| 21 LaShonda Allen |
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1999-2000 season notes: Recipient of the team's Hustle Award ... Made the first start of her career on Jan. 6 at Virginia ... Season high was 11 points on 5-for-6 shooting in 20 minutes of play against NC State on Feb. 3 ... Also had a season-high six rebounds in that game ... Made a career-high three blocks in the Feb. 7 game against Virginia ... Started the final 12 games of the season
1998-99 season notes: Appeared in 23 games, averaging 4.3 minutes per game ... Scored a season-high 12 points (4-for-9 from the field, 4-for-7 from the free throw line) against UNC Wilmington on Nov. 19 ... Also had eight rebounds in that game, in just 12 minutes of play ... Season-high in minutes was 13 against Maryland on Jan. 10, when she scored five points and grabbed four rebounds
At LaBrae High in Leavittsburg, Ohio: Coached by Cal Cavacante and Larry Sanderson ... Lettered four years in basketball and three in volleyball ... Team MVP ... Surpassed 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds in her career ... Player of the Year by the Warren Tribune Chronicle and Trumbull County Coaches Association ... First team All-Northeast Ohio ... Special mention All-Ohio Division III
Personal: Born Oct. 3, 1979, LaShonda Marie Allen is the daughter of Charlene and Edward Allen ... She has a twin sister, Tiffany, and an older brother, Chad ... Chad played basketball at Miami (Ohio) then professionally in Turkey and now for the Harlem Globetrotters ... Majoring in philosophy
Q and A with LaShonda Allen
- What is your favorite class you've taken at UNC? "One I'm taking now on African-Americans in cinema. I love the class because it deals with a lot of the things that I'm interested in."
- What are your favorite things about being a UNC student? "I love the people here at UNC, as well as the weather. But my teammates, without question, are the best thing about UNC."
- What are your career goals? "I would like to play professional ball after I receive my degree. After that, I would like to continue my education and perhaps teach and/or coach."
- How did you spend last summer? "My teammates, coaches and boosters went to Australia and had a wonderful time! After that, I took classes and worked out."
- What were the highlights of the offseason for you? "Playing in Australia and going to sleep without setting an alarm clock."
- On what parts of your game did you focus in the offseason? "Offense and rebounding."
- What have you done in the offseason to improve your game? "I've worked very hard on strength and endurance."
- What is your goal for this season? "To help my team achieve the best possible season."
- What is the most important thing you've learned from playing basketball? "That you have to work hard if you want anything done and done right. You cannot achieve your goal if you don't work for it."
- What has been the greatest moment in your athletic career? "The 2000 ACC Tournament. We may not have won the whole thing, but we played our best and our hardest that weekend."
- What do you do before each game? "Pray, meditate, brush my teeth, check out the scouting report for the millionth time and pray again."
- What or who has inspired you to excel at basketball? "My family, my parents especially. They are so enthusiastic when it comes to the game that I just want to do better each day."
- After which player have you modeled your game? "All post players help me to work on every aspect of the game, but Tina Thompson of the Houston Comets plays so hard that she inspires me the most."
- What is your earliest basketball memory? "My earliest memory is of my first game in fifth grade. I fouled out and I cried. I remember a teammate's mom tried to soothe me by saying that fouling out just meant that I was being aggressive."
- What words best describe you? "Enthusiastic, open and patient."
- What is the best advice you have ever received? "'Budget your money. Take care of it and it will take care of you.' That's from my parents. They also tell me to clean my room every time they visit."
- What advice would you give to a girl beginning to learn the game of basketball? "Play against boys and work on basketball every day, even if it's just dribbling."
- What is something most people don't know about you? "I love to read and play video games. I also write poetry."
- What is your ideal day? "I'd sleep until noon, go play ball for a couple of hours, eat dinner and play a game on Playstation."
- What are your hobbies? "Reading (my Bible or a novel), playing video games, playing with children (I absolutely love kids!), being online, writing and sleeping."
- What is one talent you have, aside from playing basketball? "Playing volleyball. I also play three instruments, although I'm pretty rusty now."
- Anything else you'd like to add? "I really love and appreciate all the support from the fans, not only at North Carolina but across the country. You may never know how much you mean to an athlete, but I just want to give you a glimmer of how I feel. I love each and every one of you and hope that you will keep blessing us with your support."
