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In the News
2005-2006
| This page includes a collection of newspaper articles and other news related to Lady Herd Basketball. |
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Elk Grove Citzen
Sunday's Internet Edition, January 08, 2006.
Boyles, DeSoto combine for 47 points in Elk Grove’s win; Lady Herd rallies from 10-point deficit in final four minutes of regulation
Still without seniors Shanice Brown and Jenna Alexander, Elk Grove rested its Delta League opener fate on two underclassmen. Sophomore Kara Boyles, who broke the school’s freshman scoring record last season, and freshman Kelani DeSoto were the only two Elk Grove players to reach double figures, combining for 47 points in a thrilling 66-65 road win at Folsom in overtime.
Boyles scored 23 of her game-high 29 points in the second half and overtime.
DeSoto contributed 18.
Elk Grove, which trailed by six at the half and by 10 with 3:36 left in regulation, outscored Folsom 20-14 in the fourth quarter. After Boyle made four free throws following a foul and technical foul, Folsom sank two free throws with 12 seconds left to force overtime.
In the extra period, both teams combined for 21 points. With a four-point deficit and 2.8 seconds left in overtime, Folsom made a three-pointer and was fouled. The potential game-tying free throw grazed the front rim and Elk Grove rebounded to seal a league-opening road win.
“We deserved to lose that game since we played without any immediacy for three quarters,” said Elk Grove head coach Brian Benson. “Folsom out-hustled us all over the court. But we found a way to hang around and had a chance to win at the end.”
Elk Grove head coach Brian Benson used only six players, relying mostly on Boyles and DeSoto for scoring. Boyles, who made 9 of 10 free throws, added six rebounds and three steals.
DeSoto also missed only free throw, netting 5 of her 6 attempts. The freshman point guard grabbed six rebounds and dished out three assists, but committed a team-high six turnovers.
Brittany Reed had seven points, three rebounds and four steals. Meghan McDermott had six points and eight rebounds, and Ashley Jacobs and Monique Ybarra both scored four points.
Elk Grove made 24 of 30 free throw attempts.
Folsom senior Crystal Idrogo scored a team-high 27 points, two shy of Boyles’ mark. Only junior Jordan Babineaux joined Idrogo in reaching double figures, contributing 10 in the loss.
Sacramento Bee
By Jason Jones -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Thursday, January 5, 2006
Story appeared in Elk Grove Laguna Section, Page G5
Names and news: Injury bug hits Herd's girls
It's the kind of first Brian Benson had been fortunate enough never to experience.
Then the Elk Grove High School girls basketball coach was hit with twice the misery.
"I've never even lost one starter to a season-ending injury," Benson said. "I know it happens in sports, but we've been fortunate."
Benson, in his seventh season, saw that streak end when forward Jenna Alexander tore the anterior cruciate ligament in her right knee during the second game of the season. In the fifth game, center Shanice Brown, who has signed to play with Washington State next season, tore her left ACL.
Suddenly, the months of preparation to feature Brown in the post on offense had to be scrapped.
Benson said his guards had to learn new ways to score without the 6-foot-4 Brown - who was averaging 14.4 points and 14 rebounds - commanding attention down low and without the experience of Alexander, who will play softball at Purdue.
Benson even went back to some old playbooks to install plays run by former teams that had similar personnel.
Without Brown and Alexander, the Herd entered Delta League play this week with an 8-3 overall record.
And for the second straight season, Elk Grove will depend heavily on a freshman.
Kelani DeSoto, a 5-6 guard, is leading the Herd with 13.5 points per game by attacking the basket to free the perimeter shooters, who entered the season looking for Brown to create outside shots.
DeSoto also is leading the Herd with 3.5 steals per game.
"With the void in the middle, she's been taking it to the basket," Benson said. "She's actually thriving right now with her one-on-one moves."
Last season's impact freshman, guard Kara Boyles, is second on the team with 9.8 points.
Benson said his players recommitted themselves to defense, because the team is much smaller and quicker after losing its top two inside players.
A lot of that has to do with the addition of Dan Sauvain to the coaching staff. Sauvain isn't new to Elk Grove, though.
He was the head coach from 1992 to 1996 and won the school's only two league titles. Sauvain was also an assistant in the 1997-98 season.
"He brings an energy that I don't have, and we complement each other really well," Benson said.
