The Book: Lady Cajuns 2004-05 Basketball Season

[RaginFan2]

"I've seen her play against my daughter.......she's a keeper!!"

Who? Your daughter? I should hope you'd feel that way! Oh.... you mean Brodhead? Nevermind! LOL

[NewsCopy]

LOUISIANA LA. — University of Louisiana women’s basketball coach J. Kelley Hall isn’t afraid of challenges.

Today’s 4:45 p.m. exhibition game at the Cajundome is proof of that, as the Ragin’ Cajuns play an Everyone’s Internet team that is loaded with talent.

Saturday’s exhibition against the Jackson Babes at Earl K. Long Gym will be a similar test.

“I believe playing those kind of teams gets you ready to play,” said Hall, whose Cajuns were 13-15 last season after playing the same two foes in exhibitions.

“Everyone’s Internet has outstanding talent,” Hall said. “They’re WNBA players in their offseason. They’re a very good team. Jackson is probably the same thing.”

Hall said this year’s Cajuns are better equipped for the challenges ahead.

“We’ve put in a lot of hard work,” he said. “And, what I like about it is, we’re going to shoot the ball a lot better. I try to recruit kids that can score with the basketball, kids that are hard to guard. We can teach them defense and rebounding.

“We can go 8-9 deep tomorrow. I like our athleticism and our depth.”

Senior Anna Petrakova earned Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year honors in 2003-2004 after averaging 18.6 points and 9.5 rebounds per game, hitting 50.4 percent from the field and 81.9 percent of her free throws.

She won a gold medal last summer at the 20-under European Championship playing with the team from her native Russia.

The rest of the story

Bruce Brown
bbrown@theadvertiser.com

[NewsCopy]

LOUISIANA La. - Louisiana-Lafayette head women’s basketball coach J. Kelley Hall announced on Wednesday the signing of five players to National Letters of Intent.

Heading the list is Lafayette native, Blair Brodhead. Brodhead is a 5-foot-7 guard from Teurlings Catholic High School. During her junior year, Brodhead averaged 19 points, five assists and two steals while leading the Lady Rebels to the Class 3A state runner-up. She was named to the 6-3A All-District first team, Class 3A All-State first team and named the Lafayette Daily Advertiser’s Parish Most Valuable Player.

“Blair gives us instant credibility in recruiting,” Coach Hall said. “She was one of the most sought after point guards in the country, as evidenced by the number of schools who recruited her and who we beat to get her.

“She is a tremendous point guard who can run the show and will be read to play as a freshman. Blair was well coached in high school and knows and understands every phase of the game. A tremendous competitor, Blair reminds me of the old saying ‘It’s not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog’.”

A second sought-after recruit will join the Cajuns in the form of Yolanda Jones. Jones will join the Cajuns from the five-time junior college national champion Trinity Valley Cardinals. She was the NJCAA National Tournament MVP, leading TVCC to a perfect 36-0 record and national championship in 2004. Jones, a Kodak All-American, was named to the NJCAA all-region and all-conference team. She averaged 17.4 points and 6.8 rebounds, shooting over 59 percent from the floor.

“Yolanda was the No. 1 rated junior college player in the country,” Hall stated. “She is an intense competitor, refusing to lose – and didn’t last season. She will inspire our team by pressing her teammates to raise their play to another level.”

Whitney Dunlap, out of Bishop Sullivan High School in Baton Rouge, is the Cajuns’ second Louisiana prep signee. Dunlap is less than 600 points from breaking Bishop Sullivan’s scoring record for a boy or girl. Her 48-percent 3-point average helped lead her to a 22 point-per-game average. She has been named to the 6-4A all-district first team all three years she has played.

“We are getting a true shooting guard in Whitney Dunlap,” Hall added. “She has the potential to start as a freshman, and score on anybody in this league – period.

“Whitney plays the game the right way; she is relentless, with that warrior mentality about her. She’s a true competitor that can’t stand to lose, the type of kid we’ve been looking for over the last three years.”

Two Texans round out the list in Ovigwerade Agbuke (pronounced Oh-veeg-wah Ah-boo-key) of San Antonio and Erin Kacey of Beaumont.

Agbuke, whose first name (Ovigwerade) means ‘hope’, is a 6-foot-5 center. She averaged 12 points, 12 rebounds and five blocked shots a game en route to leading Cornerstone Christian to the state semifinals of the Catholic League.

“OV has great size and strength and very good hands and feet,” said Hall. “She has competed on the National AAU level for seven summers, which says something about her commitment. She’s a legitimate 6-foot-5 low post player with inside presence.”

Kacey, a 6-foot-2 center, averaged 10 points and 15 rebounds for Monsignor Kelly Catholic High. She is a two time All-District at the Class 5A level.

“Erin is a terrific kid who is a banger down low,” Hall commented. “She loves to compete and hates to lose. I see her with the potential to play the 4-spot, but she’ll have to learn the system when she gets here.

