Lady Tiger staff enjoying summer camps

I'm always asked what makes the Van Chancellor Basketball Camp special and I think certainly one of the premier reasons is the involvement of the staff and the Lady Tigers.  Starting with Coach Chancellor, there is a heavy Lady Tiger coaching staff flavor in every camp.   As the Lady Tiger camp season comes to a close this week, their love of teaching is obvious as they spend so much time with the youngest of their campers.

"I've always enjoyed camp," says Coach Chancellor.  "The enthusiasm and energy of the young campers is contagious."  Coach Chancellor starts out each morning taking the entire camp through defensive stance and slides and then works his away around the baskets to teach, officiate and even spend time with the parents in the gym.

"For me, it is about the opportunity to teach," said Bob Starkey. "This is such an informative stage in their basketball careers and it means a lot to me that our program can pass something on to them that hopefully they will utilize down the road to improve."  Starkey is the director of the camp will also serviing as a guest lecturer.

"I absolutely love the set up of our camps," relayed Travis Mays.  "There is a great core of teaching but it is wrapped around games and contests that give the came a great deal of balance.  I think the way we execute our camp is why so many campers enjoy it."  Mays, a former coach on the WNBA level gave a guest lecturer on his specialty Tuesday -- shooting.

"This is my first go around so it has been an exciting experience for me," said Joni Crenshaw.  "The way the came is so highly orgnaized is impressive.  But nothing is more enjoyable to me than watching all the young kids have so much fun -- enjoying the game of basketball."  Crenshaw is slated to be a guest lecturer on Wednesday but can be found every day working at baskets with the campers.

Filed under  //  Camp/Clinics  
Posted by Bob Starkey 

All-Stars selected for second session of Van Chancellor Day Camp

Session II of the Van Chancellor Day Camp has concluded and it was another great day for the staff and campers. Lot of activities filled the day including lectures on defensive stance from Coach Chancellor and a shooting clinic from Coach Travis Mays. There were also shooting contests and other competition games along with a snack break and Lady Tiger highlight video.  Our  All-Star Campers of the day, picked by the coaching staff for the enthusiasm and hard work included: Caroline Eschete, Drew Seelbach, Jake Davenport, Hannah Kozelski, Lindsey Priola, Dakota Touchet, and Natalie Bush (shown pictured with Coach Starkey).

Dsc_0175

Filed under  //  Camp/Clinics  
Posted by Bob Starkey 

Sun excited about Hightower and other rookies

When the Connecticut Sun walked away from the 2010 WNBA Draft with Tina Charles, Kelsey Griffin, Danielle McCray and Allison Hightower, the questions surrounding the team didn’t lean toward the “if” as much as they did the “when.” How long would it take for these rookies to mesh with the veteran presence of Kara Lawson, Asjha Jones and Tan White? How patient would Sun fans have to be as they literally watched a team grow before their own eyes? WNBA.com asked those same questions before the season tipped off.

The answer to both questions (with the exception of Danielle McCray’s recovery from pre-draft knee surgery): Not long at all.

“It’s kind of interesting,” said Sun head coach Mike Thibault. “With the draft, there were so many people all over the place wondering what kind of team we were going to have. Some people picked us for first, some people picked us for last. You just never know when you have that many new players.”

At 9-5, the Connecticut Sun remains a strong contender for first place in the Eastern Conference. The neck-and-neck race with the Atlanta Dream and Washington Mystics puts all three teams in a position where each win remains just as crucial as the previous one, and each loss stings twice as much.

Read the entire article: http://bit.ly/9nZXxv

Hightower_sun_rookies_550_100629

Filed under  //  Alumni   WNBA  
Posted by Bob Starkey 

Hoop Gurlz writes about Theresa and Team USA's Gold

From an article by Lindsay Schnell of HoopGurlz

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- At the conclusion of the FIBA Americas U18 Championship gold medal game on Sunday night between the U.S. and Brazil -- another cakewalk win for the Americans -- the U.S. team rose and politely applauded its 81-38 victory.

There was no big celebration, no whooping and hollering. After all, it ended just like everyone expected. In this hemisphere, the U.S. is first and Brazil is a distant second.

