HANCEVILLE, Ala. — The Wallace State Lady Lions fell just short of the Alabama Community College Conference (ACCC) championship with a hard loss to Shelton State at the ACCC Basketball Championships. This was their sixth straight postseason appearance at the tournament under coach Jessica McBrayer, and it was their third time in four seasons to make it to the final championship game.
The team finished second in the ACCC with an overall record of 24-7 and 15-4 in their division. They averaged 71.3 points per game, holding their opponents to 55 points per game.
Coach Jessica McBrayer says sophomore leadership is why they had such success this season.
“Our sophomores were simply incredible,” she said. “They led daily with their effort at practice, with their communication on and off the court, and by doing things the right way all the time. The sophomores were successful last year during a difficult season for us, so they had the maturity to really led our team throughout the valleys and mountain tops of this year. Our six sophomores didn’t just show up statistically, they showed up in ways you can’t see in a stat book: they took 4-5 chargers per game, spoke up in huddles, were spirited on the bench, and had a no quit attitude all season. It has been an honor coaching that group.”
It was a stand-out year for McBrayer’s freshmen squad as well. Freshman Hallie Holmes from Susan Moore, led the team in scoring with 10.2 points per game, followed by freshman Jaden Winfrey, from Cullman, chipping in 9.8, and Emariah Grant, a freshman guard from Madison, with 9.5.
Kyra Long, a sophomore guard from Hazel Green, led the team in rebounds per game, with 5.9, followed by Tamia Yancey, a sophomore forward from Huntsville, with 5.8.
Jazmyn Jackson, a sophomore point guard from Huntsville, Yancey and Long were named ACCC All-Region Second-Team, First Team All North, while Winfrey and Yancey named to the All-North Second-Team.
“Although the season didn’t end with outcome we had hoped for, it was an amazing season, with a fun group of girls,” McBrayer said. “We are going to miss our sophomores next year, but we are excited about our returners and incoming class and feel like we have the opportunity to put ourselves back in position to fight for another championship next season.”
Wallace State men’s basketball (21-10) finished the 2022-2023 season third in the North Division of the ACCC. The team earned a place among the top 16 teams at the ACCC Basketball Championships. Led by coach Allen Sharpe, this was their 11th postseason appearance at the tournament.
The team finished 21-10 overall and 14-8 in their division. They averaged 74.2 points per game.
Michael McIntosh a freshman win from Muscle Shoals was fourth in ACCC in field goal percentage, with 66.3 and Nathaniel Jones, a sophomore guard from Carrolton, Ga was fourth in three-point percentage at 42.5.
For the team, Jalil Robinson, a sophomore guard from Tuscumbia led the team in points per game with 12.4, followed by Jones with 11.6, Te’Derrius Williams, a sophomore wing from Tuscaloosa, with 10.7 and McIntosh with 10.6.
McIntosh led the team in rebounds per game with 6.5, followed by Williams with 6.3.
McIntosh was also 50 percent from the three-point line, followed by Jones at 42.5 and Williams and James Flippin, sophomore forward from Milwaukee, Wisc., both at 41.9 percent.
Robinson and Williams were both named to the ACCC All-North second team.
