Tourney a disappointment?

It was a disappointing opening Thursday to the girls portion of the Oil Belt Classic, hosted by El Dorado. No, the games, which included a thrilling overtime victory by Neville over West Monroe, were not the problem.
Where was the crowd?
Coach Corey Smith did a good job bringing in quality teams. West Monroe, Neville, Ouachita, Carlisle, etc., are all capable of winning state championships this year. They're competing against one another, which makes this classic state-tournament caliber.
We're not going to get many state tournaments in our own backyard. So, when a tournament that has this kind of quality in it is in Union County, you're missing a golden opportunity if you don't take a look.
Anyway, the Lady Wildcats struggled against Ouachita, which has the most athletic squad that I've seen in a long time.
El Dorado has played a murderous nonconference schedule, losing to West Monroe, Fairview and now the unbeaten Lady Lions. I hope, for Coach Smith's sake, the tough schedule will start to pay dividends soon.
***
Speaking of the Oil Belt, I was originially disappointed with Parkers Chapel for not jumping at the chance to play West Monroe this week. However, upon further review of the Lady Trojans' schedule, they couldn't have played the Lady Rebels even if they wanted to. Parkers Chapel plays Norphlet on Friday.
I'm somewhat relieved. Parkers Chapel can play whoever they want to play but I would've been disappointed if the Lady Trojans were actually too scared to compete against a bigger school.
Thankfully, that's not the case.
***
Smackover and Strong play each other in the first round of the Magnolia Tournament next week. El Dorado is on the opposite side of the bracket. Look for an All-Union County final in that event.

Lady Wildcats get a win

El Dorado finally got off the snide Tuesday, beating the dog crap out of Crossett 67-37. Former Union girl Mercedes Ganter came off the bench for 18 points.
Things get tougher as the Lady Wildcats host an unbeaten Ouachita (La.) team on Thursday in the Oil Belt Classic.
Also on Tuesday, Strong finally opened its season with a 59-51 win at Hamburg. Anastacia Dismuke scored 20 points as the Lady Bulldogs played without Marandalynn Parker for the first time since 2003.
Speaking of Parker, she described her play in OBU's win on Tuesday.
"I was HORRIBLE!!!"
Three points on 1-of-7 shooting isn't exactly red-hot. But, it's just one game.
Speaking of red-hot, Julie Smith is starting to find a bit of a groove at Arkansas Tech. She scored nine points in six minutes, hitting 3-of-4 3-pointers against Texas A&M International on Saturday.
"Tonight I played alot more than usual and hit a 3 so things are looking better," she said on Tuesday. "I actually got to play in the first and second half for about 7 or 8 minutes each time."

El Dorado to host tourney

I'm looking forward to El Dorado's tournament this week. Actually, the girls don't play a tournament but there still should be some good games. I don't know much about the Louisiana teams (Ouachita and Neville) but I've seen West Monroe and I know Carlisle is good.
Unfortunately, the matchup I wanted to see probably won't happen. Carlisle was supposed to play West Monroe on Friday but since the Bison's football team advanced in the playoffs, the girls basketball team won't be coming on Friday.
El Dorado coach Corey Smith was scrambling for a replacement but it's a little late for that.
I wish a local team like Parkers Chapel could fill that spot. It's a nothing-to-lose scenario for a small school to take on a big school. And, the Lady Trojans actually have enough size to compete against a bigger school.
Anyway, that probably won't happen.
There will still be some great matchups. It should be a lot of fun.
***
I heard back from Henderson State that Krystal Herring is definitely redshirting this season. I also finally saw Ellana White's name in a boxscore at SAU.
***
At Arkansas Tech, Julie Smith is slowly but surely getting back in the flow after knee surgery. She played at the end of the Golden Suns' game against Rhema Bible College.
"It felt good. I'm still slow on my cuts and getting up and down the floor, but that is not anything unusual," she said. "Hopefully, I will keep getting better in practice and eventually get some quality minutes in."
***
I wrote an article on Marandalynn Parker in today's News-Times. Sounds like Coach Garry Crowder is excited about her future and I know Parker is thrilled with her playing time.
Parker is being asked to handle the ball more than I thought she would as a freshman.
“We’re not expecting her to play point guard," said Crowder. "I mean, she’s very versatile. She can play anywhere from a one to a four. She’s not our primary point guard but because of injuries and things, she’s been forced to play it more than we wanted. For a big guard at 5-10, 5-11, she can handle the ball good. We’re excited about what she’s doing. She’s doing a good job for us.”

