2012-13 Lakeland Community College Women's Basketball
Front Row (L-R): Patrice Page, Janelle Jirousek, Lamia Whitfield, Kelly Flanigan
Back Row (L-R): Tierra Martin, Brittany Morr, Ashley Speight, Elizabeth Gulliford
 May 17, 2013 | Primer Inks LOI, Marks Third Signee of Class of 2013
KIRTLAND, Ohio – Head coach Amanda Blazetic inked her third commit to the women’s basketball program on Friday afternoon when Melanie Primer signed a national letter of intent to join the Lakers in the fall. The Madison, Ohio native attended Madison High School where she earned Premier Athletic Conference (PAC) honorable mention accolades in basketball while helping the Blue Streaks win a sectional championship.
Primer was a four year honor roll student and graduates from Madison with honors in June. She earned three varsity letters in basketball and also competed in track. The daughter of two Lakeland graduates, Darlene and Randal Primer, Melanie will major in nursing.
 May 14, 2013 | JFK’s Jessica Alexander Commits to Lakeland
KIRTLAND, Ohio – First year head coach Amanda Blazetic inked the second member of the recruiting class of 2013 when Jessica Alexander signed a national letter of intent to attend Lakeland in the fall. The 5’8” guard out of John F. Kennedy High School was a multi-sport athlete in high school.
Alexander competed in volleyball, basketball, softball, track, and cross country and was a member of the merit roll. The Cleveland native was named Honorary MVP and all-star in the Senate League following her senior season. The daughter of Wanda and Ocurlest, Alexander will major in journalism at Lakeland.
 May 8, 2013 | Walsh Marks First Signee in Class of 2013
KIRTLAND, Ohio – Newly-appointed head women’s basketball coach Amanda Blazetic has secured her first recruit in the class of 2013 when Newbury High School’s Molly Walsh signed a letter of intent on Wednesday afternoon. Walsh, who marks Blazetic’s first official commitment since being named head coach just over a week ago, bring four years of varsity basketball experience with her to Lakeland.
A three-sport student-athlete at Newbury, the 5’9” forward was a four-year letter winner and first team all-Chagrin Valley Conference selection in basketball. The team’s leading scorer as a junior and senior, Walsh was named honorable mention (2012) and special mention (2013) Division IV All-Ohio by the Associated Press.
Off the court she was a member of the National Junior Honor Society at Newbury and has spent the past two years at Lakeland through the Post-Secondary Enrollment Option (PSEO). She will graduate on May 11 with an Associate of Arts degree and will continue at Lakeland in the fall in the nursing program.
January 12, 2013 | Cincinnati State Pulls Away From Lakeland in OCCAC Opener
KIRTLAND, Ohio – Visiting Cincinnati State put five players in double figures and pulled away from Lakeland with a big second half to pick up a 98-50 win and improve to 14-3 overall (1-0 OCCAC). Lakeland falls to 4-10, 0-1 on the year despite a career-high 13 points from freshman guard Kelly Flanigan.
Flanigan finished two of three from the floor and took advantage of ten attempts from the free throw line, converting eight of them. Tierra Martin added nine points and four blocks while Lamia Whitfield chipped in eight points and ten rebounds in defeat.
Lakeland kept the game close through the opening 15 minutes and trailed by just two (25-23) with five minutes to go in the first half. The Surge responded with an 18-3 run over to close out the half and take control before outscoring the hosts 55-22 over the 20 minutes of play.
The Lakers travel to Columbus on Wednesday (Jan. 16) when they take on Columbus State CC at 5:30 p.m.
Box Score
January 10, 2013 | Preview: Women’s Basketball Opens OCCAC Schedule with Cincinnati State
KIRTLAND, Ohio – The Lakeland Community College women’s basketball team will begin conference play on Saturday afternoon when they play host to Cincinnati State at 1:00 p.m. inside the Athletic & Fitness Center. Cincinnati State, the defending OCCAC champions and winners of four of the past five conference titles, enters the game 14-3 overall.
The Matchup
The Lakers dropped both meetings with the Surge last season but nearly upset the nation’s second-ranked team in early February. Lakeland took a 39-29 lead into the half but was outscored 46-29 over the final 20 minutes and suffered a 75-68 defeat at Notre Dame College’s Keller Center.
Cincinnati State has come out victorious in the last four meetings. Lakeland’s last win over the Surge came on February 20, 2010.
Opposing Styles
Saturday’s game will be a struggle between opposing styles. Lakeland’s slower tempo has yielded an average of 49.2 points per game while Cincinnati is averaging just over 72 points per contest – the second most in the OCCAC.
