SENATOBIA - Following a successful season that has seen the Northwest Mississippi Community College women's basketball team accumulate a 23-8 record, end the regular season with six straight wins, and win the Region 23 Tournament Championship, Alorian Story, Dekyra Mitchell, and Layla Hampton received All-MACCC honors.
"We knew early on that they were going to be very instrumental in our success this season," Head Coach LaTaryl Williams said. "Not just on the court, but off the court as well. They're pretty good student athletes. They take care of their business in the classroom and do the same thing on the court."
Sophomores Story and Mitchell were both named to the First Team. Story came in second for Player of the Year to Itawamba Community College's Tootie Lockett. Lockett received five first place votes, and Story received four.
A stalwart in the paint, Story averages a double-double with 16.3 points and 13.3 rebounds a game, a rebounding rate that is good for fourth in the nation. She leads the team in rebounds and is less than a point behind the team-leader in average points per game. Story has garnered 24 double-doubles in 31 games. This includes a stretch of games that saw her earn 13 double-doubles in a row. Story has also had at least 20 points and 20 rebounds in two games. She was also named to the Region 23 All-Tournament Team.
A lethal threat from behind the arc, Mitchell averages a team-leading 17.0 points a game, placing her in the top-50 scorers in the nation. Mitchell is by far the team leader in both three-point shots attempted (254) and three-point shots made (79). She also leads the Rangers in free throw percentage, shooting 78.7% from the charity stripe. This season Mitchell was also a force to be reckoned with defensively, accumulating 75 steals which is tied for first on the team.
The last Ranger to be given All-MACCC honors, sophomore Layla Hampton was named as an Honorable Mention.
A reliable and trusted point guard, Hampton is leading the team in assists with 143 total assists for an average of 4.6 a game. She has also proved to be a force defensively, tied for the team-lead in steals with 75. Hampton averages 5.3 rebounds a game which is the third most for NWCC. Her excellence was fully on display in the regular season game against Pearl River where she nearly had a triple-double with 13 points, 10 assists, and eight rebounds. Hampton was also named to the Region 23 All-Tournament Team.
These three players will look to play a big role in the NJCAA DI Women's Basketball National Championship where Northwest was named as the #23 seed on Monday.
NWCC will play #10 Dodge City on Wednesday, March 25 at 12:15 p.m. in the first round of the national tournament. Coverage can be found on ESPN+.