College update

Ouachita Baptist got its first win Saturday night, beating West Florida 71-64 to avenge an early-season loss. The Lady Tigers, who improved to 1-3 on the season, used seven players in the game.
Marandalynn Parker scored nine points with six rebounds and four assists. She went 3-of-10 from the field with three turnovers in 34 minutes.
***
Former El Dorado standout Sekenia Hicks scored 17 points last week in Philander Smith's 88-73 loss to Henderson State.

Parker starts at OBU

Ouachita Baptist University fell to 0-3 on the season Friday with a 63-53 loss to Texas A&M International in the Arkansas Tech Classic. The Lady Tigers play West Florida today at 5 p.m.
OBU, which dismissed starting guards Bethaney Turner and Lindsey Dooley last week, started freshman Marandalynn Parker. Parker scored eight points with six rebounds and an assist against two turnovers. The former Lady Bulldog, who led the team with 35 minutes played, was 2-of-8 from the field, including 1-of-4 from 3-point range. She was 3-of-6 at the line.
Arkansas Tech beat West Florida Friday. Former Union and El Dorado guard Julie Smith did not see action in the game.
I still haven't seen Ellana White's name on a SAU boxscore. I'm also still waiting for information on Ashley Harrell at Weatherford JC.

Happy Thanksgiving

Hope everybody's Thanksgiving was great. Mine was fine. Went home. Saw the old man. Ate some food. Watched some TV.
I think I may be getting sick, however.
Anyway, here's a short but sweet update from the college scene.
Julie Smith saw her first action of the season this week in Arkansas Tech's 91-24 win over Rhema Bible College. Smith missed her two shot attempts but did get a rebound and a blocked shot in nine minutes.
In Arkadelphia, looks like a roster shakeup at Ouachita Baptist. Guards Bethaney Turner and Lindsey Dooley are no longer listed on the roster and have, apparently, been released from the team.
Marandalynn Parker might get those extra minutes of playing time she was looking for. Unfortunately, she will probably get them at the guard spot.
Parker and Smith should bump into each other these next two days as OBU participates in a tournament at Arkansas Tech.

Big dogs gotta eat

After watching Tuesday's games at Camden Fairview, Kev Moye' asked me, "what's wrong with El Dorado's girls?"
El Dorado lost to Fairview 70-52 after falling behind 26-3 to start the game. The Lady Wildcats fell to 0-2 on the season, including a lopsided loss at West Monroe in the opener.
El Dorado, which still has high hopes for the season, hasn't looked particularly great so far. In fact, for a team that has set its sites on contending for a state championship, the Lady Wildcats haven't shown THAT sort of look in their eyes.
You know THAT look. It's the look that says, I'm going to whip your butt and there ain't a doggone thing you can do about it. Sounds cocky, but championship teams have THAT look in their eyes every time they step on the court.
Fairview has it. West Monroe has it. Northside has it. Carlisle had it in last year's state tournament.
El Dorado doesn't have it, yet. I'm not sure if getting beat by 20 points twice to start the season is the way to get it.
The Lady Wildcats need a booster shot of confidence. They need a good performance against a good team. They'll get plenty of opportunities thanks to Corey Smith's ambitious schedule.
So, as for Kev's question of what's wrong with the Lady Wildcats. I think the answer is simply, they don't know how to be the big dog in the yard. Maybe they don't believe they're the big dog. Maybe they don't understand they're the big dog. But, fact is, to rule the yard and be the big dog, you're gonna have to bite somebody.
It looks like Crossett might be the next team on El Dorado's schedule. Whatever is wrong with the Lady Wildcats, Crossett might be just the medicine that cures it.
It's time for the big dog to eat.