Opportunistic Defense
Both teams have shown a pension for causing turnovers and are averaging double-digit steals this season. The Surge lead the conference with 14.1 per game while the Lakers follow close behind, averaging 10.0 on the year.
Lakeland Statistics | Cincinnati State Statistics
January 8, 2013 | Lakers Fall to Lorain County in 2013 Opener
KIRTLAND, Ohio – Lamia Whitfield and Elizabeth Gulliford combined to score 27 points in a losing effort as visiting Lorain County handed the Lakeland women’s basketball team a 61-48 defeat on Tuesday night inside the Athletic & Fitness Center.
Four players scored in double figures for the Commodores, who shot 64% (9-14) from beyond the arc.
The freshman Whitfield paced the Lakers with 14 points on six of 10 shooting while fellow freshman Gulliford added 13. Freshman forward Brittany Morr chipped in eight points and a team-high eight rebounds in the loss, which dropped Lakeland’s overall record to 4-9 with one game remaining before beginning the conference schedule.
The Lakers welcome Cincinnati State (14-3) on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. in the OCCAC opener for both teams.
Box Score
December 15, 2012 | Second Half Run Plagues Lakeland Women
KIRTLAND, Ohio – Host Lakeland Community College trimmed a seven point halftime deficit to just three with 15 minutes remaining in the second half before Niagara County Community College responded with an 18-1 run to seize control and pick up a 66-46 victory in non-conference action Saturday afternoon. Leading 34-31, the Thunderwolves (6-5) held the Lakers (3-8) without a field goal over a seven minute stretch in the second half en route to the 20-point victory.
The loss comes in Lakeland’s final home game of the fall semester. LCC will travel to Elyria, Ohio on Tuesday (Dec. 18) to take on Lorain County Community College at 5:30 p.m.
Freshman Elizabeth Gulliford led the way with a career-high 19 points, which included a trio of three-pointers. The first year guard added five rebounds and a pair of steals in 35 minutes of action. Classmate Ashley Speight added 11 points and 12 rebounds for her fifth double-double of the year. Speight has reached double figures in scoring in all 11 games and leads the Lakeland in scoring overall, averaging 17.2 points per contest.
Nthanda Longwe sparked Niagara County with 20 points and eight rebounds off the bench, helping the visitors to a 28-8 advantage in bench points. Kristine Ripson and Jessica Curry chipped in 17 and 15 points, respectively, in the win.
Box Score
December 13, 2012 | Speight’s Double-Double Helps Lakeland Hold Off Jamestown 52-50
KIRTLAND, Ohio – Ashley Speight scored a game-high 19 points and pulled down 11 rebounds to help host Lakeland Community College hold off a late charge from Jamestown Community College in non-conference women’s basketball action Thursday night in the Athletic & Fitness Center. The freshman forward picked up her team-leading fourth double-double of the year in the process, helping the Lakers improve to 3-7 on the season.
Classmate Lamia Whitfield added 17 points and four steals in the victory, helping Lakeland bounce back from a pair of losses to Region 12 opponents over the weekend.
LCC will host Niagara County Community College on Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. before heading to Lorain County Community College on Tuesday for the final game of the fall semester.
December 1, 2012 | Lakers Edge Butler County, Snap Four Game Slide
KIRTLAND, Ohio – Ashley Speight’s double-double helped host Lakeland improve to 2-5 on the year with a 66-61 victory over Butler County in non-conference women’s basketball action Saturday afternoon. Speight finished with a team-high 21 points and ten rebounds in 33 minutes played. Freshman forward Brittany Morr played all 40 minutes for Lakeland and finished with 12 points and nine rebounds in the win.
Freshman guard Elizabeth Gulliford provided a spark with 19 points while classmate Jannelle Jirousek set career highs with 11 rebounds and eight assists. Lamia Whitfield added eight points and four assists off the bench for the Lakers, who will travel to St. Clair County Community College on Friday night.
Shelby Johnston led Butler County with 22 points on nine of 25 shooting. Johnston added 17 rebounds in the loss, helping the Pioneers to a 53-49 edge on the boards.
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Box Score
November 27, 2012 | Slow Start Plagues Lakeland Women at Niagara County
SANBORN, N.Y. – Visiting Lakeland Community College struggled from the floor in the opening half, scoring just 18 points on 25% shooting, before ultimately falling 68-50 to Niagara County Community College on Tuesday night.
