BOGUE CHITTO – Christi Terrell doesn’t hide her love for the game of basketball behind a stoic face. She is animated on the sidelines, providing plenty of enthusiastic encouragement to her players.

Her latest Bogue Chitto edition finished 27-8, advancing to the Class 1A State Tournament at Jackson’s Mississippi Coliseum. The 50-year-old facility also is known as The Big House; a Mecca for high school basketball teams from across the Magnolia State.

Terrell’s accomplishments have earned her The DAILY LEADER’s 2013 All-Lincoln County Girls Basketball Coach of the Year recognition.

Terrell, in her ninth year coaching her alma mater, directed the Lady Cats to a third consecutive appearance in the Big House.

Terrell, 31, has won over 200 games at Bogue Chitto. Her team finished 27-8 this season. She has an overall record of 205 wins and 71 losses in nine seasons at Bogue Chitto.

“We had our Cinderella story last year,” Terrell recalled. “This time we set higher goals than what we would have. It was expected for us to make it back to the Big House.

“The pressure was there,” Terrell pointed out. “Our girls did an excellent job playing. We got in some do-or-die (playoff) situations because only two teams go to state.”

After a runners-up finish to Region 7-1A rival Hinds AHS, the formidable H.W. Byers basketball machine was awaiting them in Jackson’s Mississippi Coliseum. Byers captured its third straight state title two weeks ago. Byers was promoted to Class 2A for at least the next two years.

“Unfortunately, we met Byers again,” said Terrell. “They are definitely the best in 1A; probably 2A and 3A, too.”

The Lady Cats’ only loss to a 1A school was 4 times to Hinds AHS before encountering Byers again.. They also lost to Brookhaven twice and once to Magee, Class 5A and 4A schools.

“You have to have a love for the game; a passion for it,” said Terrell. “Obviously, the girls see how much you love it. We become a tight family.”

This season Terrell had three seniors on the squad, two of them starters: guards Adrienne Wallace, Rheagan Welch and Lauren Wallace. She has a talented group of players returning: Mattie Avants, Earlneshia Dillon, Marshonique Blackwell, Zoriah Matthews and Christian Black.

“It’s always sad when you lose those seniors,” said Terrell, “but you expect younger players to step up. The girls have bought into the Bogue Chitto tradition. Losing is not an option.”

She graduated from Southern Miss with a degree in accounting. “I decided I didn’t want to be cooped up in an office all day. The Bogue Chitto job came open. This is one of those things that God just worked out for me.”

She teaches health, family dynamics and resource management at Bogue Chitto. She’s married to Chris Terrell, a local automobile sales manager who was a standout basketball player at Brookhaven, earning All-Star honors. He also coached the Bogue Chitto boys for a few years, winning a South State title in 1997.

They have a 7-year-old son, Colby, who is BC’s water boy. “Colby’s very supportive, the older he gets,” said Terrell.

Her father-in-law, Gabe Terrell, also coached at Bogue Chitto and Brookhaven. He did well at BHS, leading the Lady Panthers to the state tournament in the mid 1980s, led by 6-foot standouts Ann Sanders and Annette Jackson, who later played for Mississippi State and LSU respectively.

Terrell said she receives plenty of spousal and in-law suggestions during the season. “Having both of them coach, it’s fun talking and comparing,” said Terrell. “They have plenty of advice. My husband knows there’s a time to talk and a time to listen.”

She graduated from Bogue Chitto in 1999. She played for Coach Mickey Myers at BC. The Lady Cats placed second at state her ninth grade season. They made it back to the state tournament her sophomore and junior years. Much to Terrell’s chagrin, she suffered torn ACLs in both knees in consecutive seasons.

She played basketball and softball for Coach Gwyn Young at Copiah-Lincoln Community College.

Terrell said she was thankful for the enthusiastic support she and her players receive from the area. “We always have lots of community support. Our administration supports us, too.”

Myers, now serving as Bogue Chitto’s principal, joins Terrell on the bench when the playoffs begin. An extra pair of eyes, not to mention his vast coaching knowledge, is invaluable.

“It’s fun remembering when Mr. Myers coached me,” said Terrell. “There’s an advantage to having someone else on the bench when you get to the playoffs. He can see things you might miss. He’s a right-hand man.”

The Lady Cats will have a new gym to play their games in next season, replacing the 60-year-old facility known as R.L. “Bob” Calhoun Gymnasium.

“It’s bitter-sweet,” said Terrell. “All those memories. We will make new memories in the new facility.”

Terrell’s Lady Cats should be title contenders again. That means more pleasant memories for the future BC teams.