Wednesday, November 11, 1998
The University Daily Kansan
Section B · Page 5
BIG 12 CONFERENCE Preseason Basketball
Ex-WNBA coach at A&M
Women's team ready for upcoming season
by Sam Mellinger
Kansan sportswriter
Nothing demands respect quite like championship rings, so earning her players' regard was no problem for first-year Texas A&M women's basketball coach Peggie Gillom.
Gillom has two, which she earned as an assistant coach the past two seasons for the WNBA's Houston Comets.
"She showed us," said junior Prissy Sharpe, the team's leading scorer and rebounder last year. "But it wasn't like she was showing off. She was just saying, 'See what you can do if you believe you can do this.'"
Houston was not the first place Gillom had success. She played at the University of Mississippi from 1978-80 and graduated as the school's all-time leading scorer and rebounder. She then
served as an assistant coach at Mississippi from 1981-97, during which time the Rebels compiled a 371-119 record.
The Comets were 51-14 during Gillom's two championship seasons in Houston.
"Right off the bat, we knew who she was," Sharpe said. "You have to respect her with all she's done."
The Aggies surrendered 77.9 points per game last season — 11th in the Big 12
— so it is no surprise what the team has spent the bulk of its practices working on.
"We're working on defense, defense, defense," Gillom said. "I'm going to adjust to the players instead of having the players adjust to me."
That willingness to work with the team has made the transition from former coach Candi Harvey an easy one for the players.
"We like her a lot," senior Kerrie Patterson said of Gillom. "It's not hard to get used to people you like, and she's pretty cool. All of us really want someone to have confidence in us and to have fun. Once you have fun, you're going to
win."
Patterson and Sharpe are two of the team's four returning starters. The Aggies return their top seven scorers, and there is more to work with than Gillom expected when she inherited a team which had won nine games in each of the last two seasons.
"The talent is a whole lot better than I thought it'd be." Gillom said.
Big 12 women's basketball is known for its strong coaches — Texas Tech's Marsha Sharp, Texas' Jody Conradt, Kansas' Marian Washington, Colorado's Ceal Barry and Baylor's Hogg are among the most highly respected coaches in the nation — but that does not scare Gillom.
"That makes me want to work even harder," she said. "I'm used to winning. I'm not scared, I'm ready ready for the challenge."
Texas A&M was picked 11th in the Big 12 in a preseason poll done by the league's coaches. The Aggies play Kansas on Jan. 2 in College Station, Texas.
Aggies gain new coach, arena
By Brandon Krisztu
Kansan sportswriter
Melvin Watkins
"If you look at the history of the program, I have my work cut out for me ... I think there is a new excitement around campus for a lot of reasons including that we have a new facility."
The highlight of the season for the Texas A&M men's basketball team may not occur on the court, it may come when the Aggies open the doors Friday for the inaugural season at Reed Arena.
Reed Arena is a state-of-the art facility that has Aggies hoops fans and new head coach Melvin Watkins looking for a new start for a struggling program. Texas A&M was the doormat of the Big 12 last year, winning only one conference game and finishing with a 7-20 record.
New head coach for Texas A&M's men's basketball team
Watkins, the former head coach at UNC-Charlotte, brings success to College Station. During his two years as the 49ers coach, he compiled a 42-20 overall mark, and his teams qualified for the NCAA Tournament twice.
However, he is not sure what to expect from his team in his first season with the Aggies.
"If you look at the history of the program, I have my work cut out for me,"
he said. "I'm very excited and the kids are working hard, if that means anything. I think there is a new excitement around campus for a lot of reasons including that we have a new facility."
Forward Shanne Jones and guard Jerald Brown are Texas A&M's returning starters. Both players will be looked upon to carry the load for the Aggies.
Last season, Big 12 coaches selected Jones, who led the team with 18 points a game, as third-team All-Big 12. He was also the team's second leading rebound, grabbing 6.7 boards a game.
Brown, who is the most highly sought-after recruit in school history, is going to have to play well if the Aggies hope to have any success.
The Aggies are hoping that Aaron Jack will be able to make the transition from forward to center in his sophomore season. The 6-foot-8 Jack averaged 8.3 points and 6.5 rebounds a game last year.
Four players, who scored an average of 33.8 points for the team last year, are no longer Aggies. That means an extra emphasis will be put on the newcomers this season. Texas A&M has three transfers and four high school players who are new to the team.
Point guard Clifton Cook will receive the most attention of all the newcomers. Cook is a true point guard, who averaged 17.1 points and four rebounds per game at Howard College in Texas.