Wounded birds

El Dorado travels to Camden Fairview tonight to face a wounded champion.
The Lady Cardinals went undefeated last year but lost their season opener to CAC 74-70 on Monday.
Unfortunately, Jasmine Canser apparently re-injured the same knee with the surgerically repaired ACL. Who knows how long she will be out or if she will miss her entire senior season.
Fairview is also without Ori Pitts for other reasons.
As long as the two Rogers sisters are playing, I won't feel sorry for the Lady Cardinals.
My heart does go out to Canser, who has worked so hard to become a great player. Her senior year is when the rewards should start to roll in. Unfortunately, but understandably, college coaches will back off to see if she can still play at the same level.
Everything happens for a reason. I can see Canser going to a smaller school because of the injury and I can see her getting healthy and having an incredible All-American career. This young lady had dreams of playing in the WNBA. I hope she's still having those dreams because they can still come true.
***
In brighter news, the Smackover-Parkers Chapel game lived up to the hype. These two teams played as hard for four quarters as you can play.
It wasn't the best-played game - too many missed layups and missed free throws - but the intensity level and the overall atmosphere made up for the lack of scoring.
Great game between two solid teams.
By the way, for those who don't know, the Lady Bucks prevailed 36-35.

Life in college

Ouachita Baptist freshman Marandalynn Parker is back in Arkadelphia after the Lady Tigers opened the season with two games in West Florida. OBU is 0-2 after falling to the host team 79-54 on Saturday.
Parker played 12 minutes, hitting her only shot attempt. She had two rebounds, one assist and two turnovers.
Marandalynn expressed some frustration with her playing time and with the two losses. In addition to adjusting to the speed and athleticism of the college game, she also has to adjust to the travel after admitting to me she didn't get her homework done in the hotel on the trip.
These are things no high school kid understands. Nothing prepares you for life as a college athlete better than actually being an athlete in college.
Around the Gulf South, Julie Smith, at last report, hasn't seen any action at Arkansas Tech yet after returning from knee surgery. Krystal Herring will redshirt this season at Henderson with a shoulder/neck injury. Ellana White wasn't listed on the boxscore in SAU's last game.

Time to get serious

As far as I'm concerned, the high school basketball season tips off this week for girls. Two big games in two days have me excited for hoops for the first time since last season's state tournament.
Monday, I'll be in Parkers Chapel to witness the Lady Trojans and Smackover. Both teams are undefeated and untested.
It should be a fun game to watch.
On Tuesday, I'll be heading to Camden Fairview to see if El Dorado can bounce back from its disappointing opener at West Monroe. The Lady Wildcats could regain their swagger with a win over the best team in the state.
That's easier said than done.
But, rumor has it that Fairview might play without guards Jasmine Canser and Ori Pitts. Would that make a difference?
Uh, yeah.
It's also almost tournament time. The SAU Tournament tips off in another week or so. Honestly, I'm surprised they're still holding this thing. There's not much left to it. The Lady Buckaroos are in it, though. We'll see if that's worth watching when I get the bracket.
I'm much, much more interested in El Dorado's Oil Belt Classic. That's going to be fun. I'm looking forward to seeing Carlisle again.
***
Ouachita Baptist lost its season opener on Friday, falling to West Georgia 72-60 in the West Florida Classic. Marandalynn Parker of Strong played 12 minutes, recording a blocked shot. The freshman missed her only shot attempt, a 3-pointer.
The Lady Tigers returned to action on Saturday.
***
I got a phone call Friday from former Union coach Gary Don Smith, who is in his third season at Hot Springs Lakeside. Sounds like the talent pool is sort of dry for Smith.
Normally, I wouldn't feel too bad for Gary Don, who has won more games with less athletic ability than any other coach I've known. But, in a league with Fairview, J.A. Fair and Hot Springs, not to mention an up and coming Malvern program, not much talent means not much success.
Smith said the girls basketball talent at Lakeside is in the eighth grade. Sounds like he'll stick it out for a couple years before returning back to glory.
Patience is a virtue.