It took a while to get going, yes -- the U.S. held a 22-7 first-quarter lead before reeling off 10 unanswered points on its way to a 43-16 halftime lead -- but when the Americans get rolling, there is no stopping them.

Theresa Plaisance delighted the crowd with four blocks to go with 11 points. Brazil, who had two players with nine points each, didn't have much to counter with.

Read the entire article: http://es.pn/clBevV

Usa_vs_bra_984_2

Posted by Bob Starkey 

All-Stars picked for the first session of day camp

Session I of the Van Chancellor Day Camp is in the books and it was a great day for the staff and campers. Lot of activities filled the day including lectures on defensive stance from Coach Chancellor and two-ball dribbling from Coach Bob Starkey.  There were also shooting contests and other competition games along with a snack break and Lady Tiger highlight video.  Our  All-Star Campers of the day, picked by the coaching staff for the enthusiasm and hard work included: Terrae Sims, Cutter Tonn, Dannah Martin, Madison Gauthier, and Preston Miller (shown pictured with Coach Chancellor).

L_t_day_camp_2010_006

Posted by Bob Starkey 

KG writes about Ashley's wedding and her Lady Tiger legacy!

KATERINE GRAHAM: Saturday, June 26th I had the privilege of attending the wedding ceremony of a two former LSU Tigers; former Lady Tiger Ashley Thomas and former football player for the National Championship team Tremaine Johnson. The ceremony and reception both took place on campus and was heavily influenced with Louisiana tradition. An intimate wedding was marvelous to say the least...everything was absolutely gorgeous, especially Ashley's wedding gown, and Tremaine cleaned up nice as well - LOL!

 

At the reception the Louisiana tradition was evident when the wedding party was introduced doing the second line while everyone else was seated waving white clothes engraved with, "Laissez Les Bon Temps Roulez" which means let the good times roll, and roll they did. At the reception Quianna Chaney, Rashonta "Tae Tae" LaBlanc, Florance Williams, Latear Eason, Courtney Jones, LaSondra "Boogie" Barrett and myself was able to share a table and talk about our Lady Tiger experiences.

 

As I sat there I was elated with joy for Ashley and began thinking about all the things she has helped me with during my tenure at LSU. I remember the times as a freshman when I did not know if she liked me or not. She has a very serious demeanor on the court and taught me how important doing the little things were.

 

Ashley was never the person to get a lot of the attention for her play, but in my opinion she was a HUGE key to the team's success. I would always say, "A-Town is always in the right place at the right time." Later I realized it was just because she played EXTREMELY hard, and was able to think the game which helped her become the player she was. Off the court I have turned to her for advise academically, and personally with future plans. She has shown me the importance of dedication in the class room as well as on the court which will allow you great opportunities in the job market.

 

When we lost nine seniors my freshman year, Ashley was named as the graduate assistant and helped bridge the gap between the past to the present and help with the learning curve of the basketball concepts. Although she is a post player I guess I can say she was a great role model - LOL! (that one was for Coach Starkey)

 

Ashley "A-Town" Johnson is the true meaning of a Lady Tiger and I am thankful for her leadership, knowledge, patience and understanding. Congratulations to them both again and wishing them the best wishes on their fairytale story forever and ever!

sh

Filed under  //  Alumni   Player's Post  
Posted by Bob Starkey 

Theresa shines in Gold Medal victory!

Theresa Plaisance was one of four double figure scores for Team USA in leading them to an 81-38 victory and a Gold Medal.  She also added five rebounds and four blocked shots.

The expectations for the USA Women’s U18 National Team in the FIBA Americas U18 Championship were great. So were the results.

With an 81-38 victory over Brazil (3-2) on June 27 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo., the USA finished 5-0 in the tournament and won its fourth straight gold medal against the top 18-and-under international competition in the FIBA Americas zone, including Central, North and South America.

What does it feel like to win a gold medal?
"It feels amazing. Nothing can compare to this feeling," said Plaisance.  "This just tops them all. Winning your first gold medal, much less any gold medal, is a great feeling, and it's just awesome to come out here and represent your country and win for you country."

What was the most fun part of this experience?
"Probably getting to know all these people," she replied. "I have great coaches and great teammates, and I couldn't have picked a better team. These kids are great, and I loved every moment I had with these people."

Read article and box score: http://bit.ly/cDmqXn

Posted by Bob Starkey 

A beautiful wedding with a lot of hidden messages

BOB STARKEY: It is always special as a coach when your players hit milestones in their life -- and even more special when they ask you to share those moments.  In the the past two month, I've got to see Ashley Thomas walk across the stage and receive her Master's Degree and then last night wed Tremaine Johnson.  Ashley is a very special and unique woman.  She is someone who is destined to do great things and make amazing contributions.  She is a strong and focused person who genuinely cares about others.  Many of these things flood through my mind during the wedding and the reception.

First was the impact of LSU on the families as the wedding court entered the reception two-line dancing in true Mardi Gras fashion complete with Zydeco music, umbrellas and beads.  It reminded me of how we entered Ashley's first Final Four banquet in New Orleans -- and I hope she had at least a second of that memory.

One of the first things I noticed was that there was a total of eight managers at the wedding.  For those that coach, you know this is significant because unfortunately not all players treat managers with the respect that they deserve.  One of the managers, Traci Moore Barrilleaux actually flew in from South Carolina.  Of course the fact that these managers came also speaks to who they are and I promise a post on these young ladies soon as well. 

There were also former players there, some coming from a ways to attend.  But it was also worth noting that some of our current team was in attendance -- players who had not played with Ashley but had been mentored by her over the past two years as she served as her Graduate Assistant.  Typically Ashley -- in the background but making a huge impact.  The LSU academic community was also on hand -- Carole Walker and Leah Saal -- and because of their respect for Ashley.

Her high school basketball coach game all the way from Georgia -- the same coach that taught Taylor Turnbow (the man can obviously coach).  But I promise you he didn't come because of Ashley's basketball ability -- but because of her character.

And for those that haven't met Tremaine, he's a great guy and I really believe these two are going to make a wonderful couple.  At the reception, I had the opportunity to talk to Tremaine, a current member of the Minnesota Vikings, and told him we finally had something in common.  In terms of our spouses, we both had "out kicked our coverage."

Congrats to Ashley and Tremaine!!!

Filed under  //  Alumni  
Posted by Bob Starkey 

Theresa hits for double figure, leads USA into Gold Medal Game

Theresa Plaisance hit for double figures with 11 points while adding 6 rebounds and Team USA dominated yet another opponent beating Chile 98-28.

Another quick start and strong finish pushed the USA Women's U18 National Team (4-0) within one win of its ultimate goal.

Eight different U.S. players scored at least eight points on June 26, leading the Americans to a 98-28 win over Chile (2-2) in a medal semfinal game of the 2010 FIBA Americas U18 Championship for Women at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo.

The win puts the USA in the gold medal game against Brazil (3-1), a 50-49 winner over Canada in Saturday's other medal semfinal, at 5:45 p.m. on June 27. The game is not only a rematch of the USA's 89-46 triumph over the Brazilians during preliminary round play but also several rounds of scrimmages in the days leading up to the tournament.

Game story & box: http://bit.ly/cKYGc8

Plaisance_112

Filed under  //  Team USA  
Posted by Bob Starkey 

Big Syl "Most Improved" in WNBA thus far

An article at Full Court Press by Christopher Thompson:

But in addition to this elite group, there are some players who have taken a big step forward this season. This week we will take a look at the WNBA’s most improved players in 2010 and how they have shaped the early season.

The most improved player so far is Sylvia Fowles. Big Syl was a “can’t miss” prospect out of LSU two years ago but due to injuries and playing on a poor Chicago team, Fowles has been a bit of a disappointment. This year, she has stepped out of the shadows to become the best true center in the league. She is averaging 19.7 points per game, up from 10.9 her first two years and sixth in the WNBA in scoring this season. She is also second in the league in field-goal percentage (64.3 percentage) and leads the league in blocked shots (2.5 per game). This hasn’t yet translated into making Chicago (near the bottom of the East at 5-8) a title contender, but if she continues her strong play the Sky could squeak into the playoffs.

Read entire articel: http://bit.ly/dmVSWJ

Sylvia_fowles800

Filed under  //  Alumni   Sylvia Fowles   WNBA  
Posted by Bob Starkey