“Erin is very strong and athletic and runs the floor well for someone 6-foot-2. She has a great work ethic.”

The signing class is the third for Hall. Last season, Hall’s class ranked as one of the best in the country. In 2002, UL Lafayette’s class ranked No. 48 in the nation by All-Star Girls Report.

“This is the best signing class in school history, no question about it,” Hall noted. “It will be ranked in the top 25 in the country in every scouting service.”

LOUISIANA SI

[DaddyCajun]

Great work and I agree with the assessment!

BEST EVER!!

DaddyCajun!!!

[DaddyCajun]

Using the infamous words of Fred Sanford, "You Big Dummy!" LOL


She is a VERY good one!!

DaddyCajun!!!

[NewsCopy]

LOUISIANA La. - Louisiana's Lady Cajuns basketball program was awarded a well deserved gift on Tuesday when head coach J. Kelley Hall learned through an NCAA ruling that Tiffany Washington was cleared to play her "official" senior season for the Ragin' Cajuns during the 2004-05 season.

Washington, a 6-foot-1 forward from nearby Franklin, transferred to Louisiana from Oklahoma State and enrolled in January 2003. She had enrolled at OSU in the fall of 2002 after transferring from New Mexico Junior College.

The NCAA originally ruled that her time at OSU used up her junior season and that she would only have one season with the Cajuns as a senior. Louisiana appealed the ruling following the 2003-04 season and Tuesday's ruling gave Washington her senior season back.

Washington will be eligible to join Louisiana on its season-opening road trip to the Radisson Inn Classic at Air Force and the Great Alaska Shootout.

Washington averaged 10.4 points and 9.0 rebounds last season en route to being named the 2004 Sun Belt Conference Newcomer of the Year. She averaged 38.6 minutes per game and ranked second in the SBC in rebounds (9.0), fifth in blocks (33) and twenty-fourth in the SBC in scoring (10.0).

"We are extremely excited to have a player of Tiffany's caliber to help strengthen our post position," Hall said. "We had prepared as if she wasn't going to play this season and today's ruling is an added bonus that will provide us with more options."

The Ragin' Cajuns open their 2004-05 season, the third under Hall's direction, on Friday, Nov. 19 against UC Davis in the opening round of the Radisson Inn Classic hosted by the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo.

LOUISIANA SI

[NewsCopy]

UL makes strides in exhibition finale

LOUISIANA La. — It wasn’t exactly a quantum leap forward, but Louisiana’s Ragin’ Cajun women made significant strides with last Saturday’s 69-66 exhibition victory over the Jackson Babes.

The Cajuns lost 90-58 to Everyone’s Internet in last Wednesday’s exhibition opener, getting outscored 59-27 after a deadlocked first half.

Three nights later, the tables were reversed as UL bounced back from a 39-33 halftime deficit to surge past Jackson at Earl K. Long Gym.

Obviously last Thursday and Friday were important days for coach J. Kelley Hall’s program.

“There’s an old saying that a team shows the most improvement from the first to the second game, and with our young team I think that was especially true,” said Hall, who counts four freshmen among his top five substitutes.

“We made some adjustments on Thursday and Friday. For one thing, we cut our turnovers from 30 to 14, and that’s huge. We also went from hitting 40 percent of our free throws to 86 percent, and we out-rebounded Jackson 43-39.

“That gave us a chance to beat a good team. Overall, I’m pleased. We played three decent halves out of four. We got some good out of the exhibition games.”

Tuesday was an even better day for Hall’s program, as Tiffany Washington received another year of eligibility from the NCAA after averaging 10.4 points and 9.0 rebounds per game in 2003-2004.

The rest of the story

Bruce Brown
bbrown@theadvertiser.com

[DaddyCajun]

Great Alaskan Shoot Out starts when?


DADDYCAJUN!!!

[Turbine]

Originally posted by DaddyCajun
Great Alaskan Shoot Out starts when?

For the Lady Cajuns I think its 9pm tomorrow

[DaddyCajun]

Is there any radio, web cast, or TV?

I am loving this girls team already!!!

DaddyCajun!!!

[RaginFan2]

Originally posted by DaddyCajun
I am loving this girls team already!!!

Yeah, you right! What is not to love about this team? They have it all: looks, sex appeal, and - most importantly - basketball skills. Geaux ladies!!!

[NewsCopy]

TEAMS PARTICIPATING

STANFORD CARDINAL

• LOCATION: Palo Alto, Calif.

• COACH: Tara VanDerveer, 19th season

• LAST SEASON: 27-7 overall, 14-4 Pac-10 Conference, lost in Elite Eight of NCAA Tournament

• WHO TO WATCH: Senior Azella Perry-man of Anchorage (5.6 ppg, 4.3 rpg) ranks 11th on the school's career list with 467 rebounds in 94 games. At East High, the 6-foot-1 Perryman was named Class 4A Alaska player of the year in 2001. Senior guard Kelley Suminski (10.0 ppg, 2.9 apg) was a preseason nomination for the John Wooden Award. Freshman Jessica Elway is the daughter of former Stanford and NFL quarterback John Elway.

