VCU's Hurt, Richmond's Shafer, JMU's Brooks top All-LadySwish team

The 2011-12 All-LadySwish Team

Courtney Hurt, LadySwish Player of Year

Michael Shafer

Player of the Year: Courtney Hurt, VCU
22 ppg, 12 rpg, 639 points this season, .461 FG percentage
The prolific Rams senior followed up arguably the best individual season in program history as a junior with a nearly identical campaign in her final year. Will leave VCU as the school's all-time leading scorer and rebounder.

Coach of the Year: Michael Shafer, Richmond/Kenny Brooks, JMU
Given the Spiders' heavy graduation losses and extreme youth, we had this team penciled in for about 12-14 wins this season. Atlantic 10 coaches seemed to agree, as Richmond was picked to finish eighth in the preseason poll. The Spiders promptly reeled off 22 victories and nabbed the No. 4 seed - and a first-round bye - in the A-10 Tournament. Good thing Shafer doesn't listen to the "experts."

Meanwhile, all Brooks did was overcome the graduation losses of CAA all-time leading scorer Dawn Evans, All-CAA post Lauren Jimenez and key contributors Courtney Hamner and Jalissa Taylor and manage the Dukes to essentially the same level of success they enjoyed the previous two seasons that ended with trips to the NCAA Tournament. We hate ties when it comes to postseason honors. But in our view, Shafer and Brooks were equally outstanding. We really couldn't split this baby.


First team:

Jericka Jenkins, Sr., G Hampton
13.8 ppg, 7.4 apg, 55 steals, .833 FT percentage
  - Division I assists leader and Hampton's little engine that can has the Lady Pirates poised for a third straight NCAA Tournament appearance.
Abby Oliver, Sr., G Richmond
17.1 ppg, 3.1 rpg, .940 FT percentage (No. 1 NCAA)
  - That the ultra-competitive Oliver would step up her on-court game was a given. But the first-team All-Atlantic 10 performer may have even surprised herself with her effectiveness as the team's leader.
Ariana Moorer, Sr., G Virginia
13.8 ppg, 3.2 apg, 2.7 spg
  - The rare dymanic scorer on the defensive-oriented Cavaliers who extended her value by displaying point-guard skills after the season-ending injury to China Crosby.
Taleia Moton, Sr., G, George Mason
20.7 ppg; 4 rpg; .449 FG percentage; scored 600 points this season
 - Imagine the Patriots offense without Moton's uncanny ability to produce points in bunches. Scary thought, isn't it?
Tia Lewis, Sr., F, ODU
16.5 ppg, 9 ppg, .489 FG percentage
Like Richmond's Oliver, Lewis had no choice but to step into a leadership vacuum but has flourished in the role.


Second team

Tarik Hislop, Jr., G, JMU
14.7 ppg. 3.7 apg, 1.6 spg
  - Don't look at her numbers, particularly those shooting percentages. Look instead at who has the ball in her hands with the game on the line. Then look at the results.
Andrea Barbour, Sr., G, VCU
16.4 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 71 steals, .423 FG percentage
  - As pure a scorer as you'll find in this state - or any state, for that matter.
Nikki Newman, Jr., F, JMU:
5 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 2.5 spg, 1.3 bpg
 - Self-made defensive ace who can guard any position and has been Kryptonite to several of the league's superstars.
Avery Warley, Sr., C, Liberty
12.7 ppg, 11.2 rpg, 46 blocks, .582 FG percentage
  - U.S. Pan Am Games team member whose ability to corral rebounds is rivaled only by VCU's Hurt.
Choicetta McMillian, Sr., G, Hampton
14.2 ppg, 37.4 mpg; 4.5 rpg; 59 steals, .841 FT percentage
  - Three-point shooting ace who has broken open several game for the Lady Pirates this season.


