TYLER — One of the most difficult seasons in the history of the Trinity Valley Community College Lady Cardinals women's basketball program now has the chance to be one of the most rewarding.
The Lady Cardinals (28-5) punched their ticket to NJCAA Women's National Basketball Tournament in Salina with an overwhelming 88-71 win over the rival Tyler Junior College Apache Ladies Monday night at the Herrington Patriot Center on the campus of The University of Texas at Tyler.
The national tournament -- where the Lady Cardinals have won five national championships -- begins next Tuesday, March 16. Tournament seedings will be released this Wednesday.
"I feel blessed right now, to be honest with you," TVCC Interim Head Coach Elena Lovato said. "I just thank God for the strength he's given all of us every day to wake up and play like champions."
The Lady Cardinals will be making their 15th appearance at the national tournament, having last won a championship in 2004. But getting back this time was as tough a challenge as any of their predecessors have faced.
"This is pretty special to me," said TVCC guard Michelle White, who was named All-Tournament along with fellow guard Tawanna Lee. "I'm pretty sure no other Trinity Valley team has been through what we've been through."
The adversity this season included the loss of their head coach, Bill Damuth -- who was in his first season as TVCC's head coach. He was arrested following the team's February 10 loss to Blinn in Brehnam after an alleged altercation with referees, and the college subsequently terminated his employment.
Lovato, the team's assistant coach, became the interim head coach and led the Lady Cardinals to wins over the seven games since the incident.
Gloria Brown, the Region XIV Conference MVP during the season, was named the tournament's MVP. Brown, who averaged 22 points and 13 rebounds in three tournament games, led the Lady Cardinals against Tyler with 18 points and nine rebounds.
"I feel like we've played hard and just kept it going," Brown said. "I really don't know what to say. We've got to do this."
The outcome of Monday's game wasn't in doubt after the first 10 minutes. The Lady Cardinals began to pull away after White's three with 10:13 left in the first half gave her team a 22-12 lead. That lead went to 40-19 five minutes later on a three-point play by Brittney Dukes, a play made possible by her own steal.
The first-half runaway was all the more impressive considering Brown spent much of the final 10 minutes on the bench with two fouls.
The lead would grow to as much as 30 in the second half. Tyler, which has now lost to TVCC in 15 of their last 16 meetings, never led.
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