Lynn Burke
04-14-2007, 05:36 AM
For Bennett, it's a learning experience
By Jason Jordan | jjordan@dailypress.com
HAMPTON -- The last time Alyssa Bennett played an organized basketball game she was scoring a team-high 13 points and leading the Hampton Crabbers to their second Group AAA state title on March 10.
Her debut with the Boo Williams Summer League 16-and-under AAU team on Friday night was much different.
Bennett scored three points and grabbed three rebounds in limited minutes as BWSL rolled past the Maryland Hurricanes, 53-36, at Kecoughtan.
"This was a little different than what I'm used to," Bennett said. "It was still fun because it's the first time I've played on a team like this. It was fun working with them because everyone is so talented. It's kinda like it is at Hampton."
There, Bennett, a sophomore, played with senior center Evelyn Lewis, a Penn State signee, and all-everything guard Tiffany Davis, a sophomore who was named Eastern Region and Daily Press Player of the Year and first team all-state.
The Crabbers ended the season ranked No. 9 in the Student Sports' Fab 50 national poll. That winning background was one of the things that drew BWSL coach Boo Williams to Bennett.
"That makes a difference when you get kids that know how to win," Williams said. "Most of our players are from winning programs. It's hard to teach winning, but Alyssa fits right in because she's a winner and it shows."
When Bennett played on Friday night she created matchup problems with her size (6-foot-2) and versatility and made the only shot she took - a jumper from the left elbow after getting separation from her defender with a stutter-step.
"I'm really high on her," Williams said. "She will get better and she's coming at the right time because she'll have two years to develop in our program and learn the system. I expect her game to grow a lot, and the following year I think she's gonna be a monster. She's got colleges on her right now."
Bennett gets most of her interest from Maryland, James Madison, Virginia Commonwealth, Richmond, North Carolina State and Pennsylvania.
"I like the opportunity to play in front of the college coaches," Bennett said. "I'm getting some interest now, but I want to get more interest."
That means finding a role on a traveling all star team that features two of the top 10 prospects in the class of 2008 - Lynetta Kizer, No. 7, and She'la White, No. 10.
"It felt weird because I'm used to starting and helping my team out more," Bennett said. "But it's fine, I'll adjust to it. I just want to gain confidence and become a better player and gain more experience. I'll be able to do that here."
By Jason Jordan | jjordan@dailypress.com
HAMPTON -- The last time Alyssa Bennett played an organized basketball game she was scoring a team-high 13 points and leading the Hampton Crabbers to their second Group AAA state title on March 10.
Her debut with the Boo Williams Summer League 16-and-under AAU team on Friday night was much different.
Bennett scored three points and grabbed three rebounds in limited minutes as BWSL rolled past the Maryland Hurricanes, 53-36, at Kecoughtan.
"This was a little different than what I'm used to," Bennett said. "It was still fun because it's the first time I've played on a team like this. It was fun working with them because everyone is so talented. It's kinda like it is at Hampton."
There, Bennett, a sophomore, played with senior center Evelyn Lewis, a Penn State signee, and all-everything guard Tiffany Davis, a sophomore who was named Eastern Region and Daily Press Player of the Year and first team all-state.
The Crabbers ended the season ranked No. 9 in the Student Sports' Fab 50 national poll. That winning background was one of the things that drew BWSL coach Boo Williams to Bennett.
"That makes a difference when you get kids that know how to win," Williams said. "Most of our players are from winning programs. It's hard to teach winning, but Alyssa fits right in because she's a winner and it shows."
When Bennett played on Friday night she created matchup problems with her size (6-foot-2) and versatility and made the only shot she took - a jumper from the left elbow after getting separation from her defender with a stutter-step.
"I'm really high on her," Williams said. "She will get better and she's coming at the right time because she'll have two years to develop in our program and learn the system. I expect her game to grow a lot, and the following year I think she's gonna be a monster. She's got colleges on her right now."
Bennett gets most of her interest from Maryland, James Madison, Virginia Commonwealth, Richmond, North Carolina State and Pennsylvania.
"I like the opportunity to play in front of the college coaches," Bennett said. "I'm getting some interest now, but I want to get more interest."
That means finding a role on a traveling all star team that features two of the top 10 prospects in the class of 2008 - Lynetta Kizer, No. 7, and She'la White, No. 10.
"It felt weird because I'm used to starting and helping my team out more," Bennett said. "But it's fine, I'll adjust to it. I just want to gain confidence and become a better player and gain more experience. I'll be able to do that here."