THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, November 2, 1994 TAG: 9411020583
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY PATTI WALSH, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 52 lines
Far be it from Norfolk Academy's Kendra Robins to bestow any of her team's success upon herself.
It doesn't matter to the sophomore point guard that she's the second-leading scorer in the Tidewater Conference of Independent Schools, averaging 18.6 points a game. Or that she pounded three of the league's top teams for a combined 60 points last week.
In doing so, Robins helped the Bulldogs to their first-ever regular season crown and kept Norfolk Academy's unblemished record (19-0, 9-0 TCIS) intact.
For these efforts, she is The Virginian-Pilot and The Ledger-Star female athlete of the week.
``It was a tough week,'' Robins said. ``We were playing the best teams in the TCIS. You should have intensity for every game, but you get more pumped up and excited for the big games.''
Robins must have been really excited.
In a 57-45 decision over Nansemond-Suffolk, she sparked a second-half offensive surge as the Bulldogs beat the Saints in Suffolk for the first time in six years.
Trailing 29-28 going into halftime, Robins turned it up and scored all 14 of her points in the second half.
``All of our points come off the transition from the press,'' she said. ``Defense creates offense. You have to get the ball first.''
Three nights later, Robins scored 17 points in a 71-36 rout of Norfolk Collegiate that clinched the regular-season championship.
She scored nine points in a two-minute span of the third quarter to put the game out of reach. Robins also played the part of the aggressor on defense, helping to force more than 20 Collegiate turnovers.
Robins ended the week with a game-high 29-point performance as Norfolk Academy trounced Greenbrier Christian, 76-43.
``Any coach in their right mind would love to have five Kendra Robins,'' coach Joanne Renn said. ``She's a very driven kid, and anything she does, she'll do to the best of her ability.
``She's capable of scoring 25 to 30 points a game. But that's not our style. We like to spread the wealth.''
Robins seems to have a similar philosophy.
``During the game, I'm not concerned about scoring,'' she said. ``It's a team effort. None of our wins are because of an individual.
``I think everybody has a role on the team. I do my part and they do theirs. We just have to come together.'' by CNB