BOONEVILLE, Miss. - The Northeast Mississippi Community College women's basketball team is low on numbers when compared to its usual roster size, but big on potential.
The Lady Tigers enter Brian Middleton's inaugural campaign as head coach with only eight active players. He insists that success can be achieved immediately despite the limited bench.
"It's not going to be an easy process, but we're gonna have those standards and those expectations," said Middleton. "We've been looking at the banners and the last (conference title) was in 2007. We said, 'Look, that's 20 years. Our job together is to get it there.' Our ultimate goal is to bring that respect and environment back to Lady Tiger basketball.
"Year ones are for your culture building and your standards and your expectations and so that's what we're in the process of. We want them to understand that you take ownership, leadership and responsibility in that process of building that culture. That's got to continue to improve, but I do see growth. I'm seeing positive things every day."
Middleton believes the foundation must be built around Northeast's three returners from the 2024-25 season in Christina Fulton (Columbus), Maniya Kirksey (Tupelo) and Nakyiah Walker (Independence).
"I want those girls to be able to look back and go, 'We flipped that place. We were part of that,'" he said. "Even if they don't see all the rewards and reap all the benefits, they know they'll be a building block in that process."
Kirksey is the Lady Tigers' top returning scorer and rebounder with averages of six points and 4.5 boards. She had a season-best 15 points in a home victory over Hinds Community College.
Walker and Fulton should both see increased roles after serving primarily as reserves as freshmen. They combined for 6.6 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.9 assists per contest last winter.
Top-notch defender Tyquashia McMillian (West Point) joins Northeast as a transfer to make it a four-member sophomore class. She posted seven blocks and three steals in the 2024 Northeast Mississippi Basketball Coaches Association (NEMBCA) All-Star Game.
Four freshmen complete the Lady Tigers' lineup, including two from the very southwestern corner of the Magnolia State in ShiNiece Bell (McComb) and Alaysha Williams (South Pike).
Bell was recognized as a player to watch across the state by Capital Sports ahead of her senior campaign. Williams was solid defensively during her prep career, which ended with a division title in hand.
Baylon Middleton (Tishomingo County) will reunite with her dad at Northeast. The duo teamed up to lead the Lady Braves to the 2024 Mississippi High School Activities Association (MHSAA) Class 4A championship.
Middleton was an all-area selection by the Daily Corinthian after averaging nine points and six rebounds during her final season. She and her teammates lost only five total games between her junior and senior years.
Jania Brooks is the lone out-of-state player for the Lady Tigers this year. She helped Ezell-Harding Christian (Tenn.) School snap a nearly decade-long drought between district titles.
"We think we have the pieces to put together a competitive group and we're gonna do that," Middleton said. "We're gonna go out there, play hard and compete every night. You play smart and you play fundamental and you can overcome things."
Tatyana Lofton is also in her first year at Northeast as Middleton's assistant. She is a former award-winning athlete at Jones College and Tulane (La.) University with several coaching stops, including most recently at the University of Louisiana at Monroe (ULM).
The Lady Tigers have 12 regular season home dates with the first taking place on Tuesday, November 11 against Arkansas State University Mid-South. Conference play begins for Northeast in mid-January.