After experiencing perhaps her most disappointing season in 2012-13, Trenia Tillis-Jones followed with one of her most enjoyable.

The Tyler Junior College women’s basketball coach had one of the most exciting, highest-scoring teams in the country while winning 30 games and returning the Apache Ladies to the national tournament and achieving the Elite Eight in 2013-14.

Also, Tillis-Jones was awarded the inaugural Russell Athletics Pat Summit Junior College National Coach of the Year and the Texas Association of Basketball Junior College Coach of the Year.

The Apache Ladies lost several key players off that squad, but Tillis-Jones feels her team is ready to compete for another trip to nationals.

Tyler is picked to finish second in Region XIV Conference. The coaches’ poll was released on Wednesday during the 17th Annual Region XIV Conference Media Tipoff at Wagstaff Gymnasium on the TJC campus.

The event, sponsored by the Tyler Morning Telegraph and TJC, gathers coaches to talk about the upcoming season.

Defending national champion Trinity Valley Community College, which has a new coach in Gerald Ewing, is picked to win the title. The Lady Cardinals are followed by Tyler, Blinn, Angelina, San Jacinto, Paris, Jacksonville, Kilgore, Bossier Parish, Panola and Coastal Bend.

TJC players returning include 5-3 point guard Victoria Kemokai (Houston), 5-9 wing Amber Driver (Spring), 5-9 shooting guard Brittny Norris (Dallas), 6-0 forward Jasmine Prophet (Houston) and 5-9 forward Chelsi Watson (Monroe, Louisiana).

“We call Victoria Captain Crunch — she is a leader that keeps everyone in line,” Tillis-Jones said. “She may be the smallest on the court, but she is a mama bear.”

Freshman on the squad include 5-8 forward Alexundria Sims (Bryan), 6-3 center Taudenciah Oluoch (Nairobi, Kenya), 5-8 wing Princess Cole (Little Rock, Arkansas) and 5-10 forward Linet Juma (Nairobi, Kenya).

The Apache Ladies also have transfers with 5-8 wing Jade Jones (Round Rock, Howard College), 5-10 sophomore forward Erica Carson (Overton, LeTourneau University) and 5-7 point guard Sandy Jackson (Little Rock, Arkansas, Arkansas State University).

Joining Tillis-Jones and Ewing at the tipoff event were Panola College’s Eddie Kite, Kilgore College’s Roy Thomas and San Jacinto College-North’s Brenita Williams Jackson.

While all coaches participated in the poll, not all attended.

Not present were Angelina College’s Byron Coleman, Blinn College’s Jeff Jenkins, Paris Junior College’s Michael Madrid, Jacksonville College’s Leasa Ailshie, Bossier Parish Community College’s John Rennie and Coastal Bend College’s April Bruene.

NOTES: Before the session, a moment of silence was held for Joe Curl, who coached the Trinity Valley women and the Blinn men. He passed away recently. Curl also coached the Stephen F. Austin State University and the University of Houston women.

Region XIV Basketball

Women’s Poll

1, Trinity Valley (9) 118

2, Tyler (1) 109

3, Blinn, 96

4, Angelina 77

5, San Jacinto (1) 69

6, Paris 61

7, Jacksonville 52

8, Kilgore 50

9, Bossier Parish 43

10, Panola 37

11, Coastal Bend 14

(First-place votes in parenthesis)