2009-10 Outlook M E D I A
and interesting to watch develop,” Landers said. “She’s a player who has played a lot of different sports and never really concentrated on one. She has the athletic ability and the physical size to be outstanding. She has a very good skill set. She can play multiple positions and I rather suspect she will.” Walk-on Candace Williams sports a respectable resumé from Union County High School both on the court – 1,601 career points in three seasons – and off – a top-10 ranking in her graduating class there. “Candace is a sharp-shooter who has done a very nice job becoming a member of our basketball team,” Landers said. “Throughout conditioning and workouts this fall, she has impressed the staff and her teammates not only with the ability to keep up with the pack but to be at or near the lead a good bit of the time.”
The Frontcourt
Like its counterparts on the perimeter, the Lady Bulldogs’ paint presence is anchored by veterans but should benefit greatly from an influx of talent. Senior Angel Robinson became the first Lady Bulldog in more than two decades to lead the SEC in rebounding last season. However, Landers is more excited about her stretch run. During the last eight games of the campaign, Robinson averaged 14.8 points and 11.5 boards (with five double-doubles) while shooting 58.8 percent from the field. “Angel, at the end of the year last year, started to make the move into the next level,” Landers said. “Unfortunately for her, Angel hasn’t had a lot of off season opportunities because of injuries and rehabs. The same was true this summer. If she can pick up somewhere 32
around where she was those last 8-10 games of the year and start to move forward, Angel Robinson could be a special player. She’s extremely skilled. She’s got great physical attributes. It’s a matter of becoming possessed with the idea of doing more.” Porsha Phillips displayed the athletic ability to take over games last season, including doing so in big wins over Vanderbilt and Auburn. Still, Landers believes the junior has much more to give, and she can do so on a nightly basis. “Porsha has started to address the one thing that will allow her to become an even better player,” Landers said. “That’s the mental toughness piece that allows her to practice and perform at an all-star level. She has all-star capabilities. She just has to continue to progress and be consistent in the way that she closes that gap from where she is to where she could be. It has to be day to day, and it has to be minute to minute.” The abilities and potential of Georgia’s three newcomers in the low post are vast, from a polished prep All-American to a tremendously athletic relative newcomer to the game. Jasmine Hassell is the latest in a long line of prep All-Americans to make their way to Athens, a ledger that includes current teammates Houts, Phillips and Robinson. She led Wilson Central High to two Tennessee state titles and was also a two-time Miss Tennessee Basketball for Class AAA. “Jasmine is very fundamental,” Landers said. “She has great size coupled with great power. The thing that impresses isn’t that she has those qualities but the manner in which she uses them. She is fundamental, aggressive with her power and with her size. At this 2009-10 Lad y Bulldo G Basketball
point, I would say she’s fearless and is very coachable... but that comes from having been coached well.” Tamika Willis was ranked as one of the nation’s top-50 recruits and named the Player of the Year for talent-rich Metro Atlanta by the Atlanta Tip-off Club in 2009. She also was the Most Valuable Player for the South team in the Georgia Coaches Association’s All-Star game. “Tamika is extremely strong and has a great presence around the basket,” Landers said. “She has a nice shot from 15 feet and is powerful. The thing that has impressed me most in drills is that she has a knack for using her size in the post. She understands how to use her size to get things done. She’s got a good frame. She’s strong. She’s got a knack to be able to get the ball up. I’m pretty sure if we get her the ball down low, she’ll be able to score.” Ebony Jones’ athletic ability first jumped off the screen at the Georgia coaching staff in videos sent by her high school coaches. Now, they’re equally impressed with what they’ve seen on campus. A standout in volleyball and track & field, Jones only began playing varsity basketball as a junior at Cedar Hill High. “Ebony can run with anyone on our basketball team at 6-3,” Landers said. “She’s an extremely fluid and smooth runner and transitional player. She looks to have the potential to be a very good shot blocker. She gets to the ball and has good timing going to the ball and then rebounding the blocked shots. She’ll help us in transition right away. She can fly. “Ebony, much like Anne Marie, is someone who has been successful in several sports,” Landers said. “We’re very excited to see what happens when all her energy and focus is on basketball.”