Wilbert likes Lady Wolves
Published 6:00 am Tuesday, February 3, 2009
WESSON – Co-Lin sophomore playmaker TeAirra Wilbert likes herteam. She has helped guide the Lady Wolves to a 19-1 record and No.8 ranking in the NJCAA National Basketball Poll.
Wilbert, a 5-6 Hazlehurst product, collected 10 points, 4assists and 4 steals in Co-Lin’s 61-43 Monday night romp past theSouthwest Mississippi Community College Lady Bears in MullenGymnasium. Co-Lin remains unbeaten in 8 South Division games.
Asked about her team, Wilbert said, “We play hard and we play asa team. We feed off of each other. We have talent and everybodygives a good effort.”
Co-Lin only had 4 points and a 4-4 scoreboard deadlock withSouthwest 4 minutes into the game. The Lady Wolves began findingthe range and led 20-11 8 minutes later on a short jumper by ShastaPorter.
Offensively, Co-Lin got a big boost from Rachel Vigers, a gifted5-9 sophomore guard from Baton Rouge. She finished with a game-high20 points.
“Rachel is an inspiration to all of us because she plays sohard,” said Wilbert.
Wilbert’s steal cashed in for a layup gave Co-Lin a 20-pointspread at 50-30, with 7:53 left to play. She soon made a steal anda crisp pass to Vigers who netted layup for a 54-30 lead.
On the backboards, 6-1 sophomore Yashunda Williams of Hazlehurstgrabbed 10 rebounds for Co-Lin. Shareka Hunt had 6 rebounds.
Co-Lin women’s coach Gwyn Young gazed at his team’s statisticsand made his comments. “Offensively, we were really off pretty bad.We looked lost and a little tired. We have a couple of players whohave been sick.”
Co-Lin shot a cold 37 percent from the field and Southwest wascolder, hitting 31 percent.
On the bright side, Young said, “Rachel was feeling bad but shestill managed to get 20 and our bench did a good job. TeAirrareally helped us on defense.”
Southwest (9-8, 2-5) got a team-high 12 points and 11 reboundsfrom Octavia Bearden, a 5-11 freshman from Tylertown.
“We made too many turnovers (24),” said Southwest coach MarkSwindle. “We guarded pretty good the first half but we only had 20points.
“Co-Lin is tall and strong and they play good defense,” Swindleadded. “If we had been better on offense, it would have beencloser.”
Co-Lin hosts Jones County Thursday night at 6 p.m. and Southwestentertains East Central for South Division action.