Chamique Holdsclaw is a star on the rise. And considering the height she has already achieved, that's saying something.
In her debut collegiate season, Holdsclaw's play sent ripples through the basketball community. Three years later, the ripples have turned into tsunami-sized waves.
As a Tennessee freshman, Holdsclaw opened eyes when she scored a team-high 16 points against the 1995-96 USA Women's National Team on Nov. 22, 1995, then helped the Lady Vols to the 1996 NCAA crown. Making it a perfect three-for-three after winning it all again in 1997 and 1998, Holdsclaw earned 1997 and 1998 NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player honors for her stellar play.
Holdsclaw, as a college junior to be, tried out for and was selected for USA Basketball's 1997 World Championship Qualifying team. Despite being surrounded by 11 professionals during the summer of 97, and despite her lack of international experience, it was Holdsclaw's first trip out of the country, she more then proved herself to USA head coach Nell Fortner and the veteran players like Edna Campbell, Teresa Edwards, and Katie Smith. Finishing as the team's leading scorer and rebounder, Holdsclaw numbers sparkled - 19.0 ppg. and 6.2 rpg. Helping the U.S. to 12-1 pre-competition record then the silver medal and a berth in the 98 World Championships, she had left her mark.
While in Brazil at the qualifying tournament, Holdsclaw celebrated her 20th birthday by giving USA coach Fortner a memorable gift. Scoring 32 points (12-14 FGs, 8-8 FTs) and adding seven rebounds, she led the USA to a hard-fought 94-90 victory over Cuba in the semifinals.
Throughout the summer, Holdsclaw learned from four-time Olympian Edwards, perhaps one of the best players ever to play for USA Basketball. During the squad's pre-competition tour of Canada, Germany and Slovakia, Holdsclaw and Edwards were roommates, but about halfway through the tour, rooming assignments were to be switched around. Upon hearing that the rooming assignments were going to change, she asked Fortner to let Edwards and her continue to room together. How could Fortner deny her leading scorer?
"Last summer, Chamique was surrounded by great players like Teresa Edwards. I think they were really good for each other, the grand dame' and the rookie. She brought some excitement to Teresa, who in turn gave some wisdom to Chamique. She played all over the world, leading the team in scoring and rebounding the whole time.
In basketball, the National Championship game is the dream of every kid that plays basketball in college. NC State’s basketball team wasn’t well known in 1983. Jim Valvano was the coach and he knew he had a great group of kids. When they won the ACC tournament against the great Ralph Sampson and Virginia, people thought that the win was just luck and they probably wouldn’t make last when they got into the tournament. Throughout the tournament, NC State kept surviving and advancing. In Johnathan Hock’s documentary “Survive and Advance”, Hock uses stock footage of the games that were played during the tournament, different points of view from the players, and the sequence of the documentary to prove that NC State’s basketball team were the underdogs during the whole tournament; however they were able to win despite their adversity
In continuing her career, she made the Varsity team her Freshmen year and continued to play all four years. As a freshman she averaged 15 points per game and was named Freshmen of the year. As a sophomore, she averaged 18 points and 11 rebounds. As a Junior, Latoya averaged 22 points, 12 rebounds and 6 assists. She also led the team and the nation in scoring.
...e rookie along slowly. Through the first half of the season, Hardaway started at the off guard slot while veteran Scott Skiles started at the point. But by midseason Hill felt Hardaway was ready, and on February 6 Penny became the Magic's starting point guard for the rest of the year. The multitalented rookie had a phenomenal first season, finishing a close second to Webber for the NBA Rookie of the Year Award. Hardaway played and started in all 82 games, averaging 16.0 points, 6.6 assists and 5.4 rebounds. He also set a club record with 190 steals, and his average of 2.32 steals per game ranked sixth in the NBA. Hardaway was named NBA Rookie of the Month for January after averaging 20.5 points, 7.0 assists, 5.7 rebounds, and 3.33 steals over 15 games. In February, Hardaway was named the MVP of the NBA Rookie Game during All-Star Weekend in Minneapolis. He scored 22 points on 8-of-9 shooting from the floor. Bolstered by Hardaway's contributions, the Magic set a franchise record with 50 victories and advanced to the playoffs for the first time ever. Orlando lost in the first round to the Indiana Pacers, but many felt that, for the Magic and for Hardaway, the best was yet to come.
It was the middle of November, 7 p.m. and very chilly outside. The team was walking into the court. “The basketball court looked and felt brand new. It smelled like it was just built and ready to be played on,” Rashim excitedly explained. It was Rashim’s first game of the regular season against Wissahickon High School. Usually Rashim doesn't care about the regular season, but he found out that this could be the most important game of his life. 76ers recruiter, Matthew McLane, came to watch the game to find an incoming star to bring to the NBA. Rashim knew it was his chance to show how he is good enough for the NBA, but he was very nervous. The game
Pat Summitt became the lady volunteers coach after Margaret Hutson resigned from the coaching position in 1974. Pat had never coached a day...
