Louisiana freshmen feeling the love from the Lady Tiger fans

Jeanne_kenney

The following is an artcile from Scott Hotard of The Advocate:

Midway through the second half of Monday’s exhibition game, Jeanne Kenney put in a reverse lay-up that (combined with a foul shot) resulted in her first three points of the night. A minute later, Theresa Plaisance jogged from the bench to the scorer’s table and checked in for the first time.

Who knows what kind of impact either player will have on the LSU women’s basketball program this season or even as their careers mature.

But the two freshmen already seem like the darlings of the Lady Tigers fan base.

In the glorified scrimmage Monday against Delta State, Kenney’s layup and Plaisance’s entrance rocked the home crowd like few other moments.

“One thing Louisiana takes care of is home,” said LSU junior LaSondra Barrett, a Jackson, Miss., native. “I’m not saying they don’t take care of everyone, but they’re really proud of their homegrown talent.”

Kenney and Plaisance, who will make their official debuts Sunday at Northwestern in LSU’s season opener, are homegrown and — given their success in the prep ranks — well-known.

Kenney, a savvy 5-foot-8 guard equipped with lights-out range, and St. Michael beat Plaisance and Vandebilt Catholic in 2009 to win their second straight Class 4A state title. A rematch in 2010 was derailed when Kenney missed much of her senior season with an ankle injury and St. Michael failed to reach the state tournament.

Leading the Terriers to their first state title, Plaisance, a 6-foot-5 forward whose game extends to the perimeter, scored 24 points, grabbed 12 rebounds, blocked five shots and dished out three assists in the 4A final. Later, the daughter of Nicholls State women’s coach DoBee Plaisance was named the state’s Miss Basketball and selected to play in the McDonald’s All-American game.

Though rivals in the prep ranks, the status of Kenney and Plaisance as teammates is nothing new.

They began playing AAU ball together when they were 10. Whenever they attended out-of-town summer basketball camps, they often roomed together.

“We always said it would be awesome if we could play on the same college team,” Kenney said. “We just didn’t realize it was going to come true.”

Read the entire articel: http://bit.ly/aOBvxf

Posted by Bob Starkey