Texans, Lady Texans earn postseason honors after successful seasons

by Brant Thurmond, sports editor

Several members of South Plains College's men's and women's basketball teams recently received honors for their outstanding play during the 2007-2008 season.

Sophomore post Brittany Blackmon was named as the most valuable player in the Western Junior College Athletic Conference. She also was named to the NJCAA All- Region V team and was a first-team All-Conference selection.

Blackmon averaged 16.7 points and 6.4 rebounds per game. She scored in double figures in 26 games and finished the season with five double-doubles.

Also receiving honors for the Lady Texans were sophomore guard Mariame Djouara and sophomore point guard Ashley Frazier. Both Djouara and Frazier received first team All-Conference recognition and were named to the All-Region team.

Freshman forward Chasity Workman received honorable mention All-Conference honors, while Lady Texans head coach Michelle Wyatt was named the Coach of the Year for the second consecutive season.

Djouara averaged 14.2 points and 5.1 rebounds per contest. She had 18 double-doubles and set the Lady Texan record for 3-pointers with seven in a game. Frazier averaged 10.6 points and 5.9 assists per game. She set the SPC career mark for assists with 332 in her two-year career.

Workman averaged 9.2 points and 7.8 rebounds per contest. She also had seven games in which she grabbed double-digit rebounds.

Wyatt led the Lady Texans to a 26-4 record and an appearance in the Region V Championship game.

For the SPC Texans, sophomore guard Nick Okorie received first team All-Region and first team All-Conference honors. Also receiving honors were sophomore wing Johnathan Hall and freshman guard David Tairu, who were first team All-Conference selections.

Okorie, who has already given Texas Tech University a verbal commitment, averaged 17.1 points per game and scored in double digits 26 times.

Okorie had 36 points in the regional semifinal victory against Midland College.