From Eastern and Staff Reports
In a year that will forever be tied to COVID-19, the Lady Mountaineers basketball team will stand out as one of the best teams in Eastern Oklahoma State College. After wining the Region II Tournament title, the women’s basketball team saw themselves in the NJCAA National Tournament for the first time in two decades.
The Lady Mountaineers finished the season 18-5 in the first round of the tournament, but their accomplishments for the season have continued to bring accolades.
Tijanae Simmons, a sophomore guard from Houston, Texas, was named to the 2020-2021 Honorable Mention All-America team by the NJCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Committee. Simmons also received First Team All-Region honors.
Simmons was the Region 2 Player of the Week from Feb. 1-7, 2021. She started every game this season and averaged 15.1 points, 2.1 assists and 4.6 rebounds per game during the regular season. Simmons also shot 31.9 percent from beyond the arc and 73.5 percent from the free-throw line.
Brayanna Polk, a freshman guard from Del City, Okla., earned Second Team All-Region and All-Freshman Team honors. Polk was the Region 2 Player of the Week for Feb. 22-28, 2021. She appeared in every game this season and averaged 15.4 points, 3.1 assists and 3.3 rebounds per game during the regular season. Polk also shot 27.5 percent from beyond the arc and 72.9 percent from the free-throw line.
Shanequa Henry, a freshman guard from Texarkana, Texas, earned All-Conference Honorable Mention honors. Henry was a vital contributor to the team this season. She appeared in every game this season and averaged 11.9 points, 4.4 assists and 5.4 rebounds per game during the regular season. Henry also shot 37.5 percent from beyond the arc and 69.1 percent from the free-throw line.
The Lady Mountaineer’s head basketball coach, Al Davis, was also named the 2021 NJCAA South Central District Coach of the Year for his accomplishments in coaching this year. Davis, who was hired in 2019, led the women’s basketball team to a second place finish in his first season and a Region II championship in his sophomore season.
