Up close and personal with ECCC women's basketball

By Staff
La'Shonda Ford
5-foot-9
Freshman Forward
Forest HS
Ford played a big role in Forest's Class 3A state runner-up finish her senior year in 2000. The Lady Bearcats reached the 3A finals where they lost 43-30 to a Yazoo County team that went 39-0. Forest finished 36-2 under coach Gina Skelton.
At Forest, Ford was all-division and all-state in track, all-district and all-state in cross country, and all-district and all-state in basketball.
She is averaging 3.9 points and 4.3 rebounds per game.
She plans to return to ECCC next fall.
Her longest trip has been a journey to Wisconsin.
Lori Cumberland
5-foot-8
Freshman Guard
Leake Academy
As a junior at Leake Academy, Cumberland was the sixth player on Doyle Wolverton's unbeaten team that capped a 46-0 season with a 56-37 spanking of Jackson Academy in the Mississippi Private School Association's Overall Tournament finals.
As a senior, she played a key role in getting the Rebelettes back to the Overall Tournament where they tied for third place after losing to eventual Overall champion Silliman Institute of Clinton, La., 59-41 in the semifinals to finish 37-4.
She was voted Best Offensive Player and Best Defensive Player her senior year. She was also selected to play in the Mississippi Private School All-Star Game.
Cumberland is averaging 2.6 points and 2.3 rebounds per game.
She plans to return to ECCC next fall for her sophomore year.
Her longest trip was an 18-hour journey to Clearwater, Fla., for spring break in 2000.
Margo Porter
5-foot-7
Sophomore Guard
Louisville HS
Porter played for coach Sheila Hickman at Louisville High School and earned All-Division 2-4A honors.
She is averaging 16.3 points and 5.6 rebounds for the Lady Warriors.
She hopes to play ball at a university next year.
This is her longest trip by far, with the previous being a trek to Memphis.
Nicole Cox
5-foot-3
Sophomore Guard
Lake HS
As a junior, Cox played a key role in getting Lake to the Class 1A state tournament where coach Bill Ingersoll's Lady Hornets fell 69-56 to eventual state runner-up Ingomar in the quarterfinals.
She is the sister of current Lady Hornet state champions Odena Cox and Kim Cox.
Nicole is averaging 14.6 points and 3.6 rebounds per game.
She was all-Scott County and All-Division 6-1A from 1995-99. Cox was named Most Valuable Defensive Player in the All-Star Game.
She plans to continue her career at the next level and further her education next year.
Her longest trip has been to California.
Nikki Lacour
5-foot-8
Freshman Guard
Natchitoches (La.) Central High School
Lacour played for coach Emma Boozman at Natchitoches Central High School.
At NCHS, she was a first-team all-district selection, a first-team All-Cenla (Central Louisiana) choice, and a participant in the Louisiana All-Star Game.
Lacour is averaging 10.2 points and 5.4 rebounds per game.
She plans to return to ECCC next fall for her sophomore year.
Lacour's longest trip was to Canada.
Sasha Lilly
5-foot-9
Sophomore Forward
Shelby County (Ala.) HS
Lilly missed nearly all of the season with a knee injury suffered in the second game off the year.
She played for coaches Eric Louvorn and DeAnne Lamb at Shelby County High.
At Shelby County, she was chosen all-state, all-Metro, all-county, Super Senior (Fox channel 6), General Motors Player in 5A, team MVP, team captain, and Fox channel 6 player of the week.
She averaged 9.0 points and 1.5 rebounds before suffering the knee injury.
As a freshman at ECCC, she received the Defensive Player of the Year Award.
After her graduation from ECCC this spring, Lilly plans to pursue a degree in criminal justice and continue her basketball career.
Her longest trip has been to New York.
Sophia Reed
5-foot-4
Freshman Guard
Forest HS
Reed played a big role in Forest's Class 3A state runner-up finish her senior year in 2000.
Gina Skelton's Lady Bearcats reached the 3A finals where they lost 43-30 to a Yazoo County team that went 39-0. Forest finished 36-2.
At Forest, Reed was an all-division selection from 1997-2000. She was an all-state pick in 1999 and 2000 and was chosen to the all-star game.
Reed is averaging 6.4 points and 3.1 rebounds per game.
She plans to return to ECCC next fall for her sophomore year.
Her longest trip was to Florida for a basketball camp.
Trelisa Eichelberger
5-foot-11
Freshman Forward/center
Noxapater HS
Eichelberger was an all-state forward and team MVP and Best Offensive Player her senior year for coach Jason Gentry at Noxapater.
Her biggest highlight prior to winning the Region 23 Tournament was making the first round of the Class 1A state playoffs in 2000.
Eichelberger is averaging 2.7 points and 1.4 rebounds per game.
Her longest trip was a visit to Washington, D.C.