Third team

Monet Tellier, Soph., G, Virginia Tech
13.7 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 2.5 apg, .427 FG percentage
  - Given the competition, Tellier's 31-point explosion against Maryland may have been the finest individual effort by any state player this season.
Devon Brown, Jr., F, Liberty
17.2 ppg, 7.1 rpg, .54 steals, .438 FG percentage
  - That Brown was able to turn in another terrific season is particularly remarkable given the tragic death of her mother last November.
Whitney Long, Sr., G, Norfolk State
 - Spartans sharpshooter has been particularly potent down the stretch and has led NSU to its best season in years.
Da'Naria Erwin Spencer, Jr., G, Radford:
17.4 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 68 steals, .454 FG percentage
  - Is poised to become only the fourth Highlander to crack the school's all-time Top 10 in points, assists and steals - and she's only a junior.
Emily Correal, Jr., F, W&M
13.1 ppg, 8.7 rpg, 27 blocks
  - Tenacious rebounder and low-post scoreer. An extremely close call for this spot between Correal and her teammate Janine Aldridge.

All-Rookie Team

Ashley Betz White, ODU: 7.9 ppg, 3.6 apg; started all 30 games
Reagan Miller, Liberty: 9.2 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 115 assists, started all 29 games
Toia Giggetts, JMU: 4.3 ppg, .421 FG percentage
Christina Carter, VCU: 4.8 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 24 starts
Ayana Avery, Radford: 6.6 ppg, 1.7 rpg, .867 FG percentage


Most improved:
Kirby Burkholder, JMU: 10.5 ppg, scored 304 points this season (vs. 31 last season)
Runner up: Taleia Moton, GMU: 20.7 ppg (12.2 ppg last season)

Results to celebrate:
Virginia 69, Tennessee 64: Cavs record first win over a top three team since 2000
George Mason 56, Drexel 51: Patriots defeat Dragons for the first time since 2003
James Madison 60, Middle Tennessee 46: Only one of five losses for the Raiders, unbeaten in the Sun Belt
Old Dominion 81, Hofstra 79 -- Lady Monarchs knock off Pride in New York
Norfolk State 84, Delaware State 66 -- Spartans break five-year losing streak in MEAC road games
Longwood 59, Air Force 48: Lancers win in Colorado Springs break year-long losing mark on road
William and Mary 83, Old Dominion 80: Break futility of 52-game losing streak dating back to 1976
Hampton 46, Florida A&M 43: Pirates win defensive battle to take top spot in the MEAC
Virginia Tech 75, No. 7 Maryland 69: Hokies pull off ACC stunner
VCU 76, Hofstra 60: Huge second half lifts Rams over high-octane Hofstra
Liberty 73, High Point 65: Lady Flames take over top spot in Big South
Radford 66, High Point 61: Highlanders hand Panthers first conference loss


Best use of Twitter:

Kenny Brooks: Sample of his candor: Getting a haircut is always an educational experience for me...
Richmond SID Rachel Park: Does anybody tweet more detail during a game?

Richmond squeaks past VCU

Best game: Richmond 78, VCU 77

VCU led by eight with less than five minutes to play, but Abby Oliver jumper ignited a 9-0 run. Andrea Barbour's free throws put VCU back in front, but Oliver scored four straight for the 17th and final lead change. Courtney Hurt brought the Rams within a point and a Richmond turnover gave VCU one more chance that turned into three more chances, but the shots didn't fall, as the Spiders survived in this classic.


Biggest upset: Virginia Tech 75, No. 7 Maryland 69
Hokies hadn't beaten a top eight team since 1998, and they won this game in College Park. Monet Tellier amassed 31, connecting on five 3-pointers and 10-of-11 free throws. Aerial Wilson scored 15, Porschia Hadley, 14 and Alyssa Fenyn, while LaTorri Hines-Allen nabbed nine rebounds.

Biggest nonconference upset: Virginia 69, No. 3 Tennessee 64
The Cavs scored 24 points off 27 turnovers with Chelsea Shine pacing five players in double figures with 18 points. This was Virginia's first win over a top 3 foe since 2000.

Website kudos: 
William and Mary's brilliant 20-question series lets us learn all about the Tribe (Kaitlyn Mathieu hates cold pizza; Jaclyn McKenna wants to skydive; Taylor Hilton is a DJ in her spare time, etc)
Liberty blog: Players and coaches take turn giving us insights; Love LaKendra Washington's Pranks! post
Virginia's Amy Mulligan does a great job of providing post game quotes and info and we love "Inside the Huddle."

