New Iberia Senior High’s Kierra Anthony (1) and Moesha Kinard, (23) watch the action during a game from earlier this season. The guard duo are named Co-MVP’s of The Daily Iberian’s Best of the Teche Girls Basketball Team for the 2012-2013 season.

This past basketball season, New Iberia Senior High put together an incredible run. The Lady Jackets ran the table in District 7-5A, won 27 games and reached the quarterfinals of the Class 5A state basketball tournament for the first time since 2004.

Leading the way for the Lady Jackets were a trio of players who combined proved to be a difficult problem to solve for opposing defenses.

Those three, Moesha Kinard, Kierra Anthony and Uri Jolivette, were the main cogs in an offense that routinely put up 60 points per game.

Of those three, it was Kinard and Anthony that proved to be the most difficult for the opposition as both frequently changed between point guard and shooting guard with great success.

“They really proved to be the point of our offense,” said NISH girls coach Robert Pinckney. “Kierra could take the ball down and run the offense or shoot and Moesha could also take the ball down and shoot.”

Each had great success in NISH’s offensive sets.

Kinard averaged 19 points per game and eight rebounds for the Lady Jackets in district play; Anthony averaged 19 points and four assists in district play for the Lady Jackets.

Together their 38 point averaged made up for more than half of NISH’s points in district games.

“A lot of coaches knew what to expect from her because she opened a lot of eyes as a freshman,” said Pinckney. “One thing about her is that she improved her defensive play. Jeremy (asssistant coach Jeremy Bonin) came in a changed up the style of defense we play and she accepted that role in guarding the opposition’s best player on the floor.

“And then turned around to be the ball-handler we needed on the floor. Handle the ball first and score second. She stepped up all season and led us as far as we went in the playoffs.”

The NISH coach was just as complimentary of Kinard.

“Moesha came in a little under the radar,” said Pinckney. “I think that Jeremy and I both knew that she could score with the basketball. Last year she showed signs of it but showed inconsistency with it.

“I though that this year she was more consistent on the offensive end. It allowed us to pull Kierra off the floor at times to give her a rest. Moesha could play any position on the floor. She played the point guard, shooting guard, power forward and shooting forward. We could move her all over the floor and we didn’t have any dropoff. She opened a lot of eyes this year.”

The awards for the two came quickly as the season ended. Kinard was named District 7-5A MVP andboth were named to first team All-District 7-5A, along with Jolivette. Kinard was also named second team Class 5A All-State with Anthony as an honorable mention selection.

For their efforts in leading New Iberia Senior High to the district title and the quarterfinal round of the playoffs, Anthony and Kinard are named Co-Most Valuable Players for The Daily Iberian’s Best of the Teche Girls Basketball Team for the 2012-13 season.

Joining the NISH duo on the first team is teammate Jolivette, who averaged a double-double (10 points, 10 rebounds) in district play this year.

“Urionne is player with lots of potential. He upside knows no bounds,” said Pinckney. “She is one of those players who can handle the ball like a guard, score like a forward and rebound like a center.

“I think that with some work, she can be as dominate in a game as Moesha and Kinard. I look forward to having those three back again next year.”

Also on the first team Best of Teche this year is Catholic High guard Lexi Landry, who averaged 20 points per game for the Lady Panthers and was a first team All-District 6-2A selection.

“Lexi is the leader on the floor for us,” said CHS coach Josh Guilbeau. “She is our best offensive player and sets the tone for the team. She’s become the focal point of what teams try to do against us as well.”

Guilbeau added that teams take the attitude that they can stop Landry and beat Catholic High but that only allows her to involve more of her teammates in the game and that makes the Lady Panthers that much more dangerous to play.

Also on the first team are a couple of players from District 6-2A, West St. Mary’s Amber Joe, who was named district MVP and Jeanerette guard Ambrielle Clark, who led the Lady Tigers to a second place finish in district.

For his efforts in leading New Iberia Senior High to the quarterfinals of  the Class 5A playoffs, Pinckney is named Best of the Teche Coach of the Year.

Several players were nominated for Best of the Teche but were not selected, they are named Honorable Mention Best of the Teche for the 2012-2013 season.

NISH’s  Pocahontas Simon and Chynna Brooks; Westgate’s Diamonique Curvin, Brittany Nathan and Alexis Charles; Catholic High’s Shelby Broussard; Delcambre’s Nicole Bouillion and Emily Romero; Loreauville’s Taylor Jacob and Andrea Willis; Jeanerette’s O’Sheanna Bernard and Stacelyn Lewis; Franklin’s Fabien Small; Centerville’s Nyketra Kennedy, Erath’s Gabby Harrington and Alexis Harrington and Hanson’s Brittney Broussard, Macie Guillotte, Katie Sonnier and Emily Sonnier.