Mokango demonstrates toughness for Lady Bulldogs

PITTSBURGH — Chanel Mokango is probably tired of hearing the word toughness.

For two years, Mississippi State women’s basketball coaches have begged, prodded and pleaded with Mokango to play like the dominant post player they believed she could be.

On Sunday, Mokango delivered the toughest effort of her MSU career.

Journey nears end for MSU players from Congo

STARKVILLE — Growing up is part of the college experience.

From meeting new people, being exposed to different ideas, and acquiring a liberating sense of freedom, attending a college or a university often helps young men and women set the course for the rest of their lives.

But imagine going through that maturation process without family members nearby.

For the past four years, Rima Kalonda, Armelie Lumanu, and Chanel Mokango have armed themselves with cell phones and hours worth of calling cards and have done their best to share their journey with their family.

Burt, Osterman familiar with recruiting foreign players

Dan Burt and Jeff Osterman know all about the intricacies of recruiting women’s basketball players.

But recruiting players in the United States is one thing. Building relationships with players from foreign countries is even more challenging.

That’s why Burt, an assistant coach at Duquesne University, and Osterman, associate head coach at the University of South Florida, are ideal men to offer perspective on what it is like to recruit players from foreign lands.

Middle Tennessee noted for its defensive pressure, shooting

Rick Insell isn’t coy.

He knows his team’s strengths and that his team will try to press opponents on one end and light them up with a 3-point barrage on the other.

Oh, senior forward Alysha Clark, the nation’s leading scorer, probably will score a few points, too.

Now that everyone knows his team’s strategy for its game at 1:30 p.m. Sunday against seventh-seeded Mississippi State (19-12) in the first round of the NCAA tournament, the Middle Tennessee State coach won’t change a thing.

MTSU’s Clark will present challenge for MSU

Alysha Clark realized early on she wasn’t going to have the size to be a dominant post player.

As someone who came to basketball at a relatively late age, Clark also understood she needed to master the “little things” if she was going to have success in the paint.

Those realizations and a fierce work ethic have helped make the 5-foot-10 Clark one of the nation’s best players.

MSU women will play MTSU in NCAAs

STARKVILLE — The sigh heard in the Templeton Athletic Academic Center at 6:44 p.m. Monday filled the room.

It’s not that the Mississippi State women’s basketball team doubted it would be one of the 64 schools to see its name on ESPN, but the suspense made things interesting.

Carter has steady hand for SHS

STARKVILLE — Greg Carter doesn’t rant and rave on the sidelines.

The Starkville High School boys basketball coach prefers to stay in his seat and watch as the Yellow Jackets execute the game plan.

But Carter by no means is tied to his seat.

In fact, the veteran coach is quick to get out of his seat and to correct something when he sees a mistake.

Fanning-Otis expects MSU to get NCAA bid

Sharon Fanning-Otis is more anxious than nervous today.

The veteran Mississippi State women’s basketball coach feels confident her team will be one of 64 announced at 6 p.m. today (ESPN) when the 64-team NCAA tournament field is announced.

But Fanning-Otis has been coaching long enough to know nothing is guaranteed.

And while people have told Fanning-Otis the Lady Bulldogs likely will be anywhere from a No. 7 seed to a No. 10 seed, she is eager to find out who her team will play and where it will go.

EMCC reaches ultimate destination

Mark White believed.

The East Mississippi Community College men’s basketball team had completed its preseason preparations for the 2009-10 season and the Lions were ready to discuss their goals.

The list was packed with title chances.

As White examined an itinerary that included winning a MACJC North Division title, a state and a regional title and then a national championship, he knew the Lions had it in them to accomplish each one.

New Hope’s Hawkins no-hits Columbus

Thankfully, Lee Boyd didn’t have to choose.

Too many times, teams deliver one part of the equation, leaving coaches to hope for a player or another element to provide a spark.

Dillon Hawkins made sure Boyd knew right away what he was getting.

The junior right-hander threw a five-inning no-hitter and received the backing of an 11-hit attack Tuesday night to lead the New Hope High School baseball team to a 13-0 victory against Columbus. The game was stopped after five innings due to the 10-run mercy rule.

MSU doesn’t have second-half answer

DULUTH, Ga. — The Mississippi State women’s basketball team took the first punch.

The Lady Bulldogs handled the second and third blows, and even dished out a few.

But when it came time to weather the barrage of round-house haymakers they knew were going to come in the second half, MSU didn’t have an answer.

