Men's Basketball Advances to next Round of Region Tournament with Win over Bossier Parish

Phil Hicks - Tyler Morning Telegraph

TJC's young Apaches shook off some early nerves while stepping up on defense en route to a 76-57 victory over Bossier Parish in a Region XIV Men's Basketball Tournament first round game on Tuesday at The Arena at Lee College in Baytown.

Tyler Junior College was led in scoring by freshman guards Chris Uwayo Jr., Joey Brown and Caden Bell with forward Rahman Olajuwon, playing in front of his famous father, coming through with one of his best games of his frosh season.

The No. 7 seeded Apaches (17-14) advance to the quarterfinals to face No. 2 Angelina (25-5) at 6 p.m. Thursday. No. 10 seed Bossier Parish, which swept the Tribe during the regular season, ends its season at 16-15.

Uwayo and Brown led TJC with 16 points apiece, followed by Bell (10).

Legend Hakeem Olajuwon, father of Apache Rahman Olajuwon, was in attendance. The elder Olajawon was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2008 and the FIBA Hall of Fame in 2016. He led the Houston Cougars to three Final Fours and was part of the team nicknamed "Phi Slama Jama." He led the Houston Rockets to back-to-back NBA titles.

The younger Olajuwon was perfect from the field (4 for 4 from the floor, 1 for 1 from 3-point) for nine points, along with four rebounds, three blocks, two steals and two assists.

"Credit to the defense," TJC Coach Mike Marquis said. "During the season we gave up 80 and 76 against them. Our defense did a great job on (Chris) Coleman, he was 4 of 10 and 1-6 from three, and (Braylan) McNeal.

"We came out a little nervous, but that was to be expected since none of the players have been involved in tournament play. Zander (Frazier) hit a couple of threes that kind of loosened us up."

Marquis also noted the Apaches had just three turnovers in the second half and forced the Cavs into 19 turnovers. TJC had 12 miscues.

Others scoring for Tyler were Frazier (9), Jeremiah Lewis (5), Ahmed Jwao (4), Josiah Hill (3), Luis Gil (2) and Trey Calloway.

TJC was 8 of 20 from 3-point (Uwayo, 2; Frazier, 2; Bell, 1; Brown, 1; Lewis, 1; Olajuwon, 1) and 22 of 27 from the free throw line.

Bell had three steals.

Charles Onana led the Cavaliers with 13 points, followed by O'Neal (12), Coleman (10), X'Zaevion Barnett (10), Juelz Tucker (4), Farvens Ulysse (4), Ajang Tong (2) and Kamron Coleman (2).

BPCC was 2 of 12 from 3-point (C. Coelman, 1; Barnett, 1) and 17 of 24 from the free throw line.

WOMEN

The Apache Ladies, the No. 2 seed with a 19-11 record, opens tourney play on Wednesday against No. 7 Paris (11-19). Tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. The winner of TJC-PJC will move to the semifinals against the winner of No. 3 Blinn (23-7) and No. 6 Angelina (11-16) at 3 p.m. Friday.

TJC swept the Lady Dragons during the regular season — 66-54 on Jan. 11 in Paris and 66-53 on Feb. 15 in Tyler.

The Apache Ladies have won eight of their last nine games.

Three Tyler players average in double figures scoring — 6-1 sophomore forward Grace Ezebilo, of Nigeria (11.5), 5-4 freshman point guard Monica Bottley, of Silsbee (11.5) and 6-1 freshman forward Kyra Anderson, of Huntington (11.4).

Ezebilo also averages 13.2 rebounds a game.

The NJCAA Women's National Tournament is scheduled for March 25-April 1 in Casper, Wyoming.

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Region XIV Basketball Conference

Tournament (Men)

at Lee College, Baytown

Tuesday, March 12

No. 8 Kilgore 73, No. 9 Paris 72

No. 5 Lee 78, No. 12 Lamar State-Port Arthur 64

No. 7 Tyler 76, No. 10 Bossier Parish 57

No. 6 Navarro 74, No. 11 Coastal Bend 66

Thursday, March 13

No. 1 Trinity Valley (28-2) vs. No. 8 Kilgore (15-16), 1 p.m.

No. 4 Blinn (17-13) vs. No. 5 Lee (17-13), 3 p.m.

No. 2 Angelina (25-5) vs. No. 7 Tyler (17-14), 6 p.m.

No. 3 Panola (24-6) vs. No. 6 Navarro (19-12), 8 p.m.

Friday, March 14

Semifinal, 6 p.m.

Semifinal, 8 p.m.

Saturday, March 15

Championship, 7 p.m.

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WOMEN

Wednesday, March 12

No. 1 Trinity Valley (24-4) vs. No. 8 Coastal Bend (1-29), 1 p.m.

No. 4 Kilgore (20-9) vs. No. 5 Panola (19-10), 3 p.m.

No. 2 Tyler (19-11) vs. No. 7 Paris (11-19), 6 p.m.

No. 3 Blinn (23-7) vs. No. 6 Angelina (11-16), 8 p.m.

Friday, March 14

1/8 winner vs. 4/5 winner, 1 p.m.

2/7 winner vs. 3/6 winner, 3 p.m.

Saturday, March 15

Championship, 4 p.m.