While the team's makeup is noticeably altered, Benson said Elk Grove won't be reduced to being seen as an easy win in the Delta League.
"We're making progress," Benson said. "We're not going to be a team that can be walked over. We still have talented players."
By Jon Gudel, Sports Editor
Elk Grove Citzen
Thursday's Internet Edition, December 8, 2005
Elk Grove boys, girls programs split title games
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Photo by Bryan Higashino
Junior Brittany Reed made two three-pointers and scored six of the team’s first eight points in Elk Grove’s 51-45 win over Lincoln-Stockton in the finals. |
Head coach Brian Benson eagerly waited for Elk Grove to snap its six-year drought without a Bill Cartwright Classic title. The Lady Herd accomplished that feat last season with a 63-49 win over Centennial in the championship game.
But there was still one element Elk Grove had yet to fulfill in the 13-year history of the girls division. Aside from being one of only three programs to ever win a girls title, the Lady Herd had failed to successfully defend their crown following the 1995 and 1997 seasons.
Mission accomplished.
Elk Grove claimed its first-ever back-to-back Cartwright Classic titles with a grueling 51-45 win over Lincoln-Stockton in the finals last Saturday. In doing so, the Lady Herd became the first school since Kennedy in 2002 to defend its title.
“It tells me that we are further along than I thought we were at this point,” Benson admitted.
Benson received contributions from an unlikely source in the second half. Freshman Kelani DeSoto ignited an 11-0 run late in the third quarter with a three-pointer to give Elk Grove a 26-25 lead.
DeSoto, who was named to the all-tournament team, also hit another three-pointer in that span, as did guard Kara Boyles, a sophomore who broke the school’s freshman scoring record last season.
The three-point barrage vaulted Elk Grove from a two-point deficit to a 34-25 advantage with 45 seconds left in the third quarter. More importantly, the efficient perimeter shooting came with center Shanice Brown on the bench with three personal fouls.
Brown, who signed a letter of intent to Washington State, scored nine of the team’s 10 second-quarter points but was forced to the bench with foul trouble. Lincoln failed to score for more than two minutes while Brown sat out, snapping the drought on Natasha Vital’s three-pointer.
But senior Meghan McDermott promptly answered with a basket as time expired to cement Elk Grove with a 36-28 lead. Ironically, the Lady Herd scored as many points (18) in the third quarter as they did the entire first half.
“After losing the two guards (Jennifer Enos, Rebekah Focht) last year, I thought we might not have the shooters,” said Benson. “But we’ve got three or four that can score for us.”
Lincoln, which advanced to the finals with a 58-52 win over Kennedy, trimmed its 12-point deficit to six with three minutes left in the fourth quarter. Brown, selected as the tournament Most Valuable Player, responded with a basket on Elk Grove’s next possession.
Vital, who scored a game-high 29 points, then sank a three-pointer and an Elk Grove turnover caused for concern as Lincoln’s deficit shrunk to 47-42 with 1:43 left. McDermott elevated Elk Grove’s lead to seven on a putback, cushioning a margin that dipped back to five on Vital’s three-pointer with 20 seconds left.
Despite two missed free throws by DeSoto, Vital front-rimmed a three-pointer on the ensuing possession to clinch Elk Grove’s second consecutive Cartwright Classic title.
“She’s definitely a basketball-by-instinct player,” Benson said of DeSoto. “She has all the skill in the world. Offensively she’s far ahead of most freshmen.”
DeSoto was the only player to score double figures less than 24 hours earlier, scoring 17 points in Elk Grove’s 50-41 win over Beyer in the semifinals. Boyles had nine, and McDermott added seven.
Senior Jenna Alexander, who recently signed a letter of intent to play softball at Purdue, did not play in the finals after suffering a knee injury against Beyer. She sat on the bench with a wrap on her left knee, but did walk to midcourt to receive the championship plaque.
Alexander had 10 rebounds in a 75-43 rout of Will C. Wood in the tournament opener last Thursday. Elk Grove led by 19 points at the half after Wood managed only 10 in the first and second quarters.
Boyles scored a team-high 17 points, including five three-pointers, and DeSoto had 13 off the bench. Brown collected her first double-double of the season with 16 points and 11 rebounds.
In three Cartwright Classic games, Elk Grove did not allow its opponent to reach the 50-point plateau. Last season, opponents failed to score 50 or more points in nine of the Lady Herd’s initial 10 games.