Kristine Ripson led four players in double figures for the Thunderwolves with 24 points to go along with ten rebounds and five steals. Jessica Curry and Courtney Murray added double-doubles for Niagara County, which improved to 3-2 with the win.
Ashley Speight led the Lakers (1-5) with 16 points and seven rebounds while freshman guard Lamia Whitfield added 15 points, nine rebounds and three steals in the setback.
Elizabeth Gulliford chipped in six steals in her first game back from injury. Lakeland will host Butler County Community College on Saturday (Dec. 1) at 1:00 p.m. inside the Athletic & Fitness Center.
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Box Score
November 17, 2012 | Women Drop a Pair at TJ Memorial Classic
KIRTLAND, Ohio – The Lakeland women’s basketball team suffered a pair of tough losses in the 5th Annual TJ Memorial Classic, falling to 1-4 on the year. Freshman Ashley Speight was named to the All-Tournament team after leading the Lakers in both games.
Speight contributed 17 points and eight rebounds in the tournament’s opening round loss to Lake Erie College JV. Freshman guard Lamia Whitfield poured in a team-high 17 points to go along with eight rebounds and four assists while classmate Jannelle Jirousek added 11 points in the setback.
In the consolation game, Lakeland was unable to take advantage of 46 free throw attempts in a 79-54 loss to Mercyhurst North East. Speight led all scorers with 21 points while Whitfield and Tierra Martin added 14 and 11, respectively. Whitfield also added 13 rebounds for her first career double-double.
Opening Round
Monroe CC defeats Mercyhurst NE 94-55
Lake Erie College JV defeats Lakeland CC 99-49
Consolation Game
Mercyhurst NE defeats Lakeland CC 79-54
Championship Game
Monroe CC defeats Lake Erie College JV 85-75
Tournament MVP: Tyese Purvis, Guard, Monroe Community College
All-Tournament Team
Jodie Jindra, Forward, Lake Erie College JV
Ali Gagne, Guard, Lake Erie College JV
Ashley Speight, Forward, Lakeland Community College
Lenay Simms, Guard, Mercyhurst North East
Dionne Coe, Guard, Monroe Community College
Karin Robinson, Guard, Monroe Community College
November 15, 2012 | 5th Annual TJ Memorial Classic Preview
KIRTLAND, Ohio - The TJ Memorial Classic features eight teams from throughout the area competing in a two-day tournament in memory of the infant son of head coach Terry Bowe and his wife Monica. In this, the fifth year of the tournament, Lakeland welcomes Erie Community College (men), Lake Erie College JV (women), Mercyhurst North East (women & men), and Monroe Community College (women & men) to the Athletic & Fitness Center beginning on Friday, November 16. Admission to the tournament is free throughout the weekend.
Game One: Mercyhurst North East (2-0) vs. Monroe Community College (1-4) | 2 p.m.
Monroe Community College looks to defend its 2011 title when it takes on unbeaten Mercyhurst North East in a rematch of last season’s tournament championship. Donisha Watson (8.8 rpg, 8.4 ppg) leads a freshman-laden roster offensively while Karin Robinson paces the Tribunes in assists, averaging 3.2 per contest.
Mercyhurst North East is led by Lenay Simms, who is averaging 20 points and eight rebounds per game. Takeisha Harden, who was named to the all-tournament team in 2011, returns as a sophomore for the Saints.
Game Two: Lakeland Community College (1-2) vs. Lake Erie College JV | 6 p.m.
The Lakers are coming off a tough 58-53 loss in Monday’s home opener to Lourdes University JV and will look to regroup against the Storm. Freshman forward Ashley Speight is averaging a double-double through the first three games of the season (19.0 ppg, 15.3 rpg) while classmate Jannelle Jirousek has connected on seven three-pointers. The young Lakers will look to advance to the championship game since winning the title in 2010.
November 12, 2012 | Lakers Edged by Lourdes University 58-53
KIRTLAND, Ohio – India Banks scored 19 points, Constance Conner added 17 and ten rebounds, and Lourdes University JV used an 8-0 run midway through the second half to pull away from the Lakeland Community College women’s basketball team in the Lakers’ home opener Monday night.
Freshman forward Ashley Speight (Cleveland, Ohio / John F. Kennedy) led the Lakers (1-2 overall) with 14 points and 17 rebounds for her second double-double of the young season. Classmates Lamia Whitfield (Cleveland, Ohio / Lincoln-West) and Jannelle Jirousek (Thompson, Ohio / Ledgemont) pulled in six and seven rebounds, respectively, to go along with 13 points apiece.