Smith re-focuses to lead Kentucky past MSU

DULUTH, Ga. — Pressure defense can make a game crazy.

University of Kentucky women’s basketball coach Matthew Mitchell doesn’t mind when things get crazy because that means his Wildcats are playing with energy and forcing mistakes.

But sometimes a helter skelter pace can affect the wrong player.

In the first 20 minutes Saturday, Mississippi State proved to be even better at forcing turnovers, as Kentucky committed 14 to MSU’s 13.

MSU women look to live up to seeding

The time is now for the Mississippi State women’s basketball team.

The Lady Bulldogs have had four days to regroup and to reflect on a disappointing loss at LSU.

Fortunately, the other results Sunday in the Southeastern Conference worked in MSU’s favor and allowed the Lady Bulldogs to earn a No. 3 seed, the highest in program history, and a first-round bye for the SEC Tournament.

At 8 tonight, MSU (18-11) will get a chance to live up to that lofty seeding when it takes on sixth-seeded Georgia at The Arena at Gwinnett Center.

Clark leads Heritage to win

The teaching will continue all season for Steve Hancock and Marion Bratton.

Like all baseball coaches, Hancock and Bratton offer instruction, pointers, and guidance to their players.

This season, though, with two of the youngest teams in the area, both coaches will dip deeper into their baseball knowledge.

On Thursday night, Hancock’s Heritage Academy Patriots showed they are a little more advanced at this point in the season than Bratton’s Oak Hill Academy Raiders.

Three MSU women’s players earn SEC honors

The Mississippi State women’s basketball team made history Tuesday.

Seniors Alexis Rack and Armelie Lumanu were named to the first and second All-SEC teams, respectively, while Lumanu was named the SEC Defensive Player of the Year.

Lumanu and classmate Chanel Mokango also were named to the All-SEC Defensive Team for the second consecutive season.

SEC women’s schedule affects seedings for tournament

Van Chancellor was only half right.

The LSU women’s basketball coach was asked in October at Southeastern Conference Media Day his thoughts about how the SEC race would shape up.

MSU’s Grimes returns home for LSU game

STARKVILLE — Tysheka Grimes hopes she will be able to make her homecoming special for the Mississippi State women’s basketball team.

Grimes, who is from Baton Rouge, La., will lead the Lady Bulldogs against LSU at 2 p.m. today in the Southeastern Conference regular-season finale for both teams.

The game is one of a handful of SEC matchups that will set the pairings for the SEC Tournament on March 4-7 in Duluth, Ga.

Columbus beats Caledonia for first win of season

Down 0-2 in the count, Christian Dale didn’t have any wiggle room.

With the suicide squeeze bunt on and a pitch coming high and tight, Avery Ford had little margin for error.

On both occasions, the Falcons executed. As a result, the Columbus High School baseball team found the sparks it needed to earn its first victory of the season.

Dale’s two-run single and Ford’s successful bunt were part of a five-run fifth inning Saturday that helped Columbus rally for a 12-6 victory against Caledonia in the final game of the Columbus Classic at Columbus High’s Sammy Fletcher Field.

Both plays were crucial parts of a four-hit inning that helped the Falcons (1-1) erase a 6-5 deficit and rebound from a 6-2 loss to Shannon on Friday night.

West Point looks to refocus after loss to Alcorn Central

The West Point High School baseball team has only played two games, but coach Buddy Wyers already knows one thing that could be a key element to any success the team has this season.

The ability of West Point to develop a short-term memory and play consistently crystallized for Wyers on Saturday as he watched his team commit six errors and strike out 13 times in a 10-5 loss to Alcorn Central in the Columbus Classic at Columbus High.

“We struggled offensively,” Wyers said. “We had a couple of hits that were key hits, but we have way too many guys who can run to be standing up there striking out. You put the ball in play and you make them get you out.”

The loss came on the heels of a 5-0 victory against Shannon on Friday in which Damichael Brown delivered a strong starting effort on the mound in the season opener.

Amory spoils Boyd’s debut as New Hope’s coach

Chad Williams was wearing his hat out.

A tug here. another tug there. Soon the hat was off the Amory High School baseball coach’s head.

It didn’t take long for Williams to start jawing with his players and pacing the dugout like he was West Lauderdale coach Jerry Boatner.

Williams couldn’t help but think back to last season when New Hope capped a five-run rally in the bottom of the seventh inning with a bases-loaded walk to beat Amory 12-11.