“It validates to the players to get off to a good start,” Benson said.
The key is to maintain the success.
From Washington State University web site - wsucougars.com
Murrell Adds Trio to Women's Basketball Program
Class features in-state product along with athletes from California and Arizona.
Nov. 9, 2005
PULLMAN, Wash. - The Washington State women's basketball program signed three players -- Colleen Betteridge, Shanice Brown and Marisa Stotler -- to National Letters of Intent, head coach Sherri Murrell announced Wednesday (Nov. 9)
The group is highlighted by an in-state athlete, Betteridge, a 5-foot-8 guard from defending State champion Chief Sealth High School in Seattle. In addition, a pair of out-of-state products -- Brown, a 6-foot-3 center from Elk Grove High School in Elk Grove, Calif., and Stotler, a 6-foot-1 forward from Dobson High School in Chandler, Ariz. -- completes the trio.
Betteridge, who transferred to Chief Sealth from Redmond High School this fall, averaged 11.7 points and 3.9 assists while earning All-Kingco Second Team honors as a junior at Redmond. In addition, Betteridge, who will play for Chief Sealth Coach Ray Willis, was invited to the 2004-05 Reebok All-American Camp and was selected as an honorable mention All-American by Street & Smith's in its 2004-05 college basketball guide.
In 2001, Betteridge attended the 16 and under Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) National Championship in Lafayette, La. She won MVP awards at NBC All-Star camps from 2001 to 2003, was the MVP in 2001 and 2003 at the University of Washington basketball camp, and was the Redmond Select MVP in 2001.
"Colleen's ball handling and passing allows her to create scoring opportunities for both her and her teammates," Murrell said. "She's also deadly accurate from 3-point range and as a left-hander she's even more difficult to defend off the dribble. She's one of those special players who make the others around her better."
"Colleen is a well-rounded athlete," Willis said. "As a player, she is extremely gifted in terms of her skills as a guard.
"We hope that this year Colleen can help us defend our state title, and then move on to have a great career at Washington State," Willis added. "I believe she is one of the top five guards in the state of Washington. Washington State has recruited an outstanding student-athlete."
As a junior at Elk Grove, Brown averaged 11 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks for a Lady Herd team that finished the season 24-5. Brown, who plays for coach Brian Benson at Elk Grove, tallied seven double-doubles in points and rebounds as well as 16 double-digits point games and 12 double-digit rebounds games last season. Brown was selected as an honorable mention All-American by Street & Smith's in its 2005-06 college basketball yearbook.
Brown was ranked No. 19 in NorCalPreps.com Class of 2006 Top 40 rankings. She was named to the All-Delta League First Team and was a Sacramento Bee All-Metro Team Honorable Mention. Brown also attended the adidas West Coast Evaluation Camp.
"Shanice has all of the tools it takes to be a successful post player in the Pac-10," Murrell said. "Her physical size and strength will allow her to match up with almost anyone that we play, but her enthusiasm and willingness to work could be the things that will really set her apart. She's very driven and focused on the goals that she has set for herself."
"WSU is going to have a player that will go 100 percent for her team," Benson said. "Shanice is a dominating post player who is always looking to continually improve. Cougar fans can look forward to a player who is consistently improving, and therefore will improve the team."
Twice an All-East Valley Region selection, Stotler averaged 20.3 points and 12.4 rebounds for a Dobson team that compiled a 19-9 record and advanced to the third round of the State tournament during her junior season.
A starter in each of her first three years at Dobson, Stotler earned a second team All-State selection as a junior as well as an honorable mention All-State nod as a sophomore. Dobson has reached the State tournament in each of Stotler's first three years at the school.
Additionally, Stotler, who will play for Dobson Coach Tyler Dumas this season, played for the Arizona Elite club team this past summer. Most recently, she has been nominated as a 2006 McDonald's All-American.
"Marisa's combination of size and athleticism will allow her to be a very versatile player for us," Murrell said. "She has the height and strength to defend in the post but still has the quickness to get by bigger players on the offensive end. She's only begun to scratch the surface of her potential."
"Marisa is the diamond in the rough," Dumas said. "She is a good basketball player right now, but her potential is unlimited. She possesses a lot of physical attributes that many kids don't have. Not only will Marisa be a great teammate, but she will be a great ambassador for WSU."
