TWO NHS LADY BEARS SIGN WITH COLLEGES

Two members of the Northside Lady Bears’ 6A state championship basketball squad signed to continue their playing careers at the next level Thursday. Tiya Douglas signed with Trinity Valley Community College in Texas, while her Lady Bear teammate Deairah Mays did the same with Independence Junior College in Kansas. Douglas wrapped up a unique high school career, having won three state championships with three different schools in the past three seasons. She was a state champion her sophomore season playing at Fayetteville; then won state her junior season in Owasso, Okla., before coming to Northside prior to her senior season when her mother, Tari Cummings, accepted the job as the UAFS women’s basketball coach. In her only season with the Lady Bears, Douglas averaged 8.4 points and five rebounds per game. Now, she has a chance to go for a fourth championship in four seasons playing for Trinity Valley’s Lady Cardinals, one of the premier junior college programs in the nation. “I think it’s a great program; the coach was awesome. ... I can really tell he’s going to be able to develop me,” Douglas said. “They make it to the (national junior college) final four every year, they’re very skilled at everything. The team is just great overall.” Douglas said that Trinity Valley plans to use her at a small forward position. Mays, a guard, was considered the Lady Bears’ defensive stopper, generally assigned to stifle the opponent’s best player. She averaged 4.5 points and 2.3 steals per game. “I’m pretty excited to sign with (Independence),” Mays said. “I clicked with the coaches and I bonded with the teammates. “I’m excited and ready to move on to the next level.”

TWO NHS LADY BEARS SIGN WITH COLLEGES

STAFF

Times Record | 4/12/2019

PHOTO CREDIT: Courtesy Photo