Lady Plainsmen Come from Behind in Dramatic Fashion to Earn 20th Win of Season

The third time was the charm Thursday night for sophomore shooting guard Kinsley Choate (Panhandle) as she sank a 25-footer with a little more than seven seconds remaining to tie the score at 61-all between Frank Phillips College and Howard College at the Borger Community Activities Center. 

The Lady Plainsmen put the game in the hands of its best 3-point shooter, Choate who had a trio of opportunities which began on a throw in with 18.8 seconds remaining spanning the court from right to left. The first shot from 30 feet kicked off the back of the iron, her second attempt from the top of the key, was a miss as well, but the third attempt from the left half of the court not only went in, but Choate was fouled on the play presenting a rare 4-point play opportunity, one that Choate completed to give Frank Phillips a 62-61 advantage with 7.7 seconds remaining in the game. Howard had a good look at the basket, but the final shot would not fall and the Lady Plainsmen found a way to hold on for an amazing come from behind victory. 

The Lady Plainsmen notched win number 20 to match their current spot in the NJCAA Division I national poll and most likely secured one of four spots from the WJCAC in the upcoming Region 5 Tournament in Frenship beginning on Thursday, March 8th. FPC improved to 8-and-3 in conference play which is a game-and-a-half behind No. 4 ranked New Mexico Junior College which is 9-and-1 in conference play. Frank Phillips hosts New Mexico on Thursday, Feb. 22nd at 5:45 p.m. in the next conference contest for the Lady Plainsmen. 

After claiming a slim 29-28 advantage at halftime, FPC trailed 58-51 with less than four minutes left following a basket from freshman Amanda Dixson (Gonzales, Tex.). Sophomore center Marlene Aniambossou (Cotonou, Benin) scored a basket to pull within five, 58-53 with 3:06 remaining. Howard sharp shooter Addyson Moseley sank her second consecutive 3-point basket to push it to 61-53, but FPC sophomore point guard Perrine Manoury (Bordeaux, France) answered with her own trifecta to cut the lead to 61-56 with 1:05 left in the fourth. Choate took control finishing the game off with a jumper to cut it to three and finished the scoring with the dramatic 4-point play for the one point victory.

Balanced scoring proved once again to be the key to the Lady Plainsmen earning a victory. Aniambossou led FPC with 17 points and chipped in six rebounds, two assists, and one steal. Fellow sophomore captains Choate and Kiara Shoals (Foreman, Ark.) were in double figures with a dozen points. Shoals posted a double-double with 12 points, 11 rebounds, and nine assists. Freshman shooting guard Sable Darnell, an Amarillo High graduate connected on a huge 3-pointer midway through the fourth quarter to breathe life into the FPC offense.

Rounding out the scoring for FPC were sophomore Hannah Leavitt (Nazareth) scored four points and both Talitha Airington (Frisco) and Dixson added a basket each.

FPC Head Coach Eric Rodewald commented that great teams find a way to win and the Plainsmen were all in to the final buzzer.

The No. 20 Lady Plainsmen (20-4, 8-3 in WJCAC) travel to Dallas on Monday, Feb. 19th to play Richland College at 6 p.m. in a non-conference game before returning home on Thursday, Feb. 22nd to host New Mexico JC at 5:45 p.m.

 

 

The Western Junior College Athletic Conference Player of the Week for Dec. 31-Jan. 6 was sophomore Kiara Shoals of Frank Phillips College. The 5-10 sophomore guard from Foreman, Ark., had a double-double with 22 points and 11 rebounds in a 74-66 victory over Northwest Tech to help the 13th ranked Lady Plainsmen improve to 12-1 overall. 

Shoals leads the WJCAC and Region V in points per game with 20.8 and steals per game with 4.2. She is also ranked eighth and sixth nationally in those respective categories. Shoals also leads the WJCAC in assists with 6.0 per game, which is second in Region V and ninth nationally. At 9.2 rebounds per game, she is currently second in Region V and the WJCAC.

 

The Frank Phillips College Lady Plainsmen defeated Trinidad State Junior College on Friday, Jan. 19 to improve to 15-and-1 on the season. The Lady Plainsmen didn't surrender double digits in any quarter en route to a 52-30 triumph.

FPC struggled to find the bottom of the net, but with stifling defense only allowed 15 points each half, holding TSJC's leading scorer without a point.

Sophomore shooting guard Kinsley Choate (Panhandle, Tex.) was on fire connecting on five 3-pointers en route to a game high 26 points on 9-for-14 shooting. Sophomore Kiara Shoals (Foreman, Ark.) was also in double figures with 14 points. Shoals grabbed seven boards, five steals, and dished out four assists.

Sophomore center Marlene Aniambossou (Benin) led FPC with 9 rebounds and added a basket. Sophomore point guard Perrine Manoury (France) dished out five assists for the Lady Plainsmen.

Also scoring for the Plainsmen were: Sable Darnell (Amarillo) four points; Talitha Aitington, three; Amanda Dixson, two; and Taje' Airington one. 

FPC travels to undefeated and No. 2 New Mexico Junior College (20-0. 4-0) for a showdown between the conference leaders. Tip-off is set for 5:45 p.m. MT.

 

Sophomore shooting guard Kinsley Choate was the Western Junior College Athletic Conference Player of the Week for the week of Dec. 3-9 for her outstanding play in two victories.

Choate scored 16 points in just 18 minutes on Dec. 4th at Adams State University's Junior Varsity, shooting 2-for-4 from 3-point range in helping the #13 Lady Plainsmen to a 99-48 victory.

On Dec. 8th the Panhandle native scorched the nets from long range hitting six 3-pointers en route to 24 points in 25 minutes of action. Choate also had 6 rebound in FPC's 66-41 victory over Murray State College in a game played on the campus of Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls.

Choate's play in her sophomore campaign has been a huge factor in Frank Phillips' success this season.

 

The 13th ranked Frank Phillips College Lady Plainsmen defeated Northwest Kansas Technical College 74-to-66 in Borger to begin 2018 with its 11th straight victory of the season. 

Sophomore Kiara Shoals led the Lady Plainsmen with 22 points. Sophomore center Marlene Aniambossou was also in double figures with 19 points. Freshman Sable Darnell connected on a trio of 3-pointers for nine points. 

Also scoring for FPC were Kinsley Choate and Hannah Leavitt with six points each, five apiece for Perrine Manoury and Talitha Airington, and Taje Airington added a pair of free throws.

FPC led 37-to-27 at halftime, but had a sluggish third quarter before playing NW Tech even in the fourth quarter. The Lady Plainsmen connected on six 3-pointers and shot 72.7% from the charity stripe going 16-for-22 for the game.

The Lady Plainsmen hit the road to face Midland College on Monday, Jan. 8th at 5:45 p.m. FPC and Midland sit atop the standings of the Western Junior College Athletic Conference as both teams are off to 2-and-0 starts in conference play.