OBU to start season

By BRIAN HOWARD
OBU Sports Information
ARKADELPHIA – The face roaming the sidelines is very familiar and so is the team on the court as the Ouachita Baptist University women’s basketball team boasts the return of three starters as the Lady Tigers begin the season at the West Florida Classic, Friday and Saturday, Nov. 16-17 against West Georgia and West Florida.
“We are excited to start a new season,” Ouachita Baptist head coach Gary Crowder said. “We’ve played two exhibition games and had a scrimmage. West Florida and West Georgia are two solid programs in the East Division. We certainly will have to play well to have a shot to be able to come away with a couple of wins down. West Georgia is a very athletic team. They have several newcomers added to their squad that should make them a much better team than they were last year.”
One of the biggest absences from the preseason was point guard Bethany Turner, who missed the end of last season with an ACL injury, but Crowder expects her to back healthy and ready to play when the ball tips-off 4:00 p.m. Friday.
“We’re excited about having our point guard Bethany Turner back on the floor,” Crowder said. “She struggled with her knee ever since the ACL tear last January. She missed the exhibition season and I think that played a big role in the way we struggled offensively with a lot of turnovers. We’re looking forward to having her back and hopefully adding something to our team.”
Turner (5-7, Guard, SO, Mountain View, Ark.) played in 14 games, all starts before injuring the ACL. She averaged 10 points, three rebounds and had 54 assists.
The three returning starters – Candise Hurdle, Lindsey Dooley and Haley Griffin -- played and started all 27 games as the Lady Tigers went 13-14 last season, including 4-10 in the Gulf South Conference.
Hurdle (6-2, Post, SR, Keller, Texas) averaged four points and 3.4 rebounds with 21 assists, while Dooley (5-8, Guard, SR, DeQueen, Ark.) added 12.6 points, 2.7 rebounds and dished out 65 assists. She was also named to the All-Gulf South Conference Preseason West Division Team. Griffin (5-11, Post, JR, Arkadelphia, Ark.) was second on the team in scoring with 12.4 a game, while adding 6.7 rebounds and 33 assists.
Also seeing action last season was Melissa Richardson (5-10, Guard, SO, The Woodlands, Texas) and Angela Colliver (6-0, Post, SO, Harrison, Ark.). Richardson played in 25 games, scoring 1.7 points and hauling down 1.8 rebounds with 10 assists, while Colliver added 7.3 points, 3.8 rebounds and 15 assists in 26 games.
Ouachita Baptist will try to replace six players off last year’s squad, including a pair of starters – Kim Beverly (5-8, Guard, JR) and Lizz Webb (5-4, Guard).
Beverly played and started all 27 games, averaging nine points and 6.5 rebounds with 35 assists. Webb started 13 games and competed in 27. She added 4.3 points, 1.4 rebounds and dished out 41 assists as the Lady Tigers went 9-3 at Bill Vining Arena.
Besides Beverly and Webb, Ouachita Baptist graduated Kayla Hulsey, Sara Surratt, Kendra Pruitt and Whitney Beavers.
Hulsey (5-11, Forward) played in 25 games, averaging 3.3 points and 2.4 rebounds, while Pruitt (5-7, Guard) added 1.7 points and one rebound in 27 games. Beavers saw action in 25 games with three points and 1.6 rebounds. Surratt played in just four games, averaging 0.5 rebounds.
Despite losing six players, Crowder and assistant coach Jason Jones regrouped with a solid recruiting class of six newcomers – Maranda Parker, Amy Wood, Alyssa Pickett, Gaby Coleman, Kim Arledge and Lauren Kollmorgen. Karlee Wilson, who was named as one of the top newcomers in the Gulf South Conference, transferred during the offseason from Stephen F. Austin.
Parker (5-10, Guard, FR, Strong, Ark.) averaged 14 points, seven rebounds, three assists and three steals, while leading Strong to state titles in 2005 and 2006. She earned All-Tournament honors at state during her final three years.
Coleman (5-7, Guard, FR, North Little Rock, Ark.) averaged 16 points, six rebounds and 5.3 assists on her way to earning All-State honors for the second consecutive year. As a junior, she led North Little Rock to the 5A State Championship and was named the Tournament’s Most Valuable Player. In three seasons, she had compiled a 70-17 record. Coleman also earned recognition as one of the top newcomers in the Gulf South Conference.
Kollmorgen (6-0, Post, FR, Tulsa, Okla.) played at Metro Christian Academy, averaging 11.2 points and 6.1 rebounds and also received Conference Most Valuable Player and All-State honors.
Wood (5-4, Guard, FR, Carrollton, Texas), Pickett (6-0, Guard, FR, Pleasant Grove, Texas), Arledge (5-4, Guard, FR, Hot Springs, Ark.) and Wilson (6-1, Post, SO Hallsville, Texas) will also for playing time for the Lady Tigers this season.
The Lady Tigers again will face a very tough non-conference slate, starting Friday and Saturday at the West Florida Classic – one of four tournaments Ouachita Baptist will take part in this season.
After the West Florida Classic, the Lady Tigers will play Thanksgiving weekend in Russellville, Ark., at the Arkansas Tech Classic against Texas A&M-International and West Florida. Central Baptist is the only home game scheduled in November (27th), followed by the third tournament on the schedule at the Harding Classic against UAH and York College.
Ouachita Baptist will hold the Lady Tiger Classic December 7 and 8 at Vining Arena. Arkansas-Monticello, Montevallo and St. Mary’s have been invited to the tournament. North Alabama comes to town on Dec. 17 to conclude the home portion of the schedule for 2007. The Lady Tigers travel to Missouri-Rolla on Dec. 29.
A pair of non-conference games against Gulf South Conference East Division foes begins the 2008 year as the Lady Tigers make a three-day trip in Alabama to face Montevallo and UAH. The Gulf South Conference portion of the schedule with back-to-back home dates against Delta State and Arkansas-Monticello on Jan. 12 and Jan. 17. The regular season concludes with home game against Arkansas Tech on March 1.
The Gulf South Tournament will be played again at the DeSoto Civic Center in Southaven, Miss.
Ouachita Baptist was picked fifth in the Gulf South Conference West Division by the coaches. The Lady Tigers can make a huge step will a pair of victories Friday and Saturday at the West Florida Classic in Pensacola, Fla. Ouachita Baptist takes on West Georgia 4:00 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 16 and will conclude tournament play 6:00 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 17.

