Warren Central’s Caldwell signs with Northeast Mississippi

Published 8:00 am Tuesday, April 17, 2018

Whatever Warren Central needed, whenever it needed, Dee Dee Caldwell was the person for the job.

A defender to lock someone down? Instant offense off the bench? A capable starter who can fill up the stat sheet?

Check, check and check.

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Caldwell’s versatility made her a reliable part of the Lady Vikes’ rotation for four seasons and, eventually, a college prospect. On Monday she signed with Northeast Mississippi Community College and will get an opportunity to continue her basketball career next season.

“Everybody doesn’t get the opportunity to” play college basketball, Caldwell said. “I’m blessed to get the opportunity to go on. It took a lot of hard work and dedication to keep pushing and pushing to be my absolute best.”

Caldwell is the fourth member of Warren Central’s girls’ basketball team to earn a college basketball scholarship this year. She’ll join Da’Sha McGloster at Northeast Mississippi. Guard T.T. Sims signed with Holmes Community College, and center Amber Gaston with Division I Florida Atlantic.

A fifth player, Cocoa Fultz, signed with Northeast Mississippi to play softball.

The talented senior class went 78-44 in four full seasons with the varsity — more than double the program’s win total in the four years before they arrived — and led the Lady Vikes to the Class 6A quarterfinals this season.

“We opened a lot of eyes. A lot of people didn’t think we would make it this far, but we did. I’m proud of this season,” Caldwell said.

Caldwell battled some injuries during her career, but always seemed to fill whatever role was asked of her. She averaged 7.7 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game for her career.

Her average of 5.9 points per game this season was a career low, but she filled a valuable role as the Lady Vikes’ sixth man. She scored in double figures a half-dozen times, including a 13-point, eight-rebound performance in a division win over Clinton in January.

“I give people a lift sometimes when they need it,” Caldwell said. “It depends on the night. I can be defensive one night and offensive another day. Or just help everybody else on the court do their part.”

Warren Central coach Jackie Martin-Glass praised Caldwell for filling a difficult role, and said her versatility will help her at the next level. Despite being only 5-foot-6, Caldwell has great leaping ability and can play either guard position, small forward or even power forward in a pinch.

“I think it was her ability to come in the game and be an impact player. Because of her illnesses and injuries, I called her in one day and told her I thought her best role would be to be that impact player and give us a lift. So she’s been the big-time sixth man,” Martin-Glass said. “When people were out watching us they would see her sub in and have a big impact. When you’re in the dumps a little bit or not scoring, she would come in and give you an instant six or eight points and it was like, ‘Where did she come from!?’”

About Ernest Bowker

Ernest Bowker is The Vicksburg Post's sports editor. He has been a member of The Vicksburg Post's sports staff since 1998, making him one of the longest-tenured reporters in the paper's 140-year history. The New Jersey native is a graduate of LSU. In his career, he has won more than 50 awards from the Mississippi Press Association and Associated Press for his coverage of local sports in Vicksburg.

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