March 13, 2012
When Jerry Nichols was named interim head coach of the Motlow Lady Bucks in mid August, prospects for any reasonable success during the 2011-12 season seemed slim. Although there were six sophomores with experience returning from the previous season, there was no recruiting class and the returning players had not played a style that even remotely resembled Nichols' up-tempo game.
On paper it appeared the Lady Bucks would struggle to stay out of the bottom portion of the Tennessee Community College Athletic Association (TCCAA) standings.
Games aren't played on paper though, and between August and the season opener in early November Nichols added seven new players and began the process of teaching his brand of hoops to a group that was eager to learn and willing to work.
"This group has really bought into the way I like my teams to play," said Nichols at media day back in August. "They want to learn and they want to win and they have put in the work during the preseason to give themselves a chance to win."
From the season-opening game against defending Alabama state champion Wallace State, a 63-59 loss at Copperweld Arena, it was obvious the Lady Bucks would not only be competitive against solid competition but would have a chance to beat some quality opponents.
The first conference win came on the road in overtime when Motlow outlasted Jackson State 84-79 behind sophomore Callisha Johnson's 26 points and 10 rebounds.
The highlight of the season was Dec. 2 at Copperweld Arena when the Lady Bucks beat defending TCCAA champion Chattanooga State 61-58 behind sophomore Paige Malone's 15 points, five rebounds, and five assists. They followed that win the next day by trouncing visiting Cleveland State 67-44.
However, that successful weekend was not the only highlight for the Lady Bucks. They hosted nationally-ranked Southwest Tennessee on Jan. 20 and beat the Lady Saluqis 69-67, then turned around the following day and beat Dyersburg State 63-59.
Johnson emerged as the leading scorer for the Lady Bucks, averaging almost 12 points per game, while sophomore Jennifer Maynard became eligible after the holiday break and averaged 11.3 points per game. Johnson also averaged 3.2 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 1.4 steals with 14 blocked shots.
Fellow sophomores Emily Rivers, Jayme Jackson, Katie Lipham, Tiara Willingham, and Ashley Davis each had moments during the season when they provided a spark or a big shot that helped the Lady Bucks either win a game or stay close to an opponent. Rivers was especially consistent, averaging over seven points and four rebounds per contest.
The freshman class of Calvesha Flowers, Presley Owen, Lekera Taylor, Alexxus Sturkey, and Danielle Ervin took to Nichols' style and flourished. Taylor led the Lady Bucks in rebounding, averaging 4.5 boards per game, while Sturkey averaged 1.5 steals per game. All have the potential to be key ingredients for the Lady Bucks in 2012-13.
Although the season ended with a disappointing 64-44 loss to Chattanooga State in the second round of the TCCAA/Region VII Tournament, the final overall record of 11-13 and conference mark of 8-10 was the best the Lady Bucks have finished during the last four years. This is a program that is on the rise.
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