Ex-Marshall Academy standout Davis to NJCAA tournament

The Northwest Mississippi Community College Lady Rangers are heading into the NJCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship with momentum on their side. After a 60-55 victory over Pearl River to clinch the Region 23 championship, the Lady Rangers have secured an automatic bid to the national stage in Lake Charles, Louisiana.

The Lady Rangers, currently on a nine-game winning streak, are set to face No. 10 seed Dodge City (Kan.) in the opening round on Wednesday, March 25, at McNeese State University. Despite being the No. 23 seed in a 24-team field, the team remains confident and hungry for success.

For sophomore guard Jhaniya Davis, the journey to the national tournament is a testament to the team’s growth and chemistry. Davis, who played high school basketball at Marshall Academy, believes the team is playing its best at exactly the right time.

“I feel like we all are in a good head space because the fact we just came off a win and we’ve been on a winning streak,” Davis said. “Everybody is basically playing their best basketball at the right time. We already feel like, OK, we proved to them that we can win, so let’s just not stop.”

Davis credits a mid-season loss to Northeast Mississippi as a turning point for the team. Following that game, the Lady Rangers’ collective mindset shifted toward a higher level of focus and accountability.

“I feel like we really needed that loss,” Davis admitted. “After we lost, we just all decided like, we don’t want to feel like this any more. Mostly sophomores, we all have something to prove. We are good, we have talent, and it's just like, we can’t just choose when we want to play and when to just relax.”

Head coach LaTaryl Williams, who played in the NJCAA Final Four for Northwest in 1998, has instilled a strong defensive identity in his team. The 23-8 Lady Rangers have held opponents to under 60 points per game in eight of the nine games during the winning streak, including just 55 points allowed to Pearl River in the region championship game.

“One thing that we pride ourselves on this season, was to hang our hat on the defensive side of the basketball,” Williams said. “Let’s be one of the better defensive teams not only in our conference, but also in the country. I think our girls have bought into that.”

The return of Region 23 Tournament MVP Takera Bland to the starting lineup in December also provided a significant boost to the team’s defensive and rebounding capabilities. Williams noted

that Bland’s presence allows other players, like Alorian Story, to find better scoring opportunities. Story joined Bland and Layla Hampton on the all tournament team.

Regarding Davis, Coach Williams praised her growth in confidence and her elite defensive skills. “She’s always going to draw the responsibility of defending the opponent’s best offensive perimeter player,” Williams said. “One thing that has changed from her freshman year to her sophomore year has been her confidence on the offensive side of the basketball.”

Entering the national tournament as an underdog does not deter the Lady Rangers. Davis and her teammates are eager to showcase their talent on a national stage and prove that they belong among the country’s elite programs.

“When I saw that we were 23 out of 24 teams, I was like, these people underestimate us, too,” Davis said. “They don’t know us. That’s why I’m really excited for us to go down and play because it’s a chance for us to showcase our talent and put the world on notice about the Northwest women’s basketball program.”

Coach Williams echoed this sentiment, drawing on his own experience as a player.

“Don’t get too caught up in the rankings and don’t get caught up in records,” he advised his team. “When you step on this stage, it doesn’t matter what you’ve done in the regular season. It’s about what you do on that particular day.”

According to her bio information from Northwest, Davis played for head coach Mike Clifton at Marshall Academy and guided the Lady Patriots to a 20-10 overall record as a senior. Davis helped Marshall Academy to a runner-up finish in the MAIS Region 2-4A Tournament and a Final Four appearance in the MAIS Class 4A North Half State Tournament.

Davis was a three-time MAIS North Class 4A AllTournament Team selection and MAIS All-District selection during her sophomore, junior and senior seasons.

The Lady Rangers will tip off against Dodge City at 12:15 p.m. On March 25. Supporters can follow all the action of the national tournament via ESPN+, with the championship game slated to move to the national stage on ESPNU.