Whitfield added a career-high six assists while Tierra Martin (South Euclid, Ohio / Brush) and Brittany Morr (Mentor, Ohio / Mentor) chipped in seven and six points, respectively.
Lakeland jumped out to an early 6-0 lead behind layups from Speight and Whitfield and extended the advantage to ten midway through the opening half on a Jirousek three-pointer. Lourdes responded with a 14-3 run over the ensuing six minutes to take a three point lead with just over four minutes to play. The two teams would enter the half knotted at 21.
Both sides traded runs in the second half, with Lourdes making the all-important final one. Jirousek’s back-to-back layups capped a 6-0 run to put Lakeland up by five just minutes in before the visitors countered with a 10-2 spurt of their own to take a three point lead with 13 minutes to go.
Emily Loomis would extend the advantage to seven, but Whitfield replied with two unanswered layups to cut the deficit to three – the closest Lakeland would get the rest of the way. The Graywolves scored the game’s next eight points for their largest advantage of the night. Banks and Connner ultimately iced the game with a free throw each in the closing minute.
Lakeland returns to action on Friday at 6:00 p.m. when it plays host to Lake Erie College JV in the opening round of the 5th Annual TJ Memorial Classic.
Box Score | Upcoming Schedule
April 30, 2012 | Lakeland Recognizes Student-Athletes at Year-End Banquet
As a part of the Athletic Awards Reception and Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Sunday afternoon, the following team awards were given out by Coach LaShawn Bradley.
Most Valuable Player – Diminika King, sophomore
Most Improved Player – Emily Brainard, freshman
Team Spirit Award – Alyssa Ronyac, freshman
Coaches Award – Ginny Sanchez, sophomore
March 9, 2012 | King and Brainard named all-conference
KIRTLAND, Ohio – Sophomore Diminika King (Pittsburgh, Pa.) and freshman Emily Brainard (Perry, Ohio / Perry) earned all-conference recognition from the Ohio Community College Athletic Conference (OCCAC) on Thursday. King was a First Team selection while Brainard earned Honorable Mention accolades.
King appeared in all 29 games and made 23 starts en route to a record-setting season. The sophomore center leaves Lakeland as the career leader in rebounds with 803. She shattered the previous record of 589, which was held by Terry Blasius and had stood since 1993. She also finished third in career scoring with 908 points.
In addition, King set the single-season record for rebounds with 444, eclipsing Thyeis Halley’s 2005-06 mark of 360. She also set the program record for blocks in a game when she recorded 12 against Niagara County on January 10. That night, she added 25 points and 23 blocks for a triple-double.
In her final season with the Lakers, King averaged 20.2 points and 16.4 rebounds per game. She topped the 30-point mark four times and scored a career-high 40 against Jackson. She had six games where she scored at least 20 points and pulled down at least 20 rebounds.
Emily Brainard led all players with 25 starts and appeared in all 29 games as a freshman. The guard averaged 10.4 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.6 assists in her first collegiate season.
In conference play, Brainard’s scoring average climbed to 11.5 points per game highlighted by a career-high 24 at Columbus State on February 2.
February 24, 2012 | Aslea Williams finding success at every level
FUQUAY-VARINA, N.C. – Former Lakeland women’s basketball standout Aslea Williams, now a junior center at Shaw University (NCAA Division II), was named Boxtorow National Player of the Week after averaging 20 points and 12.5 rebounds last week.
Williams is also a two-time recipient of the Central Collegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) player of the week award. On December 19 she earned the selection after averaging 23 points and just over 15 rebounds per game in a 2-1 week for the Lady Bears.
She was honored for the second time on February 6 after collecting two straight double-doubles and helping Shaw improve to 14-6 overall and 9-1 in the CIAA.
Her contributions culminated in an All-Conference nod at season’s end. Williams finished fourth in the CIAA in rebounding (223) and fifth in scoring (362 points). After a 90-51 win over visiting Saint Augustine’s in the regular season finale, Shaw (20-6, 15-1 CIAA) enters the CIAA tournament as the top seed and will look to repeat as conference champions.
Last year, Williams and the Lady Bears advanced to the NCAA Division II Final Four, eventually losing to Clayton State 63-46. Williams scored 11 points and pulled down nine rebounds in the semifinal game.
The former Second Team All-American at Lakeland averaged 17.5 points and 12 rebounds per game in her final season. Williams, who helped the Lakers finish the year 21-8 overall (10-4 OCCAC), was honored with a First Team All-OCCAC and First Team All-Region XII selection in addition to the national honors. She is just the sixth player in program history to earn All-American status and finished her career at Lakeland with 703 points and 506 rebounds.
