Standing (L-R): Assistant Coach, Melody Relerford, Dshunna Thompson, Assistant Coach, Laurie Byrd, Casandra Ferguson,
Lamika Stevens, LaShawn Brown,Yolanda Fields, Tawana McDonald, Etoy Tipton, Leteia Hughley, Clarissa Elam and Assistant
Coach, Keith Smith Kneeling (L-R): Lashawn Grays, Ladel Lewis, Sheree Bates, Nicole Buford and Deanna Nolan Front (seated):
Head Coach, Letitia Hughley Not Pictured: Assistant Coach, Darnell Hughley, Oshea Weaver and Manager, Lafaye Bates
Standing (L-R): Manager, Lafaye Bates, Nicole Buford, Ladel Lewis, Deanna Nolan, Sheree Bates, Jashell Mitchell, Tamara Smith,
Tawana McDonald and Head Coach, Letitia Hughley Kneeling (L-R): Danielle Tipton, Leteia Hughley, Veniece McCoy, Lamika
Stevens, Clarissa Elam and LaShawn Grays Not Pictured: Coaches- Keith Smith, Melody Relerford, Laurie Byrd and Darnell
Hughley. Players- Cassandra Ferguson and Taleesha Hardy
By all accounts, Flint Northern’s girls basketball program was a year away
from making a lengthy run in the Class A state tournament.
Entering the 1994 postseason, the Vikings had no seniors on their roster, and not one member of their team had ever won a tournament game.
Going against conventional wisdom, the youthful group not only ran the table that season, they captured a second straight state championship the
following year, posting a whopping 15-0 mark in state tournament games from 1994-95.
“When you’re a young team, all you know is to go out and play hard,” said Deanna Nolan, who was a standout shooting guard on both teams.
“You have nothing to lose, and we wanted to make a name for ourselves.”
Northern’s 1994 and ’95 teams will take their place alongside some of great hoops squads in Flint-area history when they are enshrined into the
Greater Flint Area Sports Hall of Fame.
“That (induction) shows we accomplished something that was great for the city of Flint at that time,” said Tawana (McDonald) Robinson, who
played center on both teams. “We just jelled together. When it was time to show up, we showed up.”
