TJC shooting guard Brittny Norris leaves Coastal Bend College defender Jasmine Gomez behind near the baseline during a Wednesday evening matchu at Wagstaff Gymnasium. (Victor Texcucano/Staff)

Both Tyler Junior College teams used smothering defenses to register Region XIV basketball wins Wednesday at Wagstaff Gymnasium.

In the first game, the Apache Ladies, ranked No. 12 in the land, used a clamp-down press to score a 106-51 victory over Coastal Bend.

In Game 2, the Apaches had six consecutive stops in the latter portion of the second half and Dale Jones had 16 rebounds to hold off the Paris Dragons, 68-63.

Both Tyler teams travel to Carthage on Saturday to meet Panola College. The games will be held at Carthage High School as Panola is renovating its athletic facilities. The women play at 2 p.m., followed by the men.

 

Women

Brittny Norris scored 12 of the Apache Ladies (23-3, 14-3 Region XIV) first 16 points and the suffocating defense continued throughout against the overmatched Lady Cougars (3-23, 0-17).

Norris, who hit for 17 points, was one of six Apache Ladies to finish with double figures. Taudenciah Oluoch led the way with 18 points. Others were Princess Cole (15), Jade Jones (11), Victoria Kemokai (10) and Sandy Jackson (10).

Chelsea Foster led Coastal Bend, which is located in Beeville, with 12 points.

Tyler led by as much as 56 points, 104-48, when Jones hit a bucket on a pass from Cole with 54 seconds remaining.

TJC coach Trenia Tillis-Jones was happy all of her players got considerable playing time, plus all scored.

“From a game like this we get to play players who have been sitting on the bench,” Tillis-Jones said.

Tillis-Jones was especially pleased with freshman Oluoch’s performance.

“She stepped up her game tonight,” Tillis-Jones said of the freshman from Nairobi, Kenya. “She had been getting better every game, but she had a horrible game against Trinity Valley (Saturday). After that performance she has been hitting the gym and it showed tonight.”

 

Men

The Apaches jumped out to a quick 11-point lead in the first half, but the Dragons gradually fought back and even took a 41-38 lead after outscoring TJC 9-2 to begin the second half.

But once they fell behind, the Apaches (19-8, 9-8) went on a 9-0 run that begin with back-to-back 3s from Dale Jones and Darryl Stewart.

The game stayed close and Paris (13-13, 4-12) pulled within 56-53 on a basket by Brandon Scott with 5:47 to go.

After Tyler Miller hit a free throw for Tyler, the Apaches led 57-53 and TJC coach Mike Marquis encouraged his squad to make “two stops.”

The Apaches listened to their coach and then some as they made six consecutive defensive stops to take a 62-53 advantage with 1:30 to go.

“We were trading baskets for so long and I thought two stops in a row with our scoring would take it from four to six to nine,” Marquis said.

Marquis added, “Four turnovers in the second half was really the key. We passed the ball extremely well and got to the rim a couple of times. And we rebounded extremely well, there were not many offensive rebounds by them.”

Faith Pope led the Apaches with 16 points, followed by Miller (13), Jones (12) and Dominique Shaw (12).

With the game tight in the second half, Shaw took over point guard duties and directed the Apaches to the win.

Along with Jones’ 16 boards, Ikenna Okwarabizie had seven rebounds, while Pope had seven rebounds and three blocks. Miller had five boards and two blocks.

TJC was 6 of 13 from 3-point land, while PJC was 8 of 27.

Scott led the Dragons with 18 points, while Qua Doster had 16.

SMOKE SIGNALS: The TJC baseball team lost its first game of the season, 6-0, on Wednesday against Brookhaven College in Farmers Branch. The Apaches, ranked No. 1 in NJCAA Division III with an 8-1 record, host Vernon College today and Friday at Mike Carter Field. Today’s single game is set for 6 p.m. On Friday, the first game of the doubleheader is scheduled to begin at noon. … The No. 2-ranked Trinity Valley Community College Lady Cardinals saw their 70-game conference winning streak halted on Wednesday when Angelina scored a 64-62 victory in Lufkin.

— Follow Phil Hicks on Twitter @PhilHicksETFS

 

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Region XIV Basketball

Women

No. 12 Tyler 106,

Coastal Bend 51

COASTAL BEND — Krystal Cuellar, 1; Briana Davila, 0; Chelsea Foster, 12; Grace Riley, 3; Zandra Emanuel, 8; Desiree Garza, 7; Dezarai Spencer, 5; Krystal Yanez, 0; Jasmine Gomez, 6; An’Jonae Woodson, 9.

TYLER — Jade Jones, 11; Alexundria Sims, 7; Victoria Kemokai, 10; Erica Carson, 5; Taudenciah Oluoch, 18; Amber Driver, 6; Princess Cole, 15; Brittny Norris, 17; Jasmine Prophet, 3; Sandy Jackson, 10; Chelsie Watson, 4.

THREE POINT GOALS — CB: Garza, Gomez (2). TJC: Kemokai, Cole (2), Norris (3).

HALFTIME SCORE — Tyler 52-27.

RECORDS — Coastal Bend 3-23 (0-17), Tyler 23-3 (14-3).

NEXT UP — Jacksonville at Coastal Bend, 2 p.m. Saturday; Tyler at Panola, 2 p.m. Saturday.

 

Men

Tyler 68, Paris 63,

PARIS — Brandon Hollins, 9; Kalyl McGuire, 0; Henoc Bienne, 7; Brandon Scott, 18; Keith Shivers, 2; Xavier Dupree, 7; Kenyatta Singleton, 0; Joe Haynes, 0; Qua Doster, 16; Bradley Christian, 4; Marqueith Russell, 0.

TYLER — Levi Yancy, 3; Dominique Shaw, 12; Stephen Taylor, 0; Faith Pope, 16; Ronnie Stacy, 0; Darryl Stewart, 8; Tyler Miller, 13; Dale Jones, 12; Ikenna Okwarabizie, 4.

THREE POINT GOALS — PJC: Hollins, Bienne, Scott (2), Doster (4). TJC: Pope (2), Stewart (2), Jones (2).

HALFTIME SCORE — Tyler 36-32.

RECORDS — Paris 13-13 (4-12), Tyler 19-8 (9-8).

NEXT UP — Navarro at Paris, 4 p.m. Saturday; Tyler at Panola, 4 p.m. Saturday.