February 18, 2012 | Lakeland women clipped by Alfred State in non-conference finale
ALFRED, N.Y. – Freshman Kirsten Holmes (Cleveland, Ohio / Solon) scored 20 points to lead three players in double figures but the Lakeland women’s basketball team couldn’t overcome a six point halftime deficit and ultimately fell, 79-60, to host Alfred State in the final non-conference game of the regular season. The Lakers dropped to 11-15 overall with the loss as they prepare for local rival Cuyahoga CC on Wednesday (Feb. 22) night.
Holmes did most of her damage at the charity stripe, where the guard connected on 12 of 13 tries. Classmate Emily Brainard (Perry, Ohio / Perry) added 15 points and three steals while sophomore center Diminika King (Pittsburgh, Pa.) recorded another double-double with ten points and 17 rebounds.
Alfred State was led by Camille Romero’s 28 points on 11 of 21 shooting from the floor. Amie Brooks and Haley Witchella added 20 and 18, respectively.
Lakeland will close out the season with three straight Ohio Community College Athletic Conference (OCCAC) games. After Wednesday’s showdown with Tri-C, LCC hosts Edison and Sinclair on consecutive Saturdays.
February 15, 2012 | Lakeland women fall to 11-14 with loss at Owens
TOLEDO, Ohio – Host Owens Community College outscored visiting Lakeland Community College 52-19 in the opening 20 minutes en route to a 95-59 victory in Ohio Community College Athletic Conference (OCCAC) women’s basketball action Wednesday night.
Despite yet another double-double from sophomore center Diminika King (Pittsburgh, Pa.), the Lakers dropped to 1-8 in conference play. King finished with 21 points and 18 rebounds in just 24 minutes.
Freshman guard Brittany James (Northfield, Ohio / Nordonia) added a career-high 11 points while classmate Alyssa Ronyac (Burton, Ohio / Berkshire) scored nine.
Lakeland will play its final non-conference game of the regular season when it travels to Alfred State on Saturday (Feb. 18) at noon.
February 4, 2012 | Lakers pick up first conference win at Edison
PIQUA, Ohio – Freshman guard Kirsten Holmes (Cleveland, Ohio / Solon) poured in a career-high 28 points as the Lakeland women’s basketball team hung on to beat host Edison, 67-65, and earn its first OCCAC victory of the season. The Lakers improve to 11-11 overall and 1-5 in conference play.
Holmes finished 8-of-18 from the floor and 12-of-17 from the charity stripe to go along with a career-high ten rebounds. It was her first collegiate double-double.
Sophomore center Diminika King (Pittsburgh, Pa.) added 15 points in the win while freshmen Melyssa Kaprosy (Mentor, Ohio / Mentor ) and Emily Brainard (Perry, Ohio / Perry) scored nine and eight, respectively.
The win snaps a three game slide for the Lakers as they prepare for a tough stretch of conference games. On Wednesday (Feb. 8), Lakeland travels to Columbus State before hosting nationally-ranked Cincinnati State on Saturday. Four days later, LCC travels to nationally-ranked Owens for a 5:30 p.m. showdown with the Express.
February 1, 2012 | Women dropped by Tri-C 65-42
PAINESVILLE, Ohio – Sophomore center Diminika King (Pittsburgh, Pa.) was the only player to reach double figures in scoring as the Lakeland women’s basketball team fell to Cuyahoga on Wednesday night. The game was played at Lake Erie College’s Osborne Center due to water damage inside the main gymnasium in the Athletic & Fitness Center.
King was a perfect 4-for-4 from the floor en route to 13 points. Classmate Shaleah Combs added a career-high nine boards for Lakeland. The Lakers (10-11, 0-5 OCCAC) struggled from the floor, shooting just 22% on the night.
LCC travels to Piqua, Ohio on Saturday (Feb. 4) to take on Edison (12-7, 1-4 OCCAC) at 1:00 p.m.
January 10, 2012 | King guides Lakeland women to big win over Niagara County
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| King set a school record by blocking 12 shots in the win over Niagara County on Tuesday night. |
KIRTLAND, Ohio – Sophomore Diminika King (Pittsburgh, Pa.) recorded a triple-double with 25 points, 23 rebounds, and a school-record 12 blocks as the Lakeland women’s basketball team opened the New Year with a decisive 89-34 victory over visiting Niagara County on Tuesday night.
