The Flare
Wednesday, March 6, 2013 Vol. 76 No. 17 Serving Kilgore College since 1936
Tournament
BOUND Maurice Taylor
7OV[VZ I`! 4HYJP >LSSZ Jonathen Ruesch
Quinton Upshur Lonnie McClanahan
Rangers clinch national tourney berth JORDAN MOSS Staff Writer
For Region XIV Tournament Info SEE INSIDE
he No. 19 KC Rangers are heading to the National Junior College Athletic Association Tournament March 18-23 in Hutchinson, Kan., for the first time since the 1993-94 season. KC assured its place in the national tournament with a 70-62 victory over Tyler Junior College on Saturday. The win gave KC the Region XIV regular-season title and an automatic berth in the NJCAA tournament. Head coach Brian Hoberecht is staying focused on the next task at hand.
“I want to stay focused on the region tournament,” Hoberecht said. “As far as going to Hutch, that’s just icing on the cake right now.” Seeding has yet to be determined for the national tournament, but the Rangers know where they stand going into this week’s Region XIV Conference Tournament. By virtue of winning the regular season championship, KC received a first-round bye and will play Trinity Valley who defeated Angelina 84-71 on Tuesday.
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KC will tip off against Trinity Valley 1 p.m. Thursday, March 7, from the Herrington Patriot Center on the University of TexasTyler campus. The Rangers defeated Trinity Valley twice, on Jan. 16 in Athens (73-62) and on Feb. 13 in Kilgore (79-57). A KC win could set up a rematch with Jacksonville, who defeated KC 89-82 on Nov. 28 in Masters Gym. Even more intriguing is the possibility of a finals pitting the Rangers against the Navarro Bulldogs. The Rangers’ four losses this season came against Jacksonville, Coastal Bend, Paris and Navarro.
NJCAA TOURNAMENT March 18-23 Hutchinson, Kan. 24 teams Single-elimination Featuring best teams in the nation No. 19 Kilgore Making Fifth Appearance
Lady Rangers get fresh start 2PSNVYL MHJLZ 1HJRZVU]PSSL PU ÄYZ[ YV\UK W T >LKULZKH` From left: Keira Phipps, Amanda Lawson and Gabrielle Jackson.
SHENIECE CHAPPELL Sports Editor
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he No. 6 seed Lady Rangers will face off with No. 3 Jacksonville College in the first round of the Region XIV Tournament. Tip-off will be 8 p.m. Wednesday at the University of TexasTyler’s Herrington Patriot Center. This will be the third meeting
7OV[VZ I`! Sonia Garza :`KUL` /HTTVUKZ +`SHU ;OVTHZ
between the Lady Rangers and the Lady Jags. They are 1-1 in matchups against one another. In the first meeting earlier in the season [Dec. 8] the Lady Rangers won, 72-60. The team shot 50.9 percent from the field making 27 of 53 attempts and were 77.8 percent at the free-throw line. As game two came around in late February, the Lady Jags avenged their loss to the Lady Rangers, who were battling a five-game losing streak. Jacksonville beat KC by two points, 59-57. “We were shooting 37 percent from the field and they were shooting 53 percent,” Thomas said. “They were also at home and that’s a big
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difference.” Thomas is hoping the Lady Rangers go into Wednesday’s game with a solid defense. “Someone needs to play good,” Thomas said. “Post players, guards, everyone needs to play solid.” The starters for this match-up will include Gabrielle Jackson, Amanda Lawson, Cieara Jimmerson, Keira Phipps and Victoria Billingsley. Thomas looks at this tournament as the start of a new season and both teams are 0-0. “At the end of the day this is do or die,” Thomas said. “If they are able to look in the mirror and say ‘I gave it my all’ then everyone is good.”