Where was the swagger?

El Dorado's coach has a confident swagger. The Lady Wildcats, however, exhibited none of that swagger Tuesday, losing at West Monroe.
Call it first-game jitters or perhaps just one of those bad shooting nights, but El Dorado didn't look like a team ready to run roughshod over the competition. I'll give West Monroe some credit, too. The Lady Rebels probably would be one of the favorites to win state in Arkansas 6A classification.
Hell, somebody has to win it.
This classification is wide open for the taking to any team that wants it. Since West Monroe isn't eligible to win it and neither is Camden Fairview, El Dorado, despite it's slow start, is still a team to be reckoned with.
As for the swagger, Coach Corey Smith didn't lose his and his team still has plenty of time to learn what it takes to be the hunted.
***
Looking forward to Monday when Parkers Chapel and Smackover get after it. This is the first "big game" of the season for me. It's not a big game in terms of conference or playoff implications but it's big in terms of interest around the community and it should be the first high-intensity game of the year.
I don't care who wins. I just really, really, really hope it's a good game.
***
I watched some of James Anderson's game Wednesday night. Although his Oklahoma State team lost at North Texas, and James didn't have a great shooting night, he still looked like the best player on the floor for the Cowboys.
He scored 16 points but was very unselfish. He was penetrating and kicking out to shooters, who weren't having much luck with their shots.
Athletically, Anderson looked good on the court. Anybody who thought he might struggle as a freshman should just shut their mouth right now . . .
Okay, I guess I can start talking again.
James is definitely Big Time. I wasn't as impressed with Oklahoma State's team as a whole. North Texas' win was classified as an "upset." Honestly, I thought the Mean Green was the better team.

