Copperas Cove adds two more to the growing list of signees

By TJ MAXWELL

Cove Leader-Press

Another member of the 1,000 points club, senior hoopster Kaysha McCloud, will now start a new chapter of statistics as she moves on to play basketball. 

“It’s very exciting,” said McCloud. “It’s a big deal because I’m very short for my position. so I thought that I wouldn’t really be able to go anywhere. But, with coach Barnes’ help, she was able to get me somewhere and I know she’ll help guide me.”

The four-year varsity starter will continue her academic and athletic career at NJCAA Ranger College in Ranger under first-year head coach and Texas Girls Coaches Association Hall of Famer Skip Townsend.

Townsend, who took Brock High School to six state championships, took over the Ranger College duties on May 1.

“When he first talked to me, he was my coach’s high school coach when she was in high school,” said McCloud. “It was a great opportunity to learn from him because everyone says he’s a great coach. I saw this as an opportunity to get better and hopefully move on to a bigger school.”

McCloud is a four-year letterman with a plethora of accolades including First Team All-District, Bush’s Classic Tournament Most Valuable Player, Lady Dawg Offense Player of the Year, Lady Dawg Best Rebounder, 1000+ points award, Lady Dawg of the Year Achievement Award, Academic All-District, and she was named District 12-6A Co-Offense Player of the Year as a senior.

The ties with her teammates are what she’ll miss the most.

“I will always remember the fun moments we had before and after games because we were always so close,” said McCloud. “I am honestly going to miss this about this team. We all loved each other more than ever. It was a really great year and I’m going to miss it.”

Another four-year varsity starter, Adora Lumpkin, will continue her academic and soccer career at Indian Hills Community College in Ottumwa, Iowa where she will play for head coach Anthony Longo. 

“I’m just very thankful and excited to get to move on to the next level,” said Lumpkin. “The location had a lot to do with it because I want to get out and explore the world and the coach is very generous and accommodating.”

Longo has a 40-10-4 record during his three-year tenure and has led the Warriors to the best three seasons in program history.

Despite having a strong diversified team, Lumpkin feels like she’ll fit right in.

“They said they needed a stronger forward and I’m a good fit for that,” she said. 

Lumpkin was a team captain and a First Team selection on the 12-6A All-District Team as a senior and received an Honorable Mention as a junior.

She managed to turn a negative into a positive when their season was prematurely ended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It was real disappointing to not finish the season,” she said. The positive was it gave me more time to train and prepare for college.

She also will miss the bonds she’s created with her team the most.

“The memories I hold most are the simple things,” she said. “I enjoyed the peace with them. We all got along very well, so the memories I keep are talking and laughing in the locker room and having fun. We all have the same sense of humor, so they were always a pleasure to be around. I think this year was our strongest year and I will miss them.”