Freshman guard Kirsten Holmes (Cleveland, Ohio / Solon) scored 22 points in her first game of the year while classmate Alyssa Ronyac (Burton, Ohio / Berkshire) added 11. Holmes was one rebound shy of a double-double in her Lakeland debut.
Sophomore guard Ginny Sanchez (Daytona, Fla.) and freshman guard Emily Brainard (Perry, Ohio / Perry) each tied a career-high with 11 and seven assists, respectively. Brainard added eight points in the win.
Lakeland (9-6) will look to carry the momentum in Saturday’s OCCAC opener at Cincinnati State (1:00 p.m.). The Surge (11-0) are ranked No. 3 in the nation according to the latest NJCAA poll.
King picked up her tenth block, which ensured the triple-double, with 17 minutes remaining in the second half. For the year, the center is averaging just over 22 points and 16 rebounds per game. Through the first 13 games of the season King ranks eighth in the nation in scoring and second in rebounding.
December 10-11, 2011 | Women finish 1-1 at Pete Pavia Tournament, fall in championship
ROCHESTER, N.Y. – The Lakeland Community College women’s basketball team cruised past Fingerlakes Community College in the opening round of the Pete Pavia Tournament before dropping the championship game to host Monroe Community College on Sunday afternoon.
Opening Round: Lakeland 68, Fingerlakes 58
Diminika King (Pittsburgh, Pa.) went 10-of-13 from the floor en route to a team and game-high 23 points to propel the Lakers past Fingerlakes CC on Saturday afternoon. King added 18 rebounds for her eighth double-double of the season and was just two blocks shy of a triple-double. Lakeland improved to 7-4 with the win and will face Monroe CC in Sunday’s title game.
Sophomore Alyson Lee (Cleveland, Ohio / Villa Angela-St. Joseph) added 20 points, seven rebounds, and five assists in the win. Freshmen Emily Brainard (Perry, Ohio/Perry) and Melyssa Kaprosy (Mentor, Ohio/Mentor) added 11 and 10 rebounds, respectively, to help LCC to a 59-38 advantage on the glass.
Sophomore point guard Ginny Sanchez (Daytona, Fla.) and Kaprosy each dished out five assists in the victory.
Championship Game: Lakeland 58, Monroe 78
Alyson Lee’s 18 points and five rebounds were not enough as the Lakers came up short against Monroe CC in the Pete Pavia Tournament championship game. Freshman Emily Brainard added 14 points and five boards for LCC while classmate Alyssa Ronyac (Burton, Ohio / Berkshire) chipped in a season-high 11 points on 3-of-9 shooting from beyond the arc.
Ginny Sanchez handed out four assists in the setback, moving the Lakers to 7-5 on the year. Lakeland will return to action on Saturday (Dec. 17) when it travels to Batavia, N.Y. to take on Genesee CC at 1:00 p.m.
December 1, 2011 | Lakers win third straight, top Baldwin-Wallace JV
BEREA, Ohio – Alyson Lee (Cleveland, Villa Angela – St. Joseph) and Diminika King (Pittsburgh, Pa.) combined for 52 points to power the Lakeland women’s basketball team to a 78-65 win over host Baldwin-Wallace JV on Thursday night. The win marked three straight for the Lakers, who have also won five of their last six.
Lee eclipsed the 20-point mark for the third time this season and finished with 26 on the night. The sophomore guard, who is averaging a team-best 18.3 points per game, added three steals in the win.
King scored 26 points and pulled down 17 rebounds for her fifth double-double of the season. The sophomore center came into the game averaging 16.8 points and 15.5 rebounds per game. King is currently ranked fourth in the nation (NJCAA Div. II) in rebounding.
Freshman guard Emily Brainard (Perry, Ohio / Perry) added 11 points in the victory.
The Lakers return to action tomorrow when they play host to St. Clair CC at 3:00 p.m.
November 12, 2011 | Women drop Genesee in home opener
KIRTLAND, Ohio – Sophomore Alyson Lee (Cleveland / Villa Angela-St. Joseph) scored 29 points and pulled down seven rebounds to guide the Lakeland Community College women’s basketball team to a 72-57 win over visiting Genesee Community College in the 2011 home opener. The Lakers won their second straight game and evened their record at 2-2 overall with the victory.
Lee connected on four of five attempts from beyond the arc and finished 10-for-21 from the floor. Playing all 40 minutes for LCC, she added five steals and a pair of assists.
