SCOOBA — Ki-Ki Patterson always has enjoyed playing basketball.
However, the East Mississippi Community College sophomore and former Columbus High standout is more excited about this season than previous years because she is finally moving back home.
“I am back at the (two-guard position),” Patterson said. “Some of the pressure is off now. I can relax and go back to playing basketball at my natural position, so I am really excited and ready to get things started.”
Patterson and the Lady Lions will open the season Monday when they play host to Talladega College.
Former Mississippi State standout Sharon Thompson begins her 11th season as EMCC’s coach. Her biggest offseason pickup didn’t come from getting a home-grown signee or a local transfer, such as Patterson who came to EMCC from MSU a season ago.
Instead, the newest Lady Lion is Tianna Germain, a point guard transfer from Kennesaw State. Germain averaged 4.8 minutes and appeared in 16 games last season for the Owls.
“Tianna has a chance to be a really special player,” Thompson said. “She can simply get up and go. As a point guard, you have to be able to lead everybody on the floor. Tianna has the ability to do that. Even though she is new to us, she has stepped in and become a leader.”
Last season, EMCC (12-12) was full of youth. Thompson said the squad experienced growing pains and got “whipped a lot.”
“We knew we had some pieces,” Thompson said. “The only goal we set was to make the playoffs. That is something we wanted to do because we knew we had some talented players. With a young team, you just have to keep them grounded. It’s hard to make that jump from high school ball to junior college ball.
“You really don’t want that large a group having to make the jump at the same time. However, that was our situation.”
Patterson admits she also had things to learn after everything came so easily at Columbus. During her time with the Lady Falcons, Patterson earned All-State accolades and led the squad to the Mississippi High School Activities Association North State semifinals three-straight seasons.
“Anytime you are in a new environment, you have new feelings and new experiences,” Patterson said. “I was used to the point from high school, but the game here was moving at a quicker pace. I think we all had to learn together. The best thing about the team is we didn’t get discouraged. We just kept working hard.
“Coach told us no matter how bad it gets (to start the season) we would find a way to persevere and battle through. I think it was her confidence in us that made us get better in a hurry. We came out worked hard every day and just made sure we weren’t giving up.”
EMCC won the final three games it played in 2014 before rallying down the stretch in 2015. The Lady Lions finished 7-5 in the Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges North Division standings to earn a playoff berth. Thompson has led EMCC to three North Division titles.
A North Division title would carry even more significance this season since the women’s champion from that side of the ledger will earn the right to play host to the MACJC state tournament.
“We feel like we have a team capable of competing for the North Division crown,” Thompson said. “You have to have a couple of electric players, but you also have to balance. You have to have that sixth person. You have to have that role player who gets the key rebound. We like what we are working with the direction we are headed.
“The team with more sophomores and more experience is in a better position. That is us this year.”
Patterson averaged a team-best 14.0 points and added 3.3 rebounds and 1.7 assists last season to earn first-team MACJC All-State honors from the league’s coaches. She said her chemistry with Germain was instant from day one and will be a key to the team’s success.
“(Tianna) can make things go,” Patterson said. “Everything she does is right. She knows what the team needs and when they need it. I think we will work together well and create some magic from the backcourt.”
EMCC also will get a huge lift from the availability of Coco Hobson, who went to Brandon High and is transferring from Kennesaw State. Hobson won’t be eligible to play until the second semester. At Brandon High, Hobson averaged 16 points per game as a senior.
Former Nettleton High standout guard Camry Jones is EMCC’s other returning starter. Former Brandon High standout Cam Campbell is projected to start at forward. Freshman Quantesha Patterson, a former standout at East Webster High, is the projected starter at center.
Thompson hopes the Lady Lions will be able to build chemistry before MACJC North Division play starts Dec. 3 against Northeast Mississippi C.C. in Scooba.
“We will again be up-tempo and try to force the issue,” Thompson said. “We have some great offensive players. We won’t sacrifice defense. We never will. However, we are going to get out and go. We were one of the top teams in transition points a year ago, and we look for that trend to continue.”
Patterson is excited about the team’s potential. She hopes a special sophomore season will help her build to a move to a senior college.
“This team has a chance to be really special,” Patterson said. “I like our attitude and our comfort level with one another. We didn’t want to stop playing last season because we got a lot better at the end. Now we have to go out, play ball, and make that continue.”
Follow Dispatch sports writer Scott Walters on Twitter @dispatchscott
Scott was sports editor for The Dispatch.
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