'Fun times' as Eastern heads to national tournament
By Derek Hatridge
McAlester News-Capital
Al Davis juggled a lot after winning the regional championship — finished paperwork, answered texts and calls, and coordinated COVID-19 tests.
But the Eastern Oklahoma State College coach smiled and said it was fun being so busy before taking the program to the NJCAA women's basketball national tournament for the first time in 20 years.
"Fun times, is all I can say. Fun times," Davis said.
Eastern (18-4) finished as Region II Conference season co-champions and won the Region II tournament with a 77-70 win over Seminole State on April 10 — program firsts since 2000 and 2001, respectively.
Now, EOSC is opening the NJCAA National Tournament at noon Monday at the Rip Griffin Center in Lubbock, Texas, against Three Rivers Community College (21-0) from Poplar Bluff, Missouri.
Davis said film on Three Rivers shows similarities to his team.
He said both teams are athletic with good guards, and Three Rivers plays presses on defense with a half-court zone that Eastern has seen this year. Both teams feature high-scoring offenses — with Eastern leading the nation with 86.3 points per game, and the Raiders at third with 85.5 points per game.
"They're kind of similar to us. They're third in the nation in scoring, and we're first," Davis said. "So it'll hopefully be a fast-paced game."
Five Three Rivers players average double figures, with Chaylea Mosby at 14.7 points per game, followed by Myia Yelder with 14.4 points, Karlee Holland at 12.7 points, Hya Hawood with 11.7 points, and Autumn Dodd at 10.6 points per game.
Mosby is also eighth in the nation for three-point shots, sinking 65 out of 159 attempts — while also being named as the MVP for Region XVI.
"They're very athletic," Davis said. "They've got some very good guards, some athletic posts as well."
To help prepare for the tournament, Davis said the Lady Mountaineers have spent the week honing individual portions of their game like three-pointers, jump shots, and a lot of skill work, preparing for the type of play they'll need to be successful against Three Rivers.
Eastern is the nation's top scoring machine, with Brayanna Polk leading the way with 14.7 points per game, closely followed by Tijanae Simmons with 14.4 points, Shanequa Henry with 12.9 points, and Tilan Nolan averaging 11 points per game.
Henry was also named as the Region II MVP, with Nolan and Jaylann Myles being named to the all-tournament team.
Davis applauded his team's efforts through historic winter storms and the COVID-19 pandemic.
"It's been a lonely year," Davis said. "Practices have been tough, some practices have been really tough. But they have stuck together through everything. So I can't be more proud of them for that."
Eastern still faces COVID-19 protocols such as testing and a bubble environment. Still, Davis is excited for this opportunity to bring southeast Oklahoma to the national stage.
"We appreciate the support we've been given all season," Davis said. "I think Monday will be a great game for people to tune in and watch, and hopefully we can win that game and advance on to the next round."
