THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, December 1, 1994 TAG: 9412010632
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C8 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY PATTI WALSH, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 60 lines
Salem finally ended South Hampton Roads' 12-year drought without a girls basketball state crown last March, but this year the traditionally powerful Sun Devils could experience a dry season of their own.
Coach Larry Bowman returns only one full-time player from the championship squad that went 26-2. However, that lone player is the highly-touted 5-foot-8 junior point guard Misty Colebank, who area coaches have named as possibly the best player around.
But no matter how good Colebank may be, it takes five players to win.
That's why Kempsville, which returns all 14 players from last year's team that finished 20-3 and ranked second in the area Top 10, takes over the No. 1 spot as the preseason favorite.
Kempsville coach Greg Dunn's biggest problem may be finding playing time for everyone.
``I wouldn't hesitate to start any one of them,'' he said.
The Chiefs are so deep that players from the undefeated junior varsity team are waiting in line for a spot on the varsity roster.
The only thing Kempsville seems to lack is a superstar, that one indomitable girl who can take over a game.
Churchland, on the other hand, might have three of those. There's 5-2 Kizzy Butler, who signed last month with Norfolk State. Butler averaged 12.5 points and 5.7 assists per game and also made 65 steals.
Add Nicole Council, a 5-7 small forward who's been a sleeper, but is a threat inside and out of the paint, and throw in 6-0 Michelle Jarman, a senior transfer from Great Bridge, and the Truckers have the ingredients for a team that could make it out of the region for the first time.
``I still don't know how I'm going to blend in all this ability,'' Churchland coach Duke Conrad said. ``But we haven't done anything until we beat the champions (Salem).''
The Truckers get their shot in the opener of the Beach Tipoff tournament at Salem on December 15th.
Not only does South Hampton Roads have some of the best teams in the state, but some of the best all-around players are back as well.
USA Today listed Kellam's Anne Marie Bowdoin, who signed with Liberty, and Maury's junior sensation Shwante Snead as among the best in the state.
Bowdoin was a first-team All-Tidewater pick as a junior and was second in the area in scoring with 17.4 points a game. Snead, a second-team pick, led the Eastern District in scoring and put up some incredible steal numbers last season.
Other players to watch are Deep Creek's Michelle Boyd, Oscar Smith 3-point specialist Kizzy Dunbar and Maury's Paige Giffin, a 5-11 senior who earned All-Italy honors and likes to crash the boards.
As for this year's posh frosh, look out for Deep Creek's 6-1 sensation Shelly Singleton, who began her career on the Boo Williams under-14 squad, and Juridas Thompson, a 5-4 point guard who is expected to lead Lake Taylor. by CNB