CIAA WOMEN
Lady Spartans Should Do
It Again
The CIAAT Women's BaslcerbaTT
Tournament, Feb. 22-27 in Richmond
looks like its going to be same old,
same ole.
Norfolk State looks like it will
rule. The Spartans, coached by James
Sweat, have won the past two
women's titles, and look more than
ready to make a run lor their third.
Consider that Norfolk ( 1 8- 1 ) as on
son C. Smith. St. Augustine's has Car
olyn Brown, the leading scorer in the
CIA A and one of the nation's top scor
ers. Union has a balanced attack and
has given everybody a tough game this
season. Hampton has lost only three
times to conference competition.
But, the heavy, heavy favorite is
Norfolk State. The Spartans have got
the talent, the experience and likely
J.C. Smith has the leading scorer in
Carolyn Brown, but will find it most
difficult to beat Norfolk.
Feb 7, hasn't lost to a CIAA opponent
this seison - no oilier conference team
can claim such a feat - and the Spar
tans are ranked No. 10 in the country.
And on top of that. Sweat genuinely
believes that six of his players should
make the all-conference team and
could start for anybody in Division II.
Anybody. But even Sweat admits that
there is more parity this year in the
women's race, just as it is in the
men's.
"I think the tournament is really
anybody's to win, he said. "I think we
have a good chance along with John
the best coach in the league in Sweat,
who became one of only 10 Division
II women's coaches to win 300 games
earlier this season.
"We've been fortunate to not lose
a conference game," Sweat said. "But
there's more parity in the league this
year. 1 mean, a lot of people have
played us tough. Who's going to win
this thing will depend on who's
healthy and who's ready to play men
tally. But we've been there before and
our girls are ready."
Don't bet against them.
Women Players To Watch
Shani Baraka, J.C. Smith, G, 5- 1 , it, shoot it, everything. She has no
Jr. - She makes the Bulls go. Baraka weakness, and her 29 points and 7
has tbree triple-doubles - double fig- steals per game average attests.
ures in three statistical categories - this Hycynthia Spells, tyorfolk State,
season and is averaging about 19 C, 6-1 Jr. - Likely the premier big
points and 10 assists in games played player in the league, Spells gets 18
in 1993. She also gets 3.3 steals per points and 10 rebound^ per game. She
game and shoots nearly 40% from also blocks 2.1 shots per game. If
three-point range. A definite player of Brown weren't around, you . could
the year candidate. make a very, very serious case for
Spells _as_lhe CIA A player of the year.
Carolyn Brown, St. Augustine's, _ Jennine TanksTNorfotk averages
G-F, 3-8~ Sr - Without qu?sTTon7^ 16 points and 5 assists per game and~^
Brown is the premier player in the 4.8 steals. She's having a banner year,
league. Some other ladies are call and her team is so talented that a few
candidates for player of the year, but more Spartans could be listed here,
that's about as far as they should go. But two's enough.
Brown can handle the basketball, pass ? Langston Wertz, Jr.
Next year's CIA A Tcumamerit
Lawrence Jeel Celiseiim
Winsteri-Salerru N.C.
1994-1996
J.C. Smith's Carolyn Brown is leading the way in ClAA play .
Tamika Barber , 6'1 " Soph., center ; should improve Va. Union's chances
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