With a Class 2A state championship in hand, three Newton Lady Tigers took a victory lap of sorts last week.
Newton’s Nia McCalphia, Myja McNichols and McKinley Ware each signed basketball scholarships last week in a ceremony at the Newton High School library.
Coach Perry Fletcher was all smiles at the signing and proud of his seniors that are moving on to play college basketball.
“It means everything,” Fletcher said. “These girls are a by-product of a lot of people that have come before them. They are the fruit of that labor. I thought they all had the potential to do it and with some hard work, that they could play on the next level. These girls bought in to that what we were selling. Coach Stribling and I knew that if they bought in that the talent was there. Them signing just came from the hard work that they put in.”
McCalphia capped off a stellar career with the Lady Tigers after being named the Division 4-2A Player of the Year for the consecutive season. She was named the Most Valuable Player in the Class 2A Championship game and was named to The Meridian Star’s Premier Preps of East Mississippi team. McCalphia signed with Alcorn State after being recruited by most of the state’s junior college programs along with Jackson State, Central Arkansas and Lamar University. McCalphia said she plans to major in computer science.
“When I went on a visit there, it felt like home and I fit in there,” McCalphia said. “The coaches were nice, and I knew that they were going to take care of me, both academically and on the court.”
McNichols signed with Copiah-Lincoln after being recruited by Holmes, Gulf Coast, Meridian and Southwest. McNichols was a three-year starter for the Lady Tigers and was also recently named to The Meridian Star’s Premier Preps of East Mississippi team, averaging double figures in scoring and rebounding for the Lady Tigers. McNichols said she plays to major in sports medicine but is also considering going to the Air Force after her college playing days are over.
“I liked the vibe down there and how the teammates interacted with each other,” McNichols said. “I liked how the coaches interacted with you and how their education system was set up.”
Ware signed with Hinds Community College after being recruited by Hinds, Southwest and East Central. Ware would be in the STEM program at Hinds and eventually study nursing after finishing her playing career.
“I like the coach and they had been watching me for a good time,” Ware said. “They paid me more attention than anyone else and kept calling and checking up on me to make sure I was OK. When I went down there, it just felt like home.”