• INSIDE THE PAINT: Two years ago VanDerveer was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame. With a 25-year career record of 602-168 (.782), she owns the third-highest winning percentage among active Division I women's coaches. This season the Cardinal earned a No. 7 ranking in the first AP poll of the season.

• SHOOTOUT HISTORY: Stanford is shooting for its first Shootout victory in 21 years. The Cardinal played in the 1983 tournament, finishing 1-2 and beating the Seawolves in the first round.

EASTERN WASHINGTON EAGLES

• LOCATION: Cheney, Wash.

• COACH: Wendy Schuller, third season

• LAST SEASON: 13-16 overall, 5-9 Big Sky Conference

• WHO TO WATCH: Senior Stephanie Ulmer (11.0 ppg, 2.9 rpg) shot 38 percent from beyond the arc and averaged 2.24 three-pointers per game last season. Sophomore Joanna Chadd (7.3 ppg, 3.8 apg) is the returning point guard who will be looked to for more leadership. Forward Julie Page (10.6 ppg, 5.7 rpg) led the team in free-throw percentage (75.3) last season.

• INSIDE THE PAINT: The Eagles had a team grade-point average of 3.62 last season to win the national honor roll award.

• SHOOTOUT HISTORY: Eastern Washington is making its tournament debut, although the Eagles have ties to Alaska. They own a 6-0 edge in the all-time series with the host Seawolves.

UAA SEAWOLVES

• LOCATION: Anchorage

• COACH: Jody Hensen, second season

• LAST SEASON: 13-14 overall, 8-10 Great Northwest Athletic Conference

• WHO TO WATCH: Forward Amber Nasby (11.4 ppg, 6.8 rpg) enjoyed a breakout season last year in which she earned a starting job and honorable mention all-conference. Newcomer Stephanie Beason leads the team is scoring (23.0 ppg) and senior Taylor Long (15.0 ppg, 7.0 rpg) returns to play for her hometown team in her final season. Guard Cassie Bro (5.6 ppg, 1.4 rpg) is a Division I transfer who shot 40 percent from three-point range and 86 percent from the free-throw line last season. Guard Jessi Reilly (80 career starts) is a former walk-on who is now among the UAA career assist leaders.

• INSIDE THE PAINT: UAA transfers Tenecia Macon and Christa Wilson of Anchorage have never lost a game at Sullivan Arena. When Macon and Wilson played for East High from 2000 to 2002, they helped the T-birds win three straight Class 4A state championships inside Alaska's largest arena.

• SHOOTOUT HISTORY: Last season the Seawolves pulled off a shocking upset of Clemson to win the tournament championship. It marked the second time UAA won the title and the first since a women's field was added to the Shootout five years ago.

LOUISIANA La. RAGIN' CAJUNS

• LOCATION: La. LOUISIANA

• COACH: J. Kelley Hall, second season

• LAST SEASON: 13-15 overall, 7-8 Sun Belt Conference

• WHO TO WATCH: Center Ana Petrakova (18.6 ppg, 9.5 rpg, 2.3 bpg) is the reigning conference player of the year. The 6-foot-3 Petrakova spent the summer playing for the Russian junior national team, winning a gold medal at the European championships. Guard Bernette Tolston (7.7 ppg, 5.4 rpg) led the team with 55 three-pointers last season, sinking 31 percent.

• INSIDE THE PAINT: Louisiana-Lafayette will open the season in Colorado Springs, Colo., before coming to Anchorage. In all, the Cajuns' eight-day trip will cover 10,000 miles on the ground and through the air.

• SHOOTOUT HISTORY: The Ragin' Cajuns are making their tournament debut, although the men's program played in the Shootout in 1981 and 1997 when the school was named Southwestern Louisiana.

Compiled by Daily News reporter Van Williams. He can be reached at vwilliams@adn.com or 257-4335.

[DaddyCajun]

TV? Radio? Internet? Anyone know?

We need better coverage on these Girls!!

DaddyCajun!!

[Turbine]

Originally posted by DaddyCajun
TV? Radio? Internet? Anyone know?

We need better coverage on these Girls!!

No unless Stanford would somehow cover the championship game, we are at the mercy of the LOUISIANA SI dept.

[BirdofParadise]

Reality check, Daddy Cajun.

UP until last year no one gave a rats ~~~ about this program. We put 10 games on the radio last year even though we didn't have a single sponsor.

This year, we're doing 12.

We were offered by a guy in Alaska to do the games for us. We made a couple of calls to get sponsors to pay his fee, the phone line fee and the cost of having someone here to be a board op. No one wanted to help.

And, if the Cajuns make the finals, how many folks are going to stay up for a midnight start the night before Thanksgiving.

Want better coverage of the girls? You're getting more this year than ever before.

But if you want coverage of them on the road.....someone needs to belly up to the bar.

Love your enthusiasm. Wish there were more fans like you.