No. 17 TJC Apache Ladies stun No. 2 Trinity Valley in Athens, 67-52
ATHENS — Felmas Koranga had another double-double and the Apache Ladies scored the final 11 points of the game to stun No. 2 and previously unbeaten Trinity Valley 67-52 on Wednesday on Leon Spencer Court at Cardinal Gym.
"It is a great day to be an Apache," Tyler Junior College coach Trenia Tillis Hoard said. "This is a huge win for our program."
TJC, ranked No. 17, improves to 16-3 overall and 7-1 in Region XIV women's basketball. TVCC falls to 17-1 and 7-1.
Koranga, a 6-1 freshman from Rift Valley, Kenya, continued her outstanding play with 19 points, 12 rebounds and five blocked shots. She also scored nine points in the crucial fourth period in which the Apache Ladies outscored the Lady Cardinals 24-12 in the final quarter.
Te'Aire Hambrick, who grew up down the road from Athens and was an all-stater for the LaPoynor Flyerettes, came through as well with 12 points, including seven points and a key 3-pointer in the final period.
"You can probably see Te'Aire's house from here," Tillis Hoard said. "She had lots of family and friends here. She came through with a big game."
It was the first win over TVCC for TJC since 2016 in Tyler.
Jnaya Walker, a 6-1 sophomore from Bolingbrook, Illinois, led the Lady Cardinals with 16 points, while Curtessia Dean, a 5-10 freshman from Monroe, Louisiana, added 10 points.
Jennifer Parker, a 6-1 sophomore from Leander, had nine points and 13 boards for TVCC.
TJC led throughout and entered the fourth quarter leading 43-40. The Apache Ladies took a 56-49 lead on a rebound and putback by Koranga with 3:47 on the clock.
TVCC pulled within 56-52 on a 3-pointer by Dean, but that was the final points for the Lady Cardinals.
On the next possession, Trelynn Tyler, a sophomore from Grand Prairie, drained a 3-pointer from the top of the key and the Apache Ladies were starting to feel an upset brewing.
TJC scoring streak continued with Korgana hitting a three-point play, followed by a bucket by Tyler, two free throws from Quateria Limerick and another charity toss from Diamond Atchinson.
Tillis Hoard praised her team's defense and the poise the young team showed.
TJC returns to play on Saturday, playing host to Coastal Bend in a 1 p.m. contest.
The Apaches follow against Kilgore at 3 p.m. Trinity Valley, which was held to its lowest point total of the season, plays at Bossier Parish at 2 p.m. Saturday. TVCC's previous low was 55 in a win over Angelina.
In other women's games, Angelina 78, Blinn 67; Kilgore 98, Bossier Parish 62; Panola 66, Jacksonville 44; and Paris 99, Coastal Bend 94, OT.
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No. 17 Tyler Junior College 67,
No. 2 Trinity Valley Community College 52
Tyler JC 17 13 13 24 — 67
TVCC 17 10 13 12 — 52
TJC — Trelynn Tyler, 9; Te'Aire Hambrick, 12; Felmas Koranga, 19; Diamond Atchinson, 4; Kennedy Burks, 5; Frankazia Boyd, 6; Quatera Limbrick, 8; Kierra Brimzy, 4.
TVCC — Amber Hawkison, 2; Jennifer Parker, 9; Tayton Hopkins, 2; Tra'dayja Smith, 5; Curtessia Dean, 10; Solmilena Herrera, 0; Jasmine Smith, 6; Jnaya Walker, 16; Dajaah Lightfoot, 2.
THREE-POINT GOALS — TJC: Tyler, Hambrick (2), Atchinson, Burks, Boys (2), Brimzy. TVCC: Parker, T. Smith, Dean, Walker (2).
RECORDS — TJC 16-3 (7-1), Trinity Valley 17-1 (7-1).
NEXT UP — Coastal Bend at TJC, 1 p.m. Saturday; TVCC at Bossier Parish, 2 p.m. Saturday.
Click here for the link to the complete article at TylerPaper.com