Lincoln University Athletics News

Athletics Schedules University Mascot: Lion School Colors: Orange & Blue

LINCOLN UNIVERSITY 2003-04 
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL SEASON IN REVIEW

POSITIVE HIGHLIGHTS TOUGH SEASON FOR LINCOLN WOMEN

By Rob Knox

   The Lincoln University women’s basketball team found itself in an 18-point first-half hole against once beaten Keystone College on the road.

   With a tough season nearing its conclusion, the Lady Lions had every reason to quit and accept another defeat. Instead, Lincoln dug deep and rallied to stun Keystone, 67-62 in a game that showcased the determination, heart, and talent of the Lady Lions.

   In a season filled with few victories, this was easily Lincoln’s most memorable triumph of the year. 

   The electricity of freshman Rayshonna Hill (Brooklyn, N.Y./Benjamin Banneker Academy), the leadership of senior Jada Savoy (Philadelphia, PA./Bodine), the rebounding of senior Simone Howell (Bryn Mawr, PA./Radnor), the consistent scoring of junior Altoria Spann (Philadelphia, PA./Ben Franklin) and the dedication of the rest of the team provided fans with plenty of outstanding moments during a 7-15 season.

    “I thought the season was a learning experience for the incoming kids,” Lincoln coach Al Miles said. “It was also a persevering year, but we have a lot to look forward to in the future.”

    Spann and Savoy finished as the Lady Lions top two scorers this season, averaging 11.0 and 10.5 points per game, respectively. Hill chipped in with 8.8 points per outing while leading the team in assists with 26. Freshman Mary Rotimi (Philadelphia, PA./Frankford) added 7.2 points per game for the Lady Lions. Many of the Lady Lions had sterling moments during the season.

     In rallying against Keystone, the Lady Lions got clutch performances from everybody who stepped onto the court. Howell scored 18 points and snatched 10 rebounds. Hill scored 13 points, handed out five assists and collected four steals. Savoy also recorded four steals to go along with her eight points. Freshman Ciera Williams (Crisfield, MD./Crisfield) grabbed four rebounds and made three steals in 17 outstanding minutes for Lincoln, which outscored Keystone, 42-28 in the second half. Junior Ruthy Rotimi (Philadelphia, PA./Frankford) had eight rebounds and freshman Sophia Johnson (Paulsboro, N.J./Paulsboro) added nine points. Mary Rotimi also did a yeoman’s job by finishing with eight points and eight rebounds.

    “That game showed we had it all along,” Savoy said. “We just couldn’t put it together all the time. The Keystone game was the best we did as a team all season. We got a lot of fastbreaks during the game and everything went our way in the second half of that game.”

     There were other highlights during the season despite the 13 double-digit defeats.

     Hill, who reached double figures in six games this season, dazzled in her first collegiate game by scoring 26 points and collecting nine steals as Lincoln cruised to a 72-48 win over Lehman College in the first round of the Ramapo College tournament. Mary Rotimi turned in solid games against Ramapo (12 points, nine rebounds), Albright College (11 points) and FDU-Florham (13 points, eight rebounds). She also reached double figures in six games. Mary Rotimi finished as the team’s third leading rebounder with 5.1 per game.

   Sophomore Naima Spradley (Brooklyn, N.Y./Benjamin Banneker Academy), freshman Natasha James (Philadelphia, PA./William Penn), Williams, Ruthy Rotimi, sophomore Danielle Booker (Clinton, MD./Surrattsville) and sophomore Eboni Jones (USVI/St. X Educational) were invaluable performers off the bench for the Lady Lions. Spradley scored 12 points and made three steals during a 63-37 win over Lancaster Bible. Ruthy Rotimi improved as the season progressed and Booker was a quiet force on the court for Lincoln. Jones had eight points during a 62-50 defeat to Keystone College.

   Johnson was also another important piece to Lincoln’s season. Even though, Johnson averaged 5.4 points per game, her presence on the court helped Howell score easy baskets. Johnson’s 12 points helped the Lady Lions post a 69-52 decision over Valley Forge Christian College in January.

   “Naima was a plus for us this year,” Miles said. “She’s a cornerstone of this team and