W&M's Pye, Correal, Willems, Mathieu, McKenna

Road trip we wish we were on: W&M in NYC in December


Milestones:


Avery Warley becomes Liberty's all-time leading rebounder
Carey Green wins No. 300
Abby Oliver, 1,000-point club
Da'Naria Erwin Spencer, 1,000-point club
Whitney Long, 1,000-point club
Tarik Hislop, 1,000-point club
Choicetta McMillian, 1,000-point club
Tia Lewis, 1,000-point club, 1,000 rebounds
Tia Lewis passes Adrienne Goodson for 11th on ODU's all-time scoring list
Taleia Moton, 600 points, single-season record
Jericka Jenkins, 593 assists, second all-time at HU
Longwood joining Big South in 2012-12
Taysha Pye, graduates as W&M's second-leading scorer (1,647 points) and free-throw shooter (683)
Katherine DeHenzel, set single-season assist mark (168) at W&M
Janine Aldridge, her nine 3-pointers set a single-game record; her 89 treys is a single-season record and her 218 3-pointers is the all-time career record at W&M



Did we miss something? Let us know!

Reflection: Hampton

Jericka Jenkins

This is our fourth in a series of reflections about the 13 Division I teams in our state.

2010-11 season: 25-7, 15-1 MEAC. Regular-season and conference tournament champions. Seeded 13th in NCAA Tournament, lost in first round to No. 4 Kentucky (66-62 OT).

Who's leaving: Starters Quanneisha Perry (12.7 ppg, 9.0 rpg, two-time MEAC Defensive Player of the Year) and Laura Lewis (4.2 ppg, 5.8 rpg), Bernadette Fortune (missed most of last season with an ankle injury). In addition, reserves Christy Willis, Breanna Harris and Ryen Henry have all asked for and been granted releases, Hampton coach David Six said.

Who's coming: 

   - Ariel Phelps, 6-2 Jr. F, Louisburg College (Tallwood High). 

   Said Six: "Great athletic body with a 6-6 wingspan, runs the floor well and is a tremendous shotblocker."

   - Brielle Ward, 6-2 Fr. F, Western High (Md.). 

   Six: "Tremendous athlete who can score with either hand around the basket. Can also shoot the jumper up to 17 feet. Excellent defender who is tenacious."

   - Benee Glanton, 6-4 F, Tampa Jefferson (Fla.) 

   Six: College-type body who will take up space with her size, bang and will be an interior force around the basket."

   - Kenyada Brown, 6-2 F, Withrow High (Ohio). 

   Six: Extremely physical post player who runs the floor like a guard. Possesses great body control and has the ability to seal defenders on her back."

   - Kenia Cole, 5-5 Fr. G, Paint Branch High (Md.)

   Six: "Ultra-quick point guard with great ball-handling skills. Can get in the lane off the dribble and finish as well as knock down the three."

   - Candace Brown, 5-9 Fr. G, Hampton High (Va.)

   Six: Powerfully-built, athletic guard with the ability to slash to the basket, finish in traffic and absorb contact. An excellent defender who has the ability to shut down offensive players." 

High point: The season-opening win at James Madison was an eye-opener, and roughing up Howard in the MEAC tourney final was obviously huge. But for national impact, it's hard to beat the Lady Pirates' 69-54 thumping of Florida, the first win over an SEC school in program history.

Low point: On Nov. 23, with star guard Jericka Jenkins nursing an ankle injury, the Lady Pirates were crushed 71-43 by Richmond at the HU Convocation Center. The loss dropped Hampton to 1-3, and the team would slide to 1-4 before Jenkins could suit up again. The rest is Lady Pirates history. 

Program stock: Up. Way up.

We figured the Lady Pirates were on track for a strong season. Little did we know that the team would exceed our lofty projection en route to not only the finest campaign in Hampton's Division I era, but the best by any MEAC team in the 64-team NCAA Tournament era. 

Along the way, Jenkins established herself as one of the top point guards in the country (second in Division I in assists), an honorable mention All-American and the undisputed catalyst of Lady Pirates success. How important was Jenkins? The Lady Pirates went 1-4 when she was out of the lineup, 25-3 when she was in it.

But this was hardly a one-woman outfit. In fact, the beauty of the Lady Pirates was how their players worked together, how they used teamwork and total buy-in of their coach's preachings to outsmart and out-execute supposedly more talented foes. This was a team with no starter taller than 5-11 and with a rotation thinner than the iPad2. Yet they kept walking off the court winners.

