The Flare Vol. 76 No. 17

Serving Kilgore College since 1936

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

NJCAA TOURNAMENT

March 18-23Hutchinson, Kan.

24 teamsSingle-elimination

Featuring best teamsin the nation

No. 19 KilgoreMaking Fifth Appearance

From left: Keira Phipps, Amanda Lawson and Gabrielle Jackson.

TournamentBOUND

Lady Rangers get fresh start

Rangers clinch national tourney berth

Breaking news, videos and extended coverage at www.theflareonline.com

SHENIECE CHAPPELLSports Editor

The No. 6 seed Lady

Rangers will face off with

No. 3 Jacksonville College

in the first round of the Region

XIV Tournament. Tip-off will

be 8 p.m. Wednesday at

the University of Texas-

Tyler’s Herrington

Patriot Center.

This will be

the third

m e e t i n g

between the Lady Rangers and the

Lady Jags. They are 1-1 in match-

ups against one another.

In the first meeting earlier in the

season [Dec. 8] the Lady Rangers

won, 72-60. The team shot 50.9

percent from the field making

27 of 53 attempts and were 77.8

percent at the free-throw line. As

game two came around in late

February, the Lady Jags avenged

their loss to the Lady Rangers,

who were battling a five-game

losing streak. Jacksonville beat

KC by two points, 59-57.

“We were shooting 37 percent

from the field and they were

shooting 53 percent,” Thomas

said. “They were also at

home and that’s a big

difference.”

Thomas is hoping the Lady

Rangers go into Wednesday’s

game with a solid defense.

“Someone needs to play good,”

Thomas said. “Post players, guards,

everyone needs to play solid.”

The starters for this match-up

will include Gabrielle Jackson,

Amanda Lawson, Cieara

Jimmerson, Keira Phipps and

Victoria Billingsley.

Thomas looks at this tournament

as the start of a new season and

both teams are 0-0.

“At the end of the day this is do

or die,” Thomas said. “If they are

able to look in the mirror and say

‘I gave it my all’ then everyone is

good.”

JORDAN MOSSStaff Writer

The No. 19 KC Rangers are heading to

the National Junior College Athletic

Association Tournament March 18-23

in Hutchinson, Kan., for the first time since the

1993-94 season.

KC assured its place in the national

tournament with a 70-62 victory over Tyler

Junior College on Saturday. The win gave KC

the Region XIV regular-season title and an

automatic berth in the NJCAA tournament.

Head coach Brian Hoberecht is staying

focused on the next task at hand.

Sonia Garza

Jonathen Ruesch

Maurice Taylor

Lonnie McClanahanQuinton Upshur

“I want to stay focused on the region

tournament,” Hoberecht said. “As far as going

to Hutch, that’s just icing on the cake right

now.”

Seeding has yet to be determined for the

national tournament, but the Rangers know

where they stand going into this week’s Region

XIV Conference Tournament.

By virtue of winning the regular season

championship, KC received a first-round bye

and will play Trinity Valley who defeated

Angelina 84-71 on Tuesday.

KC will tip off against Trinity Valley 1 p.m.

Thursday, March 7, from the Herrington

Patriot Center on the University of Texas-

Tyler campus.

The Rangers defeated Trinity Valley twice,

on Jan. 16 in Athens (73-62) and on Feb. 13 in

Kilgore (79-57).

A KC win could set up a rematch with

Jacksonville, who defeated KC 89-82 on Nov.

28 in Masters Gym. Even more intriguing is

the possibility of a finals pitting the Rangers

against the Navarro Bulldogs.

The Rangers’ four losses this season came

against Jacksonville, Coastal Bend, Paris and

Navarro.

For Region XIV Tournament InfoSEE INSIDE

TOURNAMENT TIME

Rangers(25-4,15-4)

Admission: Adults: $6, Students: $3, Children (10-under): Free Tournament passes: $25; Parking: Free

For more information visit Region14hoops.com

Herrington Patriot Center – March 5-9UT-Tyler

Rangers vs. Trinity Valley

1 p.m. THURSDAY

Region XIV Basketball Championships

Members of the 2012-2013 KC Ranger Basketball Team are Back Row (from left): Lonnie McClanahan, Maurice Taylor, Chinedu Amajoyi, Chris Gracela and Nardie Bogues; Front Row (from left): Kalif Wright, Erick Diouf, Micheal Eneh, Matt Gamberoni and Quinton Upshur. Not pictured: head coach Brian Hoberecht, assistant coach Joe Reagan and assistant coach Mike Worley.

Radio Frequencies for KXAL: 104.7 FM Chalk Hill/Lake Cherokee; 101.9 FM Longview; 105.3 FM and 1240 AM Kilgore

Internet Outlets: www.tsrnsports.com & www.kxal.org

Wednesday March 6,Kilgore Women vs. Jacksonville; 7:50 p.m. pre-game/8 p.m. tip-off

Thursday, March 7, Kilgore vs. Trinity Valley; 12:50 p.m. pre-game/1 p.m. tip-off

Friday, March 8 (if needed) Kilgore Women vs. Blinn or Paris; 2:50 p.m. pre-game/3 p.m. tip-off

Friday, March 8 (if needed)Kilgore vs. Jacksonville or Lee; 5:50 p.m. pre-game/6 p.m. tip-off

ON AIR WITH MANNY ALMANZA

For questions call: Manny Almanza,coordinator of marketing operations & outreach,903-983-8623email: sports887@yahoo.com

Jon Vashey / THE FLARE

TOURNAMENT TIME

LadyRangers

(11-13, 6-10)

Admission: Adults: $6, Students: $3, Children (10-under): Free Tournament passes: $25; Parking: Free

For more information visit Region14hoops.com

Herrington Patriot Center – March 5-9UT-Tyler

Lady Rangers vs. Jacksonville

8 p.m. WEDNESDAY

Region XIV Basketball Championships

Victoria Billingsley O. Rufus Lovett / THE FLARE

Kris Dobbins / THE FLARE

Jon Vashey / THE FLARE

Maurice Taylor

Members of the 2012-2013 KC Lady Rangers Basketball Team are Back Row (from left): Destiny Coley, Amanda Lawson, Bladine N'Goran, Gabrielle Jackson and Victoria Billingsley; Front Row (from left): Maria Leaks, T'Kyh Jones, Demoneyca Spivey, Cieara Jimmerson, Alexandria Samples, Tanisha Winston and Keira Phipps. Not pictured: head coach Roy Thomas and assistant coach Kenderick Franklin.

S POR T STHE FLARE

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 20134PAGE

Season recap KC basketball closed out

the regular season with a bang as both teams

earned a spot in the Region XIV Tournament.

!e Lady Rangers ended with a 6-10

record in conference and the Rangers (15-

4 in conference) were named regular season

Region XIV Champions and gained a berth in the

national tournament.

Rangers point guard Lonnie McClanahan drives in the paint with hopes of putting up two points for KC in the 67-56 victory against Bossier Parish Feb. 20.

Shooting guard Amanda Lawson shoots over Angelina defenders in the last game of the regular season.

Chin Amajoyi goes up for the score in the 65-56 victory against Paris Junior College in Masters Gym Feb. 16. Gabrielle Jackson avoids getting her shot blocked in the 53-50 victory against Angelina on Saturday.

Rangers head coach Brian Hoberecht (left) and Lady Rangers head coach Roy Thomas strategize with their teams.

Photos by O. Rufus Lovett / SPECIAL TO THE FLARE