Who is the best athlete in the world?

Now, for something a bit off the beaten path. I've taken it upon myself to consider who the world's greatest female athlete might be, right now.
I know you're wondering, why?
Well, my newest little project was building computer wallpapers for foreign athletes. I was scouring the internet for photos of athletes like Lauren Jackson and Penny Taylor, etc. In the process, I discovered a whole world of athletes, especially in track and field. I used to be a fool for track and field, absolutely loved it.
Unfortunately, in this country, if it's not NFL, NBA or Major League Baseball, it's not considered a sport worthy of television. In Europe, however, track and field is still the rage.
As I discovered these incredible athletes, I actually got on You Tube to see video of them perform. Again, I was amazed and a little astonished at all of the stuff I've been missing.
Anyway, this led me to wonder, who is the best female athlete in the world?
I'm sure most Americans would be quick to say Lisa Leslie or Serena Williams. But, the fact is, the best athlete is probably not an American.
Here's what I've discovered:
The top American athlete might be Sanya Richards, who was actually born in Jamaica but is now a U.S. citizen. Richards is considered the fastest woman in the world. She's the American record holder in the 400 at 48.70.
But, to me, the women competing for best overall athlete are: Sweden's Carolina Kluft, who is the current heptathlon and pentathlon world champion. Kluft, at age 22, became the youngest person to ever hold the five major titles at the same time. She is unbeaten in 22 events since March, 2002, winning nine consecutive gold medals in major championships.
I watched her. She's a bad girl.
But, is she badder than Russian pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva? At 25, Isinbayeva is the most dominant athlete in the world in her sport. She's a 7-time world champion and world record holder.
But, my pick for the world's greatest female athlete goes to, drumroll please, Croatian sensation, Blanka Vlasic. Vlasic is a 23-year-old high jumper and is the reigning world champion.
I watched this woman clear 2.10 meters, which I believe is around 6-feet-9 inches. At 6-feet-4 inches tall, Vlasic has perhaps the longest legs I've ever seen on a human being not named Manute. She also has personality and is known to be a consistently clutch performer.
Anyway, Blanka is my new favorite athlete. She even speaks English.
Vlasic was recently named European Female Athlete of the Year. She edged out Kluft and Richards, which is why I'm choosing her as my numero uno girl.
I can't wait for the next summer Olympics. I'm going to have to buy whatever package DirecTV offers. While the rest of you jokers are stuck watching the TV networks with their American package of men's basketball, gymnastics and swimming, I'm going to be watching both men's and women's track and field.
It's the best sport I forgot about.

Johnson out with injury

After contacting Carl Albert coach Jeff Tadtman, I discovered freshman Brittany Johnson suffered a leg injury on Oct. 31. The coach said it will be at least four weeks before the former Union-Strong-Fairview standout will be back on the court.
"The injury was something she has been dealing with for the last year," said Tadtman. "It was in her best interest to take care of this problem now. We love having her here and miss her on the floor. She would have helped us a lot and we miss her athletic abilities."
***
On the coaching front, former Junction City coach Jamie Ball is currently 1-1 with her new team at Genoa Central. Ball said she likes her new job and was pretty excited about the cross country championship her girls won recently.
Former El Dorado coach Brad Slatton is at Fort Elliot Consolidated in Texas. Slatton hasn't begun basketball season, yet, as his volleyball team has advanced in the state playoffs.

