The Tyler Junior College Apache Ladies are the national champions of NJCAA women’s basketball.
TJC, led by Trenia Tillis Hoard who was named Coach of the Tournament, finished off their magical run on Monday in Lubbock with a 92-80 win over Georgia Highlands College in the national championship game of the National Junior College Athletic Association Division I Women’s National Tournament.
The Apache Ladies, seeded No. 17, were underdogs in each of their five ballgames at Rip Griffin Center on the campus of Lubbock Christian University.
The Tyler Junior College Apache Ladies celebrate winning the NJCAA women’s national basketball championship on Monday in Lubbock.
Forward Deborah Ogayemi, who averaged 17 rebounds a game during the tournament, was voted Most Valuable Player of the Tournament. Joining her on the all-tournament team were teammates, guard Shadiya Thomas and guard Taryn Wills.
TJC has now won 67 national championships, second among all NJCAA schools.
After finishing third in the Region XIV regular season, the Apache Ladies got an at-large bid to the national tournament.
They scored upset wins in four games — 67-65 in overtime over No. 16 Chipola (Florida) in the first round; 70-42 over No. 1 and previously unbeaten Three Rivers (Missouri) in the second round; 79-67 over No. 8 Arizona Western in the quarterfinals; and 88-76 over No. 12 Western Nebraska in the semifinals.
This was the third time the Apache Ladies played in the national championship game.
TJC played in the 1979 national championship under Coach Herb Richardson. The Apache Ladies fell to Northern Oklahoma Tonkawa, 74-52, in Overland Park, Kansas.
Tyler won the national title in 2000 under Coach Lee Ann Riley. The Apache Ladies defeated Southwestern Illinois, 57-39, in Salina, Kansas.
For more on the game.