After running roughshod though the MEAC for the second straight year, the Lady Pirates were rewarded with a No. 13 seed in the NCAA Tournament, the highest for a MEAC team since the field expanded to its present format. And while Kentucky escaped the Lady Pirates in their taut first-round encounter, Six said he's been inundated with e-mails and letters praising his Lady Pirates for their performance.

The graduation losses are significant; it would be tough to lose even one player from a unit that worked together so seamlessly. But Six is re-stocking his roster with what he believes may be Hampton's best-ever recruiting class. The coach said he expects to add at least one more impact player to the six listed above within the next week or so. And even more help could be on the way. Former Hampton High star Alyssa Bennett, a 6-2 guard who ESPN ranked the 32nd-best recruit in the country in 2009, is attempting to establish academic eligibility. If she makes it, the Lady Pirates would receive a huge boost.

Either way, there won't be any shortage of talent. But remember, mega-talent isn't how Hampton got where it is. The Lady Pirates played with a "We'll show them" chip on their shoulders last season and seemed to revel in the idea of doing stuff no one thought they could. Well, next season, a lot of people will think they can. Will the Lady Pirates train as hard in the offseason and play as passionately in-season without the "We don't get no respect" wind at their backs?

We're sure Six will insist on it, because in his mind, the Lady Pirates still have a lot of work to do. His oft-stated goal is for Hampton to play at a level so high they'll qualify for an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. That would put them among the nation's Top 40 or so teams. Hampton's final RPI was 77.

We'll admit we weren't sure whether to take Six seriously when he first started in with his Hampton gettting an at-large bid talk. But assuming his players remain as hungry as their coach, as remarkable as it seems, they just might make it.

Hampton's Jenkins is a survivor

Jericka Jenkins was on the bench, her left ankle in a boot. She didn't know when she would play again for the Hampton Lady Pirates. She knew this, though. She'd play.

It was just an ankle, after all, she said staring at it. It's not cancer. She's had that.

"I was 14 years old," she said.

She beat it, too.

"I was 15 years old," she said. "Bald and in high school."

She felt a swelling above her collar bone one afternoon at the end of a track meet. It will go away, a doctor told her. It didn't. She felt a second lump.

"You have cancer." She remembers the words.

"I went home and cried," she said. Then she looked it up and learned about Hodgkins lymphoma, an abnormal growth of cells in the lymph system.

"Am I going to die?" she asked.

The doctors told her no. It was mild. At the end of her freshman year, she began the first of six rounds of chemotherapy. Three weeks of radiation followed.

"My hair started falling out right away," she said. "After the second treatment I didn't eat. I just lay in the bed the whole time. My stomach hurt. I was really nauseated. And so fatigued."

She got permission from Lancaster (Texas) High to wear a bandana on her head. Her father, Rickey, shaved his.

The treatments came early in the week. Near the end of them, the 5-4 guard gathered enough strength to play AAU basketball. She drove herself to the gym after her final chemotherapy treatment.

"I'm a ballhead," she said.

The cancer is gone now. The physical reminders are, too. Only when she rolls up her sleeves do you spot the Livestrong armband she wears. But she has a full head of hair and she started the season showing off the skills that have coach David Six gushing about her point guard prowess. Jenkins scored 16 with five assists and was without a turnover in 38 minutes of play when Hampton stunned James Madison in its season opener.

It looked like a start to a magical season, only Jenkins landed awkwardly in Hampton's next game, tripping on the foot of a South Dakota State player. The Lady Pirates were leading when Jenkins got hurt, but went on to lose that game and three of the next four while their point guard sat out.

On Saturday, Jenkins - and Hampton's magic - returned. She scored 17 points, all in the second half, as the Lady Pirates roared past Howard 68-52.
To some, Jenkins' ability to come back so thoroughly may have been a surprise. But it shouldn't have been.
She beat cancer, you see. The ankle was just a tiny bump in the road.

"I take nothing for granted," she said. "The whole cancer thing made me look at life differently. Someone else is always going through something worse than whatever you're going through. Small things."

She doesn't sweat them.

We see why.