The season is under way

Smackover tipped off the basketball season in Union County Monday with an easy win over Woodlawn. The first four minutes of the game made me miss football and not very anxious to cover girls basketball.
After the Lady Bucks got rolling, however, I felt better about the upcoming season.
I'm now looking forward to watching the rest of the area schools play.
* * *
In El Dorado, some eyebrows might have been raised by Monday's headline in the News-Times. It was not a misprint.
Coach Corey Smith said the next step for the girls basketball program at El Dorado is a state championship. He said he will be disappointed if his team doesn't contend for a state championship this year.
Cocky? Bold?
No, the coach is just being honest. I think it's great. You don't accomplish great things if you don't have great expectations. His words sent a message to his players as well as the fans.
The Lady Wildcats expect to be good this season. They still have to go out and win games. But, the fact that they expect to win, is still a step in the right direction.
* * *
Ouachita Baptist played its second exhibition game Monday, this time losing big 82-33 at Arkansas State. Freshman Maranda Parker didn't score, going 0-for-3 from the field. She did have two boards, an assist and a steal.
But, she did twice as good as she did in the Lady Tigers' first exhibition. Marandalynn played 30 minutes, yet cut her turnovers in half to just five. The team had nearly 40 and there were at least three other OBU players with more than five miscues.
I haven't talked to her about the game and she's probably not satisfied with her performance. But, just based on the boxscore, she's making the adjustment to college.
Arkansas Tech played its first exhibition Monday, losing 72-49 at Missouri State. Julie Smith, coming off knee surgery, didn't expect to play and she didn't.
The Golden Suns host Hendrix on Saturday.
* * *
I heard some news on Krystal Herring at Henderson that I'm trying to confirm. I also sent an email to Carl Albert State seeking information on Brittany Johnson.
Keep checking back for updates.

Parker gets her feet wet

I was excited to see my girl Marandalynn Parker play as much as she did Friday in Ouachita Baptist's first exhibition game at Northwestern State (La.) In her first collegiate game, the former Strong Lady Bulldogs got up five shots, scoring five points.
Parker hit a 3-pointer and was 2-for-2 at the line. Those were the only stats I could find but upon emailing her, Marandalynn told me the rest of the story.
She was forced to play point guard and committed 10 turnovers.
Ten turnovers is a lot for one person. But, considering it was her first college game, on the road against a Division I opponent and she's playing WAY out of position, it wasn't so bad. The interesting thing for me is the OBU coaches allowed her to stay on the floor and turn the ball over 10 times.
They must see something they like. If she keeps her head up and doesn't lose confidence, I think Parker will do a lot of positive things on the court this year.
* * *
One of Parker's opponents this season will be Arkansas Tech's Julie Smith, who FINALLY responded to my email this week. Smith, who played at Union and El Dorado, tore her ACL as a freshman.
She returned to the court this week.
"My knee is doing pretty good," she said. "I got released yesterday to start playing so I'm gradually getting back to full speed which isn't really fast at all. I do like my new coach. He is alot different from last years. There is definitely not as much yelling. Sometimes he reminds me of my Dad with some of the things he says, I hope as I get back I will get to play, but I really couldn't tell you. I might just be one of those people he sends in to shoot and see if I'm on, then take me out if not. It's too early to tell because I'm already behind with practice."
* * *
I checked Henderson State's boxscore from its exhibition at Oklahoma. Krystal Herring (El Dorado freshman) wasn't listed for the Lady Reddies. I'll have to check to see what's going on there.
Websites at Weatherford Junior College (Ashley Harrell) and Carl Albert (Brittany Johnson) didn't have any information on games played the last time I checked. I'm also working on an update from Southern Arkansas University (Ellana White).