Troy University Athletics
Photo by: Chris Davis
Troy Women Add Two NJCAA All-American Guards
5/22/2015 1:30:00 PM | Basketball (W)
TROY, Alabama – The Troy women's basketball program and head coach Chanda Rigby announced the signing of a pair of junior college All-American guards on Friday as Jayla Chills and Ta'Kierra Gibbs both will join the Trojans for the 2015-16 season.
Chills, a 5-foot-10 guard, comes to Troy after playing the last two seasons at Itawamba Community College in Fulton, Miss. Chills was a second team NJCAA All-American in 2014-15 as a sophomore after averaging 19.7 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game for the Lady Indians.
A native of Ripley, Miss., Chills led Itawamba to a 23-5 overall record and an appearance in the NJCAA National Tournament last year. In addition to All-American honors, Chills was a first team MACJC All-State selection and the MVP of the NJCAA Region 23 Tournament.
During her two-year career, Chills was named the MACJC Player of the Week seven times and the NJCAA National Player of the Week twice. As a freshman in 2013-14, she averaged 12.2 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game on her way to second team MACJC All-State honors.
Prior to her junior college career, Chills was a four-year starter at Ripley High School where she won the MHSAA Class 3A State Championship in 2011.
"Jayla is a very talented scorer," Rigby said. "When she is on the floor, she demands a lot of attention from the opponent's defense. Because of this, she opens up scoring lanes for her teammates. Jayla is instant offense, both by her scoring and by the opportunities she creates for those around her."
Gibbs, a 5-foot-9 guard, comes to Troy from Central Georgia Technical College in Macon, Ga., where she was an NJCAA All-America honorable mention selection as a sophomore in 2013-14. Gibbs, also known as "KG", averaged 17.2 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 4.2 steals per game as a sophomore.
A native of Eatonton, Ga., Gibbs was a two-time GCAA All-Region 13 selection and helped the Titans to a combined 46-14 record in her two seasons. She averaged 12.7 points, 9.4 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 3.9 steals per game as a freshman.
"KG's stat line tells the story of what kind of player she is," Rigby said. "For a scoring guard who averages 17 points a game, to also average7.7 rebounds and 4.2 steals, this shows that she contributes everywhere on the court. Her skill level, athleticism, and desire to win will all contribute to helping us advance towards our goal of a Sun Belt Championship."
Troy Women's Basketball Signing Class
Claresa Banks – 5'9" – Jr – G – Jackson, Miss. (Copiah-Lincoln CC)
Jayla Chills – 5'10" – Jr – G – Ripley, Miss. (Itawamba CC)
La'Tia Fils-Aime' – 6'1" – Fr – F – Daleville, Ala. (Daleville HS)
Ta'Kierra Gibbs – 5'9" – Jr – G – Eatonton, Ga. (Central Georgia Technical College)
Joymesia Howard – 6'2" – R-Jr – F – East St. Louis, Ill. (Central Arizona College)
Amanda Mendoza – 5'4" – So – G – Miami, Fla. (St. Petersburg College)
Arjae Saunders - 5'7" - Jr - G - Washington, D.C. (Walters State CC)
Amahni Upshaw – 6'1" – Fr – F – Brantley, Ala. (Brantley HS)
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