Chamique Holdschaw and Tamika Catchings, the brightest of the many stars at Tennessee, were the top vote-getters yesterday on The Associated Press women's preseason All-America basketball team.
Tennessee players lead AP All-American team
The Associated Press
Holdsclaw, a senior and last season's AP player of the year, was the only unanimous pick by a national panel of writers and broadcasters, and became the first player to make the preseason team three times. Catchings, a sophomore, missed being a unanimous selection by just three votes.
Pride:received votes for preseason All-American.
Seniors Dominique Canty of Alabama, Stephanie White-McCarty of Purdue and Amanda Wilson of Louisiana Tech also were named to the team, chosen by the panel that votes in the weekly women's poll.
Holdscwl was named on all 42 ballots after leading Tennessee to a 39-0 record and its third straight national championship. Catchings, part of Tennessee coach Pat Summitt's Fab Four recruiting class last season, received 39 votes.
Canty was third in the voting with 33, White-McCarty had 23 and Wilson 19.
A third Tennessee player. sophomore
semeka Randall, came close to making the All-America team. She had 13 votes and UCLA's Maylana Martin received 12.
In addition to making the preseason team for the third time, Holdsclaw also was the leading vote-getter for the third year in a row. Connecticut's Kara Wolters is the only other player who has made the team more than once, being selected in 1995-96 and 1996-97.
The AP began choosing a women's All- America team in the 1994-95 season.
Holdsclaw has been perfect in her basketball career, playing on four-state championship teams in high school and three NCAA title teams at Tennessee. At 6-feet-2, she is so versatile that the Tennessee media guide lists her as a guard-forward-center.
Last season, Holdscwlaw averaged 23.5 points, the best of her college career. She also averaged 8.4 rebounds and 2.8 steals and shot 54.6 percent.
and show What so what is left for the player who could touch off a bidding war between the two professional leagues next spring?
"Just go out there and take the game to another level," Holdswclaw said. "I know that personally, I am not worried about the streaks. I just know that when playing time
AP PRESEASON ALL-AMERICANS
The 1998-99 Associated Press preseason women's All-America basketball team with school, height, class and last season's statistics; vote total by a national media panel in parentheses:
Chiamique Holdswill, Tennessee, 6-2, senior,
23.5 ppg, 8.4 ppg, 3.0 ppg, 2.8 steals (42).
Tamika Catchings, Tennessee, 6.1, sophomore, 18.2 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 2.6 steals, 53.7 fa pct (39).
Dominique Canty, Alabama, 5-10, senior,
21, 5-1, gage 7, mpg (33).
Amanda Wilson, Louisiana Tech, 6-0.
2.15 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 4.8 apg, 84.4 ft
pct (23).
senior, 18.5 pp, 8.8 pg, 61.9 fg pct (19)
Others receiving votes (listed alphabetically) Sveltan Abrosimova, Connecticut; Elisa Aguilar, George Washington; Tammi Blackstone, Drake; Erin Buescher, UC Santa Barbara; Kristina Divijak, Northwest; Becky Hammon, Colorado State; Noelia Gomez, George Washington; Dalma Ivanyi, Florida International; Mayana Martine, UCLA; Kelly Miller, Georgia; Jenny Mowe, Oregon; Lynn Pride, Kansas; Kassem Reale, Tennessee; Ruth Riley, Notre Dame; Jackie Stiles, South-west Missouri State; DeMya Walker, Virginia; Tamika Whitmore, Memphis.
comes, I want to go out there and win these games and win another national championship."
A 6-1 forward, Catchings averaged 18.2 points and eight rebounds while shooting 53.7 percent as a freshman. She had a season high of 35 points against DePaul and led Tennessee with 27 points in the national championship game last March, a 93-75 victory against Louisiana Tech.
Catchings was so impressive that she already is being talked about as the next Holdscwal.
"I don't see it as being fetcheted," Summit said. "It's going to be important for her to believe she's the best, no matter how her game is going."
Canty averaged 21.5 points and 7.1 rebounds for an Alabama team that gave Tennessee its two closest games prior to NCAA play. She also averaged 4.8 assists as the Tide finished 24-10.
"She has an opportunity this season to establish herself as one of the nation's top players." Alabama coach Rick Moody said. "We will depend on her more than ever. She won't be surrounded by the experienced superstars she has been in the past."
White-McCarty led Purdue in scoring (20,6), rebounding (6.1) and assists (4.8) last season as the Boilermakers won the Big Ten tournament and reached the final eight in NCAA play.
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