Kisha James takes enthusiastic ways to tailgating

Kisha_james

From: TheTownTalk.com

Tiger Stadium is but a hop, skip and a jump for a group of Cenla residents now living in the state capital.

 It was Pineville native Kisha James who got her group of friends involved with the "Krewe'd Awakening" tailgating club in Baton Rouge.

Readers may be familiar with James, as she was a standout high school athlete who signed on with the Lady Tigers basketball team as a red-shirt freshman. James was grand marshal of the Alexandria Mardi Gras Association parade in 2006. The year before that, her basketball jersey was retired at Pineville High School, prompting the City of Pineville to declare January 28 "Kisha James Day."

James has been a part of Krewe'd Awakening for eight years.

"I just kept the tradition (of tailgating) since I graduated," James said.

James, along with friends Tonya Gilchrist, formerly of Alexandria, and Aimee Welch former (Lady Tiger manager), formerly of Cottonport, are especially good at the partying aspect of tailgating. They admit they aren't big chefs.

Read the entire article: http://bit.ly/aZFBNe

 

Filed under  //  Alumni   Community  
Posted by Bob Starkey 

Marie a spokesperson for new Coca-Cola campaign

Coca-Cola has formed a multiyear marketing partnership with the WNBA to host a number of WNBA FIT Clinics at community parks across the U.S.

The program supports Coca-Cola's "Live Positively" initiative and WNBA Cares. It kicked off last week with clinics in New York City and Washington, D.C, and will continue through the end of the summer.

The clinics will teach fitness skills and nutrition to kids. Coke also hopes that holding camps in local parks, as part of its "America Is Your Park" program, will encourage families to visit neighborhood recreational facilities more often. The program is giving away $500,000 in grants to state and local parks, a $100,000 grant to the park with the most votes, a dollar for every laugh uploaded to the "Smile-izer" at MyCoke.com, and matching donations to the
nation's parks submitted through LivePositively.com.

The rationale behind Coke's park effort seems to be that going to parks more often will make people more active; making people more active will reduce obesity; and reducing obesity will reduce calls for a soda tax and anti-soda initiatives like New York City Health's campaign.

Furthermore, by opening WNBA FIT Clinics, "we're giving families the chance to get active together and have fun by interacting with amazing role models like WNBA players," said Ellen Lucey, director of sports marketing at Coca-Cola North America.

WNBA stars Marie Ferdinand-Harris (L.A. Sparks), Taj McWilliams-Franklin (New York Liberty), Helen Darling (San Antonio Silver Stars), Swin Cash (Seattle Storm) and Tamika Catchings (Indiana Fever) will serve as the program's ambassadors and will appear in videos on the "Live Positively" Web site.

<object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/g-6wDvqHQik?fs=1&amp;hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param></object>

Filed under  //  Alumni   WNBA  
Posted by Bob Starkey 

Big Syl named 1st Team All-WNBA Defense

NEW YORK, Aug. 29, 2009 –One thing they know at LSU is how to play defense and Chicago Sky center Sylvia Fowles has extended that to the WNBA level by being names to the 2010 WNBA All Defense 1st team.

Indiana Fever forward Tamika Catchings, the 2010 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year presented by Kia Motors, headlines the 2010 WNBA All-Defensive Team, the league announced today. Catchings, who also earned Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2005, 2006 and 2009, collected 22 points from the league’s 12 head coaches. Atlanta Dream forward Angel McCoughtry and Fowles finished second with 18 points apiece.

Seattle Storm guard Tanisha Wright (11 points) and New York Liberty guard Cappie Pondexter (10 points) round out the All-Defensive First Team.

Catchings earns her sixth consecutive appearance on the All-Defensive First Team. She is the only player to be named to the First Team every year it has been selected (2005-2010). Wright is the only other member of the First Team who was so honored last season. McCoughtry and Fowles, who were selected to the All-Defensive Second Team in 2009 and 2008, respectively, make their initial appearance on the First Team. For Pondexter, it is her first time earning All-Defensive Team honors.

The WNBA All-Defensive Second Team is comprised of Seattle Storm forward-center Lauren Jackson (15 points), Minnesota Lynx forward Rebekkah Brunson (six points), Atlanta Dream center Sancho Lyttle (seven points), Washington Mystics guard Lindsey Harding (nine points), and Indiana Fever guards Tully Bevalaqua and Katie Douglas (six points apiece).

