Articles by Adam Minichino
Nichols’ triple-doubles power Hebron Christian
PHEBA — Push, pull, prod, bump, elbow.
You name it, Hebron Christian senior center Tori Nichols has felt it from opponents. You can’t blame them, really, because Nichols has been so dominant that two and three players often have trouble slowing her down so they have to resort to any means necessary to gain a stalemate or an advantage.
Kentucky routs MSU to claim SEC regular-season title
STARKVILLE — Sunday was the right time and Humphrey Coliseum was the right place for the University of Kentucky women’s basketball team.
Right now, the Wildcats are the Southeastern Conference regular-season champions.
UK coach Mitchell: MSU can compete in women’s hoops
The University of Kentucky has an edge in brand recognition on nearly every basketball program in the nation.
Even with that advantage, it took Matthew Mitchell three seasons before he could get the school’s women’s basketball team back to the 20-win mark and earn a trip to the NCAA tournament.
Experienced final punch for SA girls
Forget 5-hour Energy.
If you ever need a pick-me-up, try watching tapes of basketball teams scrambling all over the court in pressure defenses because they’re bound to get your blood pumping.
After playing more than 24 minutes of face-contorting, rim-busting basketball, the Starkville Academy girls basketball team turned to pressure defense Friday afternoon in a last-ditch effort to keep its hope for a Class AAA state title alive.
Starkville Academy girls beat Jackson Academy to reach AAA title game
PELAHATCHIE — The Starkville Academy girls basketball team defeated Jackson Academy 34-30 on Friday in the semifinals of the Mississippi Association of Independent Schools Class AAA state tournament at East Rankin Academy.
James playing bigger role for MSU women
STARKVILLE — Jerica James has had her share of auditions this season.
Some have been cameos — one-minute appearances in which she has entered a game to give a teammate a break — while others have stretched into double digits, including a performance in an overtime victory against the University of Mississippi.
MSU will face challenge finding new women’s basketball coach
Van Chancellor understands the challenge that awaits the next Mississippi State University women’s basketball coach.
Little, Richardson provide thunder, lightning for Starkville Academy
Inside out or outside in.
Either way you diagram it, Anna Lea Little and Sallie Kate Richardson can make you pay. Their play is part of the reason the Starkville Academy girls basketball has forced the school to clear space in its trophy case.
MSU women’s basketball coach Fanning-Otis announces retirement
Sharon Fanning-Otis always thought she would retire in her mid-50s.
As one season turned into another and she slowly approached her 60th birthday, Fanning-Otis realized there probably never was going to be a perfect time to step away from the game she loved.
On Monday, Fanning-Otis made a decision that has been years in the making when she announced she will retire as Mississippi State University’s women’s basketball coach at the end of this season.
Ellis’ aggressiveness sparks Oak Hill Academy girls
WEST POINT — Tori Ellis isn’t the loudest person on the Oak Hill Academy girls basketball team.
The multi-sport standout also isn’t the most aggressive player on the squad.
But the senior guard understands the urgency or her final prep basketball season and how her teammates look to her to set the tone.
MSU women look for more positive results
STARKVILLE — Another loss, another positive comment for the Mississippi State women’s basketball team.
Unfortunately, the comments the Lady Bulldogs are earning won’t improve their record or they chances to keep their season alive after the Southeastern Conference tournament.
MSU (14-12, 4-9 SEC) will try to rectify that problem at 2 p.m. today when it plays the University of Arkansas (19-6, 8-5) at Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville, Ark.
Defense provides spark for Starkville Academy in title win
Don’t lose focus if Tiffany Huddleston is guarding you.
If you look away or leave the ball unprotected for an instant, the Starkville Academy junior is liable to poke it away and race to the other end and score.
Few athletes can do that on the soccer field and on the basketball court.
But Huddleston’s ability to round back into All-State form is just another reason why the Starkville Academy girls basketball team can say today it is a champion.
Starkville Academy Lady Vols run past Hillcrest
Perfection would be an assist on every basket.
Glenn Schmidt has been coaching long enough to know that’s probably not going to happen, but that hasn’t stopped the Starkville Academy girls basketball team from insisting her players look to make one more pass.
Offensive shortage for MSU in loss to Tennessee
STARKVILLE — The color orange doesn’t faze Kendra Grant.
That’s the good news, especially considering Grant is a freshman at Mississippi State University and has plenty of matchups remaining against the University of Tennessee women’s basketball team.
The bad news is Grant’s hard work Thursday night couldn’t end a streak that dates back to before she was born.
Columbus girls ready to take next step
The next step is finally here.
Kierra Erby vividly remembers the emotions she and her Columbus High School girls basketball teammates felt last season when their season ended with a loss to Northwest Rankin in the Class 6A North State tournament.
Erby and the Lady Falcons don’t want their to be any crying tonight.
Dickey helps Heritage Academy boys advance
Brad Dickey was going to do everything he could to help extend the season for the Heritage Academy boys basketball team.
Dickey would have preferred to have played an inside-outside game with center Bobby McGrath against Copiah Academy on Wednesday night, but the senior guard showed he can adapt to changing situations.
With McGrath saddled with foul trouble, Dickey scored 14 points in the first half to help the Patriots build what appeared to be a safe, double-digit lead.
Burney’s glue helps keep Starkville Academy girls together
There are scorers and shooters.
There are defensive stoppers and rebounders.
Then there is the glue.
Good teams can win with some of those ingredients, but championship squads need some glue.
April Burney enjoys playing multiple jobs for the Starkville Academy girls basketball team.
Tennessee’s Summitt has set standard in sport
There aren’t many coaches who know winning like Pat Summitt.
In the rarefied air of all-time wins (men’s and women’s), the University of Tennessee coach leads the pack with more than 1,089 victories, and is followed by Duke University men’s coach Mike Krzyzewski, former Indiana University and Texas Tech coach Bobby Knight, and former University of Texas women’s coach Jody Conradt.
Crawford’s free throw lifts West Lowndes
Cody Crawford wanted the ball in his hands.
One game after being the focus of attention in a box-and-one defense, the West Lowndes High School standout relished an opportunity with 1.2 seconds remaining in regulation to win a game.
Crawford just didn’t know he would get that chance at the free-throw line a little more than a second later.