Classmate Diminika King (Pittsburgh, Pa.) added 11 points and 12 rebounds for her fourth straight double-double to open the season. Sophomore Ginny Sanchez (Daytona, Fla.) scored 14 points and dished out four assists while freshman Emily Brainard (Perry, Ohio / Perry) handed out a career-high five in the win.
Foul trouble forced head coach Gary Hicks to go to his bench early and often. Shaleah Combs (Cleveland / Collinwood) responded with seven rebounds including four on the offensive end in 22 minutes of action while freshman Alyssa Ronyac (Burton, Ohio / Berkshire) buried a crucial three-pointer in the second half to give the hosts a ten point lead with six minutes to go. Ronyac also recorded three assists in 27 minutes.
Lakeland held Genesee to 15% shooting through the first 20 minutes and, despite the foul trouble, took a ten point lead (30-20) into the break.
Genesee trimmed the deficit to just four with 15 minutes remaining in regulation, but the Lakers countered with a 7-2 run, capped by a Lee three-pointer, to stretch the lead to nine.
The Cougars didn’t record a field goal over the final 4:26 of the game while the Lakers connected on all six attempts from the free throw line to put the game out of reach.
Lakeland will return to action on Friday (Nov. 18) against Mercyhurst North East for the opening round of the 4th annual TJ Memorial Classic Tournament.
November 9, 2011 | Sanchez's buzzer-beater gives Lakeland first win of the season
North East, Pa. – Ginny Sanchez’s (Daytona, Fla.) three-pointer in the closing seconds of regulation handed the Lakeland Community College women’s basketball team its first win of the 2011-12 season Wednesday night at Mercyhurst North East. With the Lakers trailing by two Sanchez drilled one from beyond the arc as the shot clock expired, giving the visitors a 57-56 lead with five seconds remaining. The Lakers made a defensive stand on the game’s final possession to improve to 1-2 on the year.
The sophomore trio of Diminika King (Pittsburgh, Pa.), Alyson Lee (Cleveland / Villa Angel-St. Joseph), and Sanchez supplied most of the offense. King finished with 18 points and 23 rebounds including eight on the offensive end. Lee added 17 points of her own while Sanchez chipped in with 11 to go along with a career-high eight assists.
Despite shooting 25% from the floor, the hosts found themselves ahead 32-21 at the break behind 13 of 17 shooting from the charity stripe. Lakeland missed all eight of its three-point attempts and visited the free throw line just four times through the first 20 minutes of play.
The second half proved to be a different story as the Lakers shot 46% from the floor and outscored the Saints 36-24. They connected on three of seven attempts from long range, including the late triple from Sanchez to steal the win.
Freshman Emily Brainard (Perry, Ohio / Perry) scored six points and pulled down a season-high nine boards while classmate Melyssa Kaprosy (Mentor, Ohio / Mentor) grabbed eight rebounds in the win. Lakeland held a 57-39 advantage on the glass.
The Lakers will host Genesee CC on Saturday (Nov. 12) at 1:00 p.m. in their first home game of the season.
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The women's basketball team returns last year's top scorer Alyson Lee (center) and top rebounder Diminika King (right). |
October 28, 2011 | Basketball just days away from 2011 opener
The Lakeland women’s basketball team opens the season on Tuesday, November 1 on the road against Lorain County Community College. November 9, 2011 | Sanchez’s buzzer-beater pushes Lakeland past Mercyhurst North East
Last season’s leading scorer, Alyson Lee (Cleveland / Villa Angela-St. Joseph), returns for her sophomore season after averaging 23.7 points per game as a freshman. Lee finished third in the nation (NJCAA Div. II) in scoring average last year en route to first team all-conference recognition. The second year guard broke the program’s single-season record for scoring average and single-game record for points when she dropped 43 on Cincinnati State in early February. Classmate and fellow all-conference selection Diminika King (Pittsburgh, Pa.) averaged a double-double last year and finished seventh in the country in rebounding.
Transfers Ginny Sanchez (Daytona, Fla.) and Amanda Coveyou (St. Ignace, Mich.) as well as classmate Shaleah Combs (Cleveland / Collinwood) will be relied upon heavily in the early stages of the season. A slew of incoming freshman will also look to make immediate contributions.
The Lakers will host their first home game of the season on Saturday, November 12 against Genesee Community College.
For a complete look at the 2011-12 schedule, click here.
Student-Athletes Get it Done in the Classroom
We would like to congratulate Lexus Arnold and Gina Birch from the women’s basketball team. Lexus Arnold was able to achieve a 3.53 GPA in her first semester at Lakeland and Gina Birch earned a 3.43 GPA. These athletes not only attended class and did their school work but they also had to balance practice and games on top of this. We are very proud to have these two student-athletes representing Lakeland.
