Former Warrior standing tall for Alabama A&M

Published 12:00 am Thursday, December 10, 2015

By Kevin Eckleberry

keckleberry@civitasmedia.com

Tatum

http://lagrangenews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/37/2015/12/web1_west-mug.jpgTatum

Olson

http://lagrangenews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/37/2015/12/web1_tatum-mug.jpgOlson

Olson

http://lagrangenews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/37/2015/12/web1_olson-mug.jpgOlson

He’s looking to make the most of his final season.

Nick West, a former LaGrange Academy standout, is in his fourth and final season on the Alabama A&M men’s basketball team, and he is thriving.

West is averaging 15 points per game, and he has been a dominant force in the paint in helping his team get off to a 4-1 start.

West began his season with a bang, scoring 20 points in a 68-67 win ove Tulane, and he has been a major contributor in every game since then.

In a win against Oakwood, West scored 18 points, he was 8-of-11 from the free-throw line, and he had 13 rebounds and five assists.

In a win against Jacksonville State, he scored 13 points and pulled down seven rebounds, and he had nine points and six rebounds in a victory over Southwest Missouri.

In Alabama A&M’s lone loss, West delivered another terrific effort, scoring 15 points and snaring 15 rebounds while playing all but three minutes.

The 6-foot-10 West, who is a sports management major, has enjoyed a stellar career for Alabama A&M, and he has gotten better each season.

As a freshman, West averaged less than three points per game, and he scored six points per game as a sophomore.

West had his breakout season as a junior when he average 12.4 points and 7.7 rebounds per game, and his numbers are even better as a senior.

COLUMBUS STATE: Brittany Tatum, a junior guard from LaGrange High, is in her third season at Columbus State.

Tatum, a starting guard for the Cougars, is averaging seven points, 2.8 assists, and 2.4 rebounds per game.

Tatum had 11 points in a season-opening win over Fort Valley State, and she scored 10 points a day later against Albany State.

Tatum stepped right into the starting lineup when she was a freshman, and that’s where she has remained.

She started all 29 games when she was a freshman, and she was in the starting lineup for all 33 games last season.

In both her freshman and sophomore seasons, Tatum led the team in assists.

Tatum came to Columbus State following an exceptional career at LaGrange High where she scored more than 1,000 points and helped lead the team to the final four as a freshman.

LAGRANGE COLLEGE: LaGrange High graduate Justyn Olson is coming off two exceptional back-to-back games for the Panthers.

After scoring 26 points in an overtime win over Birmingham Southern, Olson had 21 points in Saturday’s victory over Auburn-Montgomery.

Olson, a junior guard who is in his second season at LaGrange College, is averaging 13.4 points per game, and that’s second on the team to senior guard Mark Wagner.

Olson averaged 11 points per game during his first season with the Panthers, and he helped the team win a second straight USA South tournament championship.

Andrea Heflin, a freshman from LaGrange High, has played in four games for the LaGrange College’s women’s team, and she has made two of the three shots she has attempted this season.

Heflin helped lead LaGrange High to a spot in the Region 1-AAAAA championship game during her senior season.

PRAIRIE VIEW: Shamiya Brooks, a senior post player from Troup High, is in her fourth and final season on the Prairie View A&M basketball team.

Brooks has only played in one game so far this season, and she scored three points against Lamar last week.

Brooks has enjoyed a terrific career at Prairie View, and she has helped the team win multiple conference championships.

In high school, Brooks led Troup to a region championship and a berth in the state’s elite eight as a senior.

COVENANT: Morgan Douglass, a freshman from Lafayette Christian School, has played in five of Covenant’s seven games this season.

Douglass is still looking for her first points as a college player, but she does have four rebounds and a pair of assists.

MARYVILLE COLLEGE: Danterrius Bray, a freshman, from LaGrange High, is on the Maryville College men’s team, but he has yet to appear in a game this season.

As a senior last season, Bray helped lead LaGrange to a region championship a spot in the state quarterfinals.

OF NOTE: If there is someone we need to include in the college roundup, please email lagrangesports@yahoo.com