Lady Wolves pile up postseason honors
Published 12:50 pm Friday, March 20, 2015
WESSON – An outstanding season for the Copiah-Lincoln Lady Wolves on the basketball court has led to individual honors for three of the team’s top performers from the 2014-2015 season. The Lady Wolves (27-1) finished first in their division, went undefeated through the regular season, won the 2015 MACJC State Tournament, and were ranked No. 16 in the final NJCAA regular season poll.
Sophomore guard Claresa Banks has been named National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) All-Region 23. Banks, a Forest Hill High School product, led Co-Lin in scoring for the entire season until going down with a season ending knee injury against Meridian in the second to last regular season game. She finished the season averaging 12.8 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 2.6 steals, and 1.5 blocks per game. This was the second consecutive season for Banks to be named All-Region after receiving the honor as a freshman. As a freshman Banks led Co-Lin in points, rebounds, steals, and blocks per game. Banks was also named Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges (MACJC) First Team All-State. It was also the second straight year for her to receive this honor as well.
Freshman point guard Alexis Collins has been named MACJC First Team All-State. Collins, a Forest Hill alum, averaged 12.4 points, 3.7 assists, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.1 steals per game. Collins was perhaps her best late in the season when her backcourt mate Banks went down. Collins averaged 19 points per game over the final seven games of the season. Collins was also named to the NJCAA Region 23 All-Tournament team after scoring 18 points in a win over Holmes and 13 points in a semifinal loss to Itawamba.
Freshman forward Kelley Allen has been named MACJC Second Team All-State. Allen averaged 10.5 points, 7.1 rebounds, 1.3 steals, and 1.3 blocks per game while coming off the bench in 20 of 28 games for Co-Lin. Allen, a product of Puckett Attendance Center, posted six double doubles in her first season in Wesson and will be one of the returning post players in the state as a sophomore.