Congratulations to Lexus and Gina on their outstanding academic achievements.
 April, 2011 | Ohio Community College Athletic Conference Women’s Basketball Post Season Honors
Alyson Lee was named to the OCCAC first team. Alyson played in 26 games this season. She had twice as many points as any other player with 617 points on the season, averaging 23.73 points per game. Alyson averaged 4.54 rebounds, 2.92 steals, and 1.96 assists per game. She shot 43.72% from the field and 73.2% from the free throw line. Lee finished the season in the nationwide polls ranked 3rd for scoring and 43rd for steals. Dimikika King was named to the OCCAC second team. King averaged 13.9 points, 13.8 rebounds and .73 steals a game during the season. King shot 46 percent from the floor and 65 percent from the line. King led her team in rebounds with 359 on the season. She was the second leading scorer with 362 points, and was second from the line making 68 of her 105 foul shots. King was ranked 7th in the nation for rebounds and 13th for blocks.
Mykia Cross was an honorable mention honoree averaging 13.4 points, 4.4 assists, and 2.4 steals per game during the season. Cross shot 32.6 percent from the floor and 58.8 percent from the line. She led the team in assists with 115 on the season and was second for steals with 62. Cross finished the season ranked 32nd in the nation for assists.
Former Laker Makes it to the Final Four
Aslea Williams was a member of the Lady Lakers Women’s Basketball Team for two years before transferring to Shaw University (Div. II). Shaw was seeded 8th in the NCAA Tournament this year. The Bears played top seed Edinboro University for their first game winning 72-51. In the second round the women defeated California PA by a score of 70-63 to send them on to play CIAA rival Johnson C. Smith. The Bears had faced their rivals three times already this season and were 1-2 against them on the season. This time the ladies at Shaw were not messing around. They won their sweet sixteen appearance 74-54 sending them to the elite eight for the third time in school history. The Bears had never won in their previous two trips to the elite eight but they were determined to get to the final four this year. After a very close game and 8 points by Williams they Bears won 46-45 sending them to the final four, something that has never been done before at Shaw University. The Bears played Clayton State in the NCAA Semifinal game but it was not their night. With too many turnovers the Lady Bears lost their final four match-up by a score of 46-63. As a new player for the Bears, Williams has made her presence known. Appearing in 33 games Williams averaged 10.1 points and 6.3 rebounds per game. Congratulations to Aslea Williams and her team at Shaw University on a great season.
May 5, 2010 -- At tonight’s Athletic Awards Banquet, these players were given the following accolades for this past season.
Most Valuable Player - Aslea Williams
Most Improved Player - Sierra Morris
Team Leader Award - SirShawna Dowdy
Coaches Award - Zipporah Tidwell
Aslea Williams was also her team's nominee, and the winner of, Lakeland's Female Athlete of the Year Award.
Congratulations to first year coach Gary Hicks who was named Coach of the Year in the Ohio Community College Athletic Conference.
April 1, 2010 -- Today, the NJCAA announced its All-American teams for the 2009-2010 season. Ten players were selected to the first, second and third teams from nominations submitted from throughout the nation. The selections were made at the NJCAA annual meeting by the basketball selection committee for each division.
Lakeland Community College is proud to announce that Aslea Williams was named a second team All-American.
This sophomore post player was the only Ohio Community College Athletic Conference Division II player to make the All-American list.
Williams led the Lakers to a 21-7 regular season record, and a 10-4, third place finish in the OCCAC. She led the team with 17.57 points and 12.08 rebounds per game this season. She finished her Lakeland career with 703 points, 506 rebounds and 56 blocks.
She was also recently named to the All-Region team of the NJCAA's Region XII.
This criminal justice major is being heavily recruited by NCAA Division I and Division II programs.
Ohio Community College Athletic Conference
Basketball Post Season Honors
March 2010 -- Congratulations to Aslea Williams who was named the OCCAC Player of the Year. Williams was the leading scorer in the conference averaging 19.0 points per game in OCCAC games. She average 12.5 rebounds per game which placed her fourth in the conference. She had nine assists on the season and averaged 2.2 steals per game. Williams had 17 blocks on the season, for a 1.3 blocks per game average. She shot 48.9 percent from the field and 56.7 percent from the charity stripe.
Zipporah Tidwell was named to the OCCAC second team and SirShawna Dowdy was an honorable mention.
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