Out-of-state success
One good thing about watching the NCAA Women's Tournament was I finally got to see some Arkansas girls on the court. There aren't many on the college roster up in Fayetteville but there are gobs of 'em around the country on some pretty good teams.
In the Final Four alone you had Little Rock McClellan's Nyeshia Stevenson starting for Oklahoma. East Poinsett County's Jordan Madden came off the bench for Baylor and Whitney Zachariason (CAC) was on the bench, although she didn't see any action in the tournament.
I watched Wickes' Lakin Garrison start for Oklahoma State and, of course, Morrilton's Shekinna Strickland is a converted point guard at Tennessee.
That's not a bad starting five. But, there's not a true post player. How about Purdue's Chelsea Jones, a 6-4 center from Fort Smith Southside?
We need a bench, too. Let's go to New Mexico State and pick up Little Rock Parkview's Crystal Boyd and Ashley Scroggins of Mineral Springs by way of Pratt Community College.
I know. Those last couple of schools didn't actually make the NCAA Tournament. But, neither did the University of Arkansas.
The point is, Arkansas, Arkansas State, UALR and UCA really have no excuse. There's some outstanding talent inside the Natural State. If any of the women's programs in the state aren't competitive, someone needs to be fired because there's talent all around. All they have to do is go and get it.
I have a heightened interest in this, right now, because of juniors Savanna Langston and Whitney Frazier. Both of these young ladies, in my opinion, have possible Division I talent. They're not blue chippers, not McDonald's All-Americans, not can't miss prospects. They're players with college potential. They're the type of players that good college scouts look at and see not what they are but what they could become.
Which in-state Division I schools go after these two and which don't, could say a lot. If I'm fortunate enough to watch either one of these girls playing in the tournament in a few years, chances are it won't be for an in-state school.
Ain't that a shame?
In the Final Four alone you had Little Rock McClellan's Nyeshia Stevenson starting for Oklahoma. East Poinsett County's Jordan Madden came off the bench for Baylor and Whitney Zachariason (CAC) was on the bench, although she didn't see any action in the tournament.
I watched Wickes' Lakin Garrison start for Oklahoma State and, of course, Morrilton's Shekinna Strickland is a converted point guard at Tennessee.
That's not a bad starting five. But, there's not a true post player. How about Purdue's Chelsea Jones, a 6-4 center from Fort Smith Southside?
We need a bench, too. Let's go to New Mexico State and pick up Little Rock Parkview's Crystal Boyd and Ashley Scroggins of Mineral Springs by way of Pratt Community College.
I know. Those last couple of schools didn't actually make the NCAA Tournament. But, neither did the University of Arkansas.
The point is, Arkansas, Arkansas State, UALR and UCA really have no excuse. There's some outstanding talent inside the Natural State. If any of the women's programs in the state aren't competitive, someone needs to be fired because there's talent all around. All they have to do is go and get it.
I have a heightened interest in this, right now, because of juniors Savanna Langston and Whitney Frazier. Both of these young ladies, in my opinion, have possible Division I talent. They're not blue chippers, not McDonald's All-Americans, not can't miss prospects. They're players with college potential. They're the type of players that good college scouts look at and see not what they are but what they could become.
Which in-state Division I schools go after these two and which don't, could say a lot. If I'm fortunate enough to watch either one of these girls playing in the tournament in a few years, chances are it won't be for an in-state school.
Ain't that a shame?
posted by Tony at
11:59 PM
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