Jackson, the 2007 Defensive Player of the Year, was twice selected to the All-Defensive First Team (2007 and 2009) and twice named to the All-Defensive Second Team (2005 and 2008). For Brunson, this marks her third selection to the All-Defensive Second Team (2007 and 2008), while Lyttle earns Second Team honors for a second consecutive season. The Fever guards, Bevilaqua and Douglas, are no strangers to this honor. Bevilaqua was selected to the All-Defensive First Team in 2005, 2006, 2008 and 2009, and to the second team in 2007; Douglas was a member of the First Team three consecutive seasons, 2005-2007. Harding is a first-time member of the All-Defensive squad.

A panel of the WNBA’s 12 head coaches voted on the WNBA All-Defensive Team, selecting First and Second Teams by position. Coaches were not permitted to vote for players from their own team. Players earned two points for each First Team vote and one point for a Second Team vote.

Read more: http://bit.ly/cnOuVe

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

Big Syl addresses Lady Tiger team

KATHERINE GRAHAM: One of the greatest gifts we can recieve as a team is being able to have a relationship with former players. This was one of the first times that Sylvia Fowles has had time of from playing basketball and wonder how she spent her Saturday morning? In the Sue Gunter Complex sharing wisdom with this years team. Its always great to see alumni return and tell us about thier experience what they plan on doing in the future endevors, as well as talk about some of the coaches! There were a lot of great questions that were asked and Syl did a great job of answering them honestly. Her personality and passion for this program was evident in every word she spoke. In this meeting Syl allowed us to be very personal and develope a close connection to her journey of how she became the player she is today, and what motivates her to continue to work hard and become better. We thank Syl for her insight and wisdom that was shared and wish her all the best in her foundation, as well as her basketball career. Until next time Lady Tiger Fans!

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

Meek & Roneeka in televised play-off clash tonight

Temeka Johnson and her Phoenix Mercury teammates begin their quest of defending last year's World Championship tonight when they host San Antonio and Roneeka Hodges.  Action begins at 8:00 PM CST on ESPN2

Phoenix/San Antonio Pre-Game Story: http://bit.ly/aQCljt

Filed under  //  Alumni   Temeka Johnson   WNBA  
Posted by Bob Starkey 

Marie shines in play-off loss

Even with her Sparks losing to the WNBA's best team on the road, Marie Ferdinand showed that she is still one of the leagues better perimeter players.  Marie lead Los Angeles in scoring with 18 points on 7 of 15 shooting (including 2 3-pointers).  She also added 3 rebounds and 2 assists as LA fell to Seattle 79-66.  The series moves to Los Angeles where the Sparks will need a win to tie the series.  A Storm victory wraps of the series.

LA/Seattle Game Story & Box: http://bit.ly/di83YK

Filed under  //  Alumni   WNBA  
Posted by Bob Starkey 

Sho shines for Tulsa in loss to red-hot Liberty

It was certainly a tall order for the Tulsa Shock, travelling to New York to face the hotest team in the WNBA,  but the Shock gave them a run for their money lead by Lady Tiger Scholanda Robinson.  Sho had 16 points and 4 assists.  She also grabbed 3 rebounds, picked off 2 steals and blocked 3 shots.  Obviously is was a performance that would remind LSU fans of Sho's effort as a Lady Tiger when she was nicknamed the "Matrix" because she seemed to be at more places than one.

Tulsa/New York Boxscore: http://bit.ly/aNO6j5

Sho_wnba_2

Filed under  //  Alumni   WNBA  
Posted by Bob Starkey 

Ally struggles through rookie year with illnesses

MOHEGAN — During Connecticut Sun training camp in April and May, observers saw in Allison Hightower an energetic, two-way guard who seemed far more valuable than the second-round pick used to get her.

Less noticeable was her resilience.

“Oh yeah, I was sucking air,“ Hightower said, laughing at the memory of four months prior. “I’m able to just go, go, go.”

Hightower finally stopped last week. Bogged down by fatigue and sickness, the rookie hasn’t dressed for the last three games while she and the team await the results of tests to determine why she’s felt ill not only of late but for the better part of the last calendar year.

Frequent ailments

Since the start of her senior season at LSU last fall, Hightower has dealt with multiple bouts of strep throat, the flu and, on at least one occasion, bronchitis. Twice this WNBA season, including during training camp, she’s played through strep, and last week, with the Sun nearing elimination from playoff contention, she told the team she simply felt too weak to play.

