by Chris Ello on December 31, 2009
Before this season ever began, before a single ball had been bounced, a single screen had been set, a single rebound had been wiped from the glass, it was going to be the greatest season in San Diego State women’s basketball season.
How could it not be?
Coming off a brilliant 26-8 campaign, which included a victory over 4th-ranked and undefeated Texas, a co-championship in the tough Mountain West Conference, and — most impressively — a win in the first round of the NCAA Tournament over favored De Paul out of the mighty Big East Conference, the Aztecs returned four key starters.
Senior guard JeneMorris, who had willed her team to its first NCAA Tournament win in 17 years, with a brilliant 35-point performance against the Blue Demons, was named the preseason conference player of the year. Junior center Paris Johnson, first-team All-MWC a year ago, and senior point guard Quenese Davis, second-team All-conference, were returning as well.
Added to the mix were star transfer power forward Jessika Bradley and junior forward Allison Duffy, who had made All-conference as a freshman before sitting out last season. Another newcomer, All-State guard Kiyana Stamps from northern California, was poised to contribute as well.
To see the Aztecs dominate defending SEC champion Auburn, 66-55, on Wednesday night to win their second consecutive San Diego Surf & Slam Continue Reading →
by Chris Ello on November 12, 2009
Being as you San Diego State sports fans say you don’t go to games because the product has been poor over the last decade or two, what’s going to be your excuse to not attend the Aztecs’ women’s basketball games this season?
Inconvenienced? Sorry, that won’t work since SDSU plays its games on campus at Viejas Arena, where by the way, it went undefeated last season. Cost? Please. You can take the whole family to a game — and probably grab a couple of hot dogs and a coke — for under $25-dollars.
Don’t really like women’s basketball? Well, just remember that it was the great John Wooden who said that the women are the only ones who actually still play the game the way it was intended to be played. And under Beth Burns, widely regarded as the finest coach anywhere in the city in any sport, you can be assured that her team does play the right way, along with playing as hard for 40 full minutes as any team you’ll see.
There’s no star power. Really? The Aztecs feature senior guard Jene Morris, who just so happens to be on the NCAA’s Preseason All-American team and has been named the Preseason Player of the Year in the Mountain West Conference. Alongside her is point guard Quenese Davis, who in just three seasons, is already far and away SDSU’s all-time assists leader. And underneath is junior center Paris Johnson, who was a two-time CIF Section Player of the Year while she was at San Diego High School.
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