There have been many historical moments with the University of Dayton Flyers Men’s Basketball team, but Mark Weaver recalls of the one that meant most to him. It took place on March 24, 1967, in Louisville’s Freedom Hall for the Final Four of the NCAA (National College Athletic Association) tournament against the highly favored North Carolina Tar Heels (Collett 228). This was the third straight NCAA tournament appearance for the Flyers, but their first ever Final Four (Collett 228). It turned out that the Flyers smashed North Carolina, seventy-six to sixty-two. Don May hit a record thirteen straight field goals and scored thirty-four points (Collett 228). Mark Weaver, a lifetime fan said, “I remember that game like it was yesterday, it almost brings tears to my eyes. I have never seen UD party like we did the night of that game. I have been following Dayton basketball since the mid-1960s and I have yet to witness the team getting a greater win than the one over the Tar Heels.”
Cousy, the freshman substitute who would become the most famous player in school history and a great professional, contributed two free throws.
Although many youngsters fail in the NBA, there are a few high school players who have had, or do have a successful career in the NBA. Some of these are, Moses Malone, Kobe Bryant, Tracey McGrady, and this year’s most valu...
Cheryl Miller was truly a pioneer in women's basketball. She played her high school days at Riverside Polytechnic High school where she was a four year varsity letter winner and led her team to a 132-4 record. In 1981, she was awarded the Dial Award for the national high school scholar athlete of the year. She is named an All-American 4 times by Parade Magazine. She was the first player, male or female, to accomplish this feat. She averaged 39 points and 15 rebounds all throughout high school. She even owns the record for the highest amount of points scored in a basketball game by any male or female with 105 (Breaking News). Even in her career at the University Of Southern California (USC) she accomplished amazing things. She is sixth all time in NCAA history in career points with 3,018. She is third all-time in rebounding with 1,534 (Breaking News). She also has two NCAA titles as well as two tournament MVP's in both of those years. She holds eight records at USC. She also has three Olympic Gold medals. She is also the first USC player, male or female, to have her number retired. (Breaking News). After a brief stint as a professional basketball player, she went on to take the head coaching job at her Alma Mater. She is now an extremely popular broadcaster for TNT Sports.
Kierstin Schade, a senior middle hitter, is a key player in the girls' success on both the defensive and offensive sides of the ball. She was selected for both the second team all-WPIAL and all-section teams her junior year. Standing at 6'1'', rarely seen in the girls' WPIAL, Schade uses her long arms and high jump to absolutely stuff opponents at the net, and
Her other brother Shae set it off for Shoni when he told her she was not good enough to play with the boys. Shoni, ranked top 10 in high school basketball for the class of 2011, earned her scholarships from colleges nationwide. Shoni’s most memorable game was when the Louisville Cardinals were in the Final Four NCAA Division Tournament and they played the Baylor Lady Bears. During the game, Shoni was on a fast break and standing in front of the goal, was 6’8” center, Brittney Griner and Shoni went into the lane, spinning around and Brittney fouled her as Shoni made the
Basketball at Fort Shaw could not have come into play without Josephine Langley. Winslow offered a staff position to the young Indian woman, who grew up in the boarding school system. While working at Fort Shaw, she was noticed by a visiting Colonel Richard Pratt, head of the famed Carlisle boarding school (pg. 70-71). It was during her short time at Carlisle where Josie first witnessed a game of girls “basket ball” and was taken by the sport (pg. 64-66). Langle...
Theresa is a motivated young woman, if nothing else. Basketball seems to be her only shot at a decent life for herself and her family. As of now, her future does not look too bright, given her lack of education or marketable skills. Not to mention the fact that she is the oldest of five and one of eight people overflowing a two bedroom apartment in the projects. She works the nightshift at a convenience store, protected by a two-inch layer of bulletproof glass and watched by security cameras trained on the register. Her boss does not trust her because she is African-American and poor. She spends the days sleeping, watching TV and keeping an eye on her siblings and seventy seven year old grandmother.
“The odds of a high school basketball player making it to the “next level” to play college basketball (DI, II, or III) is slim. In fact, only 3.4% of high school players go on to play college basketball. Taking it even further, only 1.2% of college basketball players go on to get drafted in the NBA” (Winters, 2016). There are two types of players in the game. There are the kids who play basketball because they are athletic, and all they are seeking to gain is the recognition and awards. They want to be known. Those players are self-centered, they do not play for the team, and generally don’t play because they love the game. These are the types of players who don’t usually go on to play at the next level. On the other hand, there are the players that absolutely dedicate their life to the game of basketball just because they love the game. That is what coaches are looking for in a player, and that is the kind of player I am striving to be.
UNC Women’s soccer was given it’s offical team in 1977. It began as a club, established for students looking for a higher level of play. After petitioning to take the team to a varsity level, Anson Dorrance, the male team’s coach at the time, helped take them there. He was impressed by the team, and recommended the school create a women’s soccer team. The team was created, and Dorrance was made the head coach. The team started off slow, playing with a club schedule against high school teams. In 1979, the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women established a national women’s soccer program. Because the UNC team was the only women’s soccer team in the south east, there was the opportunity to recruit the best players without competition. Dorrance proceeded to recruit the most talented freshmen he could find for the team. Eight of those recruits led the team to win their first, and only, AWIW Championship. Since then, the team has been the NCAA