Two days after being named the conference player of the week, Phikala Anthony of the Barton Community College women's basketball team can add a national honor to top off her historical week. The reigning Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference (KJCCC) Women's Basketball Player of the Week, Anthony was also named late Wednesday as the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) selection for the player of the week.
Anthony averaged a double-double twenty-nine points and ten rebounds in her record setting week leading the Lady Cougars to a pair of victories. Scoring a career high twenty-nine points in last Wednesday's victory over Cloud County Community College, Anthony not only recorded her seventh double-double of the season by adding thirteen rebounds but set a new school record in the process. Sinking 15-of-16 from the charity stripe, Anthony recorded the second most free throws made in a game and third most attempts in school history. Most notable, Anthony also took over the top spot in school history on the single season free throw chart with 154 makes surpassing Barton Hall of Famer Wendy Okeson who sank 153 in the 1999-2000 season. Three days later against Northwest Kansas Technical College in the opening round of the Region VI playoffs, Anthony matched her career high twenty-nine points in consecutive games sinking all seven free throw attempts to complete a two-game stretch of nearly 96% free throw shooting making an incredible 22-of-23. Anthony was also solid from the field going 10-of-16 including 2-of-2 behind the arc to complete a 56.6% shooting performance for the week.
In addition to breaking the school record in single season made free throws, Anthony also just took over the top spot in free throws attempted in a single season while leaving her mark as one of the top free throw shooters in school history. Going 5-of-6 Wednesday in the Lady Cougars' season ending loss in the Region VI Quarterfinals, Anthony increased her school record in made free throws to 166 and surpassed Okeson's mark by two in attempts at 208.
On the career charts Anthony finishes thirteen shy of Okeson's 1998-00 career mark of 253 made free throws and wraps up her career in the number four slot at 310 attempts. Shooting a fourth best single season free throw percentage of 79.8%, Anthony also finishes fourth on the career chart at 77.4%.
Anthony was also an integral part of a record setting team as the Lady Cougars finished the 2014-15 as the top free throw shooting team in women's basketball school history. Barton connected on 481-of-670 from the charity stripe for 71.8% surpassing the 70% record set by the 2006-07 squad. The accuracy also places second in Barton basketball history only behind the 1977-78 men's basketball squad's 72.5% mark, which Lady Cougar Assistant Coach Alan Clark coincidentally was an integral part of the team's achievement.