TJC women's basketball

The Apache Ladies battled the flu bug for the second straight game as No. 5 Tyler Junior College, playing without All-America post Felmas Koranaga, rallied for an 81-78 win over Coastal Bend on Saturday in Beeville.

TJC Trenia Tillis Hoard posted on Facebook the day after the Apaches’ lost to No. 4 Trinity Valley, 74-70, “Pray for my team. We played through the flu last night but they keep going down one by one.”

Normally playing Coastal Bend would not be a challenge, except for the long drive. However, the Lady Cougars gave the Apache Ladies all they wanted.

Coastal Bend led 44-41 at halftime and only trailed the Apache Ladies 62-61 entering the fourth quarter.

Te’Aire Hambrick scored five points in the final period, including 3 of 4 at the free throw. Gerlyn Smith and Frankazia Boyd each scored two buckets as TJC outscored CBC 19-17.

Hambrick was the top scorer for Tyler with 27 points while Niya McGuire added 16 points and Boyd pitched in 14.

Others scoring for TJC were Smith (8), Na’Teiona Cole (6), Nala Hemingway (5), Kharisima Brown (3) and Clara Rotich (2).

Along with Felmas, who averages a double double, Diamond Atchinson did not play for the Apache Ladies.

Jada Mitchell led the Lady Cougars with 25 points. Teammate Marley Martinez added 18.

Both teams were hurt at the free throw line. TJC was 10 of 18, while CBC was 12 of 23.

TJC (19-3, 7-1) returns to play on Wednesday, hosting Panola in a 5:30 p.m. game at Wagstaff Gymnasium. Coastal Bend (1-20, 0-9) will play next on Saturday, Feb. 1 against Bossier Parish in Beeville.

— Phil Hicks