By Shawn Wansley
JCJC Sports Information Director

ELLISVILLE – The state champion Jones County Junior College basketball teams enjoyed enormous success this year and they are now being recognized for their achievements.

For the men’s team, first-year JCJC head coach Don Skelton has been named MACJC Co-Coach of the Year after leading the Bobcats to a 24-5 record and to their first state championship since 1946. He shares the honor with Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College head coach Wendell Weathers, who guided the Bulldogs to the Region 23 crown.

Bobcat guard Brian Singleton and center Brandon Wilson have been named to the All-Region 23 team, the MACJC All-State first-team and to the MACJC All-South Division first-team. Wilson was also named to the Region 23 All-Tournament team.

Singleton and guard Corey Breland have also been selected to participate in the MACJC All-Star Game on March 27 at Choctaw Central in Philadelphia.

For the 23-7 state champion Lady Bobcats of head coach Sandra Sumrall, guard TeAnna Carter was named to the All-Region 23 team, the MACJC All-State first team, the MACJC All-South Division first-team and to the All-Region 23 Tournament team. Guard Demara Bolton was named to the All-MACJC All-State second-team.

Both Carter and Bolton will participate in the MACJC All-Star Game on March 27 at Choctaw Central in Philadelphia.

Having guided Northwest Mississippi Community College to a pair of state titles, Skelton has now led three teams to state championships. His career record now stands at 346-166, a .676 winning percentage. Skelton has now been named MACJC Coach of the Year four times.

Singleton, a 6-foot-1 sophomore point guard from Hahnville High School in Ama, La., transferred to JCJC from Paris Junior College (Texas). He averaged 13.9 points, 2.9 rebounds and led the team with 5.1 assists and 2.5 steals per game. He shot 74.3 percent from the free throw line and made a remarkable 29-of-32 from the charity stripe during the three-game state tournament, including a 19-of-20 performance vs. Coahoma in a 104-91 Bobcat victory.

Wilson, a 6-foot-5 freshman center from Carroll High School in Rayville, La., originally signed with Ole Miss out of high school. Wilson averaged 17.3 points and led the team with 7.7 rebounds per game. He shot 66.1 percent from the field (207-of-313), which led the state and ranked ninth in the nation. Wilson also averaged 1.9 blocks, which led the team, and 1.5 steals per game.

Breland, a 6-foot-1 sophomore guard from Perry Central, transferred to JCJC from Pearl River Community College. He was the Bobcats’ “sixth man” off the bench and provided a spark on both offense and defense. He shot 32.3 percent from 3-point range (28-of-87) and averaged 1.6 assists and 1.2 steals per game.

Carter, a 5-foot-7 sophomore guard/forward from Wayne County High School, has been a versatile, two-year standout for the Lady Bobcats. She averaged 11.9 points per game this season, which led the team. The Shubuta native also pulled down 4.8 rebounds per game and averaged 2.9 assists and 2.2 steals per contest. As a freshman, she averaged 10 points and 5 rebounds per contest.

Bolton, a 5-foot-6 sophomore point guard from Perry Central, led the Lady Bobcats with 3.8 assists and 3.3 steals per game and also topped the team with a 77.2 percent free throw percentage. She also had 3.6 rebounds per game. As a freshman, the New Augusta native averaged 11 points, 3.1 assists and 3 rebounds per game.