By Mark H. Stowers

A proven winner, Lady Trojan Head Basketball Coach Tangela Banks, has improved the MDCC program each season since her hiring in 2019. Six wins, followed by five, then eight but her fourth year her team put up 16 wins and hit 16 again in her fifth year. Her sixth season, the 2024-25 saw the greatest success as the Lady Trojans hit the 20-win mark (21) – a best-in-history finish – dancing into the Region 23 Final Four Playoff at Pearl River Community College where they made the finals but lost to Itawamba.

In her short time at MDCC, Coach Banks teams accomplished much. In the 2024-25 season alone the Lady Trojans:

• 2024-25 Runner-Up Region 23 Championship
• 2024-25 First Ever Final 4 Appearance
• 2024-25 2^nd Elite 8 Appearance
• MACCC 1^st Team Janiah Caples
• MACCC 2^nd Team Layla Carter
• MACCC Honorable Mention Lauren Nelson

The 2023-24 team made the first round of playoffs with a 16-10 overall record. Other highlights include:

• MACCC Honorable Mention Cha’Myrean Ellis
• Best School Record in History with 16-10 season in both 2023 and 2024
• 2023 2^nd Round Elite 8 MS/LA – First Time in School History
• 2^nd Round Playoffs in both 2021 and 2022
• MACCC 2^nd Team Player Rodericka Parker in 2021.

The past two Lady Trojan Women’s Basketball Coaches, Burnadette McDonald and Buddy Walden each had successful programs but never made it to the Region 23 Finals. Athletic Director Jason Conner documented their findings along with help from former Sports Information Director Joe Wilson.

“We used to play for a North Half Championship and a South Half Championship and the top four teams of both North Half and South Half would go to the overall state tournament,” AD Conner said. “The top seven teams from the State Tournament plus the winner from Louisiana then would go to Regional Championship Tournament.”

He noted that in 2020, the MACCC did away with North Half and South Half and created a schedule for the 15 teams to compete amongst themselves in just one conference.

“The State Champion was declared from the Team (north or south) that was on top of the standing at the end of the year,” he explained. “The top 11 teams from the MACCC would qualify for the Regional Tournament and we would take the top seed from Louisiana.”

More changes came as the Region 23 Playoffs first two rounds would be played at the higher seed’s home court. The Final Four would be held at the regular season State Champion’s home court. The winner of the Region 23 would then represent the MACCC and Region 23 in the NJCAA National Tournament.

“I spoke with our retired Sports Information Director Joe Wilson who informed me that he did not remember any Women's Basketball Team going to the Regional Finals,” AD Conner said. “Then I spoke to Gwynn Young from Copiah Lincoln who was the WBB Region 23 representative for the longest time and he could not remember any Mississippi Delta Women's Basketball Team playing in the Region 23 Finals.”

Until this season, the best finish the Lady Trojans had was “20 years ago when Burnadette McDonald's Team won the Overall State Title in 2005 and lost in the Region 23 Semi-Finals to East Central Community College who went on to represent our Region in the National Tournament,” he explained.

Banks began her head coaching career at Forest Hill High School in Jackson, where she coached from 2010-2014. It was here that she captured two Mississippi High School Activities Association (MHSAA) state championships in 2012 and 2013 and was named MHSAA Coach of the Year twice. She also won two district championships and two Jackson Public Schools Pepsi tournaments and compiled an overall record of 98-25.

After her stint at Forest Hill, Banks then went to tradition-rich Murrah High School in 2014. During her time there, she claimed another state championship, three district championships and one Jackson Public Schools Pepsi tournament. She also earned MHSAA Coach of the Year honors, served as a North-South All-Star Coach and amassed a record of 101 wins and only 23 losses.

The Yazoo City native accumulated an associate of arts degree from Hinds Community College, a bachelor’s and master’s degree from Jackson State University and an additional certification in sports administration from Belhaven University.

At both Hinds and Jackson State, she was given attention by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) All-American committees, was named All-Southwestern Athletic Conference first-team, and was selected as Most Outstanding Track and Field Athlete at Jackson State University.

Banks first coached in the high school ranks at Murrah High School from 2014-2019. Her teams consistently competed for championships including:

• 2015-2016 6A State Champions
• 2016 MAC Coach of the Year
• JSU Trailblazer Award in 2018
• District Championships in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018
• JPS Tournament Champions 2017
• 6A State Runner Up in 2017-2018
• Ranked #25 in the country
• 4 MHSAA State Appearances
• Coach Banks was featured in the Jackson Public School 1^st Documentary for Successful Coaches in Jackson Public Schools

Her high school coaching career at Forest Hill High School from 2010-2014 included:

• 2012 6A State Champions
• 2013 6A State Champions
• 2013 Clarion-Ledger Coach of the Year
• 2014 NFHS Coach of the Year
• 2012 and 2013 6A South State Runner Ups
• 2012 and 2013 6A District Champions
• 2012 and 2013 JPS Pepsi Champions
• 5 MHSAA State Appearances.

Banks is a mother of two, Taniya and Jacavian.