LOUISIANA TECH
The Lady Techsters have a plethora of options at the two- and three-guard positions this year as LA Tech has a good mix of experience and youth. Seniors Whitney Jones, Kiara Young and Angie Felton are joined by junior Brittany Hardy, sophomore Jelena Vucinic and freshman Kanedria Andrews and will give Weatherspoon a variety of skill-sets to choose from on a game-by-game, situation-by-situation basis. Jones enters her sixth year in Division I basketball after earning a medical redshirt following injuries that limited her to eight and seven games respectively in each of her first two years in college. The multi-dimensional West Monroe native is already a member of the 1,000-point club at Louisiana Tech and
has an opportunity to have a break-out year with the graduation of so many of Tech’s offensive threats from a year ago. She averaged 10.0 points per game and led the Lady Techsters with 43 three-pointers on the year. “I believe Whitney will have a big season for us at the two position,” Weatherspoon said. “She is one of the players that we need to have a big perimeter game. She can put the ball on the floor and get to the rim at any time against any one. “She has taken on the role of Tarkeisha Wysinger-Mackey and will be our defensive leader, defending the best. Consistency is big for her. She relied upon the ability of Adrienne and Shanavia (Dowdell) to get it done (the last two years) when she has the ability to be the go-to player.” Young will see time at both the guard and the forward position for the Lady Techsters. Although her natural position is on the wing, the versatile, athletic Young spent most of last year playing the four position for the Lady Techsters. The Rogersville, Alabama native averaged 5.7 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game while making five starts and seeing action in 29 games. Two of her biggest performances of the year came in two of Tech’s biggest wins as she recorded double doubles in road victories at Tulane and Fresno State. “I look for Kiara to have a breakout year for us,” said Weatherspoon about
Young, who had her knee scoped in late September. “For three years she has played out of position for me. She will still play at the four some but will also get more time at the three. With the offense we are running, you will see more of her versatility on the inside and outside. “She is a player with tremendous strength and power. She will be a utility player for us. It will be crucial for her to be hungry for the ball; we want her to score but most importantly she has to rebound for us.” After making the transition from the junior college level to Tech last year, Felton struggled at times in her first year playing Division I basketball. A pure outside shooter who possesses incredible range, Felton saw action in 24 games averaging 2.7 points and 1.4 rebounds while hitting on 13-of-39 three-pointers. Felton showed her offensive scoring ability early in the year, hitting on 4-of-5 shots, including a pair of threepointers, to score 10 points in 18 minutes in a close loss to eventual NCAA participant UALR. “Angie had a rough go last year and lost some confidence,” Weatherspoon said. “I think she has come back with a different mindset. She wants to contribute to the team. She is a tremendous shooter. She has the ability to put points on the board for us, but she has to be able to defend some of the better offensive players on the other end.
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2011-12 LADY TECHSTER BASKETBALL
Off Guard
YTLA ISR TECH EVINU
second team all-WAC honors, averaging 8.0 points, 4.3 assists and 3.6 rebounds per game. She also ranked as one of the league leaders at the charity stripe shooting 84 percent. “My leader,” Weatherspoon said. “She is one of two players (Kiara Young) that has been with me for four years. She understands that she is an extension of me as a coach on the floor. She has taken on a leadership role to make sure everyone is comfortable in every setting on and off the floor. She will be a focal point of this team and crucial to our success.” Hayes signed with the Lady Techsters after leading Centennial High School in Las Vegas, Nevada to a pair of Class 4A state championships titles during her career. She was named the Nevada state player of the year as a senior by the Las Vegas Review Journal after averaging 10.6 points, 3.9 assists, 5.1 steals and 6.0 rebounds a game. Weatherspoon said that the most impressive aspect of the youngster’s game is her leadership on and off the floor and her work ethic. “Just a warrior,” Weatherspoon said. “She has a never-give-up mentality. A great floor leader. She is very vocal and gets everyone involved. There is not a day that I have to worry about what she will bring to the court. There is never a day that she doesn’t give you every ounce she has.”
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