--wsucougars.com--
By Jon Gudel, Sports Editor
Elk Grove Citzen
Saturday's Internet Edition, October 22, 2005.
Brown commits to WSU before season
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Senior Shanice Brown became the first member of the Elk Grove girls basketball program to a sign a letter of intent to a Pac-10 school.
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Shanice Brown visited Washington State’s campus in Pullman with hesitation. She expected the weather to be cold and rainy, using the visit as more experience than anything else.
But what she found was a small-town college atmosphere, something Brown had coveted when beginning her quest to find a school. Her love for Washington State grew instantly, especially after meeting head coach Sherri Murrell who sang karaoke and danced in front of recruits.
She also attended a football game against Idaho.
Needless to say, Brown canceled her other four scheduled visits and became the first member of the Elk Grove girls basketball program to sign a letter of intent with a Pac-10 school.
Brown had scheduled visits to Oregon, Oregon State, Pepperdine and San Diego.
“I didn’t know a lot about Washington except that it rained and it was cold,” said Brown, noting she plans to major in kinesiology. “But it was amazing. The people were so nice. The coaches were amazing. It was a college town. That’s exactly what I wanted.”
Brown had originally intended to attend Arizona State. Her decision to switch to WSU was made easier when Arizona State signed another recruit at her center position.
Instead, Brown signed her letter of intent one week after visiting WSU’s campus.
“I was really impressed at how prepared she was for the recruiting process,” Elk Grove head coach Brian Benson admitted.
Murrell was not available for comment because players are not officially able to sign until Nov. 9. But, if Brown’s yearly improvements maintain, Murrell will be talking about her latest recruit for years to come.
Brown, a four-year member of the varsity team, scored only 16 points combined during an injury-plagued freshman season. She notched a season-high four points in the season opener and tied that feat three days later. Otherwise, she failed to score more two points in any game the rest of the season.
Gifted with size at 6-foot-3, Brown evolved into one of the premier low-post players in the Sac-Joaquin Section after extensive offseason training following her sophomore season.
“Every summer, Shanice would come back to school more prepared and in better shape,” said Benson. “She set the goal to play at a major university early on and took steps necessary to achieve that goal. She always wanted to know her weaknesses and how to improve them.”
Brown averaged 6.4 points and 6.5 rebounds per game as a sophomore, but showed more poise in the paint and developed low-post moves that offered college coaches a sense of her ability.
She reached double figures in five games, including a season-high 14 points in a 55-40 win over Florin. Yet, Brown had not proven to be the dominant force many expected.
Her attitude and willingness to achieve her goal of a full-ride scholarship altered her offseason plans. She endured a rigorous training program with then-seniors Jennifer Enos and Rebekah Focht.
“I have to give a lot of credit to my family because they stayed on me,” Brown said. “I told them what I wanted to do and accomplish and they helped me. They stuck with me.”
Her offseason regimen worked.
Brown finished second in the Delta League in rebounds and third in blocked shots. She also averaged a career-high 10.5 points and 9.5 rebounds per game.
After consecutive double-doubles to start the season – including a 23-point, 16-rebound effort in a 52-42 win over perennial section contender Kennedy – Brown concluded her junior season with eight total.
She also either scored or recorded double-digit rebounds in 21 of Elk Grove’s 29 games.
Her progress allowed for an early commitment to WSU.
“I knew I would commit in November at least,” Brown admitted. “I loved it there. I wanted to commit before the season so I wouldn’t have that burden.”
Admittedly, Benson was also appreciative of Brown’s decision to sign before the season.
“I am glad that the recruiting process was completed before the season because that stress and uncertainty is gone and she can focus on being a leader of our team and elevating her game to prepare her for next year,” he said.
Next year begins in December with the annual Elk Grove-hosted Bill Cartwright Classic. From there, Brown will finish her senior season and move onto Washington State where she hopes to leave a lasting-impression on the program.
She already accomplished that feat at Elk Grove.
“Being the first Lady Herd player ever to sign at a Pac-10 school is a huge accomplishment for Shanice,” said Benson. “We, as a basketball family, are so excited for her and the opportunities she has to further athletic and academics at WSU.”
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Elk Grove High School
9800 Elk Grove-Florin Road
Elk Grove, California 95624
(916) 686-7741 |
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Last Updated: March 10, 2006
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