on the Saluqis’ roster are Tim Bates (West Memphis High School), Donald Boone (Hamilton High School), Kevion Hardaway (Booker T. Washington High School), Mark Hudson (Kirby High School), Maurice Mickens (Middle College High School), and Nathan Walton (Westwood High School).

For the Southwest women, Kirby High School grad Porshia Willis is averaging 9.7 points per game and leads the team with 98 assists. Other players for the Lady Saluqis with local ties are sophomore Priscilla Campbell (Carver High School), and freshmen Gina High (Bartlett High School), Shamika Hines (Treadwell High School), Jasmine Massey (Booker T. Washington High School), Michelle Malone (Millington Central High School), Tameka Wooten (Cordova High School).

Other men’s players in the TJCCAA from the area are Dyersburg State’s Jeremy Barbee (Covington High School), Thurmon Denton (Central High School), Brian Johnson (Munford High School), Dakarai Turner (Germantown High School), Rennard Watkins (Cordova High School) and Vernon Woods (Rossville Academy), Hiwassee College’s DeCarlos Sanders (Westside High School), Jackson State’s Reginald Owens (Fairley High School) and Carlton Peete (Raleigh-Egypt High School), Motlow State’s Joshua Stafford (Sheffield High School) and Kevin Rhyne (Rossville Academy), Volunteer State’s Jarrett Curry (Raleigh-Egypt High School), Chris Hill (Craigmont High School), Brandon Hopson (Craigmont High School), Mario Lucchesi (Elliston Baptist Academy) and Demario Chaffin (Melrose High School), and Walters State’s Darren Green (Kirby High School) and Rodney Tate (Wooddale High School).

Other local women’s players participating in the tournament are Chattanooga State’s Cheron Jenkins (Craigmont High School), Jackson State’s Ciera Boyce (Brighton High School), Meredith Deberry (East High School) and Nikki Chumley (Covington High School), Volunteer State’s Jessica Henderson (Kingsbury High School), Jermeelah Chambers (Trezevant High School) and Samantha Stewart (Hamilton High School), and Walters State’s Carol Martin (East High School) and Jennifer Walker (Hamilton High School).