Sun coach Mike Thibault has said he doesn’t expect Hightower to play in either of the Sun’s final two games. She said she’s felt ill since a game at Washington last Tuesday, and with her overseas season approaching — she’s scheduled to leave for France on Sept. 15 — Connecticut is taking all necessary precautions.

“This past year has just been a rough year for me health-wise,” said Hightower, who visited doctors last week. “I just want to get back healthy. That’s all I’m striving for. Just rest now until they figure out what’s going on.”

Thibault has been impressed by Hightower’s work ethic, even when “you could tell there were days she was tired.” Last week, he said, she looked like “a kid trying to play with the flu.”

“She’s such a great kid, she’s got a good future ahead of her,” the coach said. “You don’t want to mess with that. I love the kid. She’s worked her butt off. And as a coach, you don’t know from day to day, unless they come and tell you, ‘Hey, I feel great,’ or, ‘Hey, I feel bad.’ Probably there were more days she didn’t feel great, and she came in, practiced, and didn’t say anything.”

Hightower said she is waiting on results to make any decision on possibly not going overseas.

For now, the Sun (16-16) play Friday at Chicago and Sunday at New York with no playoff berth on the line, but for a chance to continue to gain experience and gel. Hightower would love to be a part of that, but knows her health is her top priority.

“You want to be healthy,” she said. “You want to be able to do 100 percent, and to not do that is hard.”

Read the entire article by Matt Stout of the Norich Bulletin: http://bit.ly/c1YQhM

Allison_hightower1

Filed under  //  Alumni   WNBA  
Posted by Bob Starkey 

Merucry waste 23 point outburst by Meek

Temeka Johnson poured in 23 points with 10 of 16 shooting including 3 of 5 from behind the 3-point line but it wasn't enough as Indiana defeated Phoenix 110-90.  Despite losing their 3rd straight, the defending champions locked up a play-off bid due to Minnesota's loss.

Phoneix/Indiana Box: http://bit.ly/9TvLj2

Seimone Augustus had a rough shooting night hitting only 4 of 12 for 8 points and Minnesota fell on the road to Washington 61 to 58.  The loss keeps the Lynx tied for the last play off spot with the Los Angeles Sparks.

Minnesota/Washington Box: http://bit.ly/9C1QVx

Scholanda Robinson lead Tulsa with 14 points but the Shock still fell short to San Antonio losing 94-74.  Roneeka Hodges pitched in 10 points to help the Stars to the victory.

Tulsa/San Antonio Box: http://bit.ly/c7HT5g

Filed under  //  Alumni   Seimone Augustus   Temeka Johnson   WNBA  
Posted by Bob Starkey 

Chicago's Sylvia Fowles Receives WNBA Cares Community Assist Award for July

NEW YORK, Aug. 10, 2010 – The WNBA today honored Chicago Sky center Sylvia Fowles'  commitment to the community with its WNBA Cares Community Assist Award for July. Throughout the month, Fowles has played a leadership role in the team’s community outreach, including a recent partnership with Citizens United for Research in Epilepsy (CURE). She continues to be a positive role model for youngsters in Chicago and beyond.

Fowles’ personal experience with epilepsy— her young nephew, Morris, is fighting the disease— prompted her desire to get more involved with CURE, a nonprofit organization dedicated to finding a cure for epilepsy by raising funds for research and increasing public awareness. In June, the WNBA All-Star player reached out to the organization to see how she could help, an effort that resulted in the launch of a new partnership between the Sky and CURE. The Sky tipped off the partnership with a special ticket program for their home game against the New York Liberty on July 23 and donated a portion of the ticket sales to CURE. Following the game, Fowles hosted a special meet-and-greet to thank fans for their support and treated epilepsy sufferer Lauren Axelrod to a private tour of the Sky locker room, where she introduced her to teammates. 

“I am grateful that I am in a position to make a difference for those who struggle with epilepsy,” Fowles said. “I look forward to continuing to raise awareness and funding to find a cure for this devastating disease, and I encourage others to lend a helping hand.” 

To further lend her support, Fowles designed and purchased CURE-themed red silicon wristbands, which she wears during all games and has distributed to CURE members, teammates, family, and friends. Fowles plans to continue her efforts by filming a PSA with CURE and participating in a number of upcoming events hosted by the organization. 

The WNBA Cares Community Assist Award is presented monthly throughout the season to the player who best reflects the league’s passion for making a difference in the community. In recognition of Fowles’ charitable efforts, the WNBA is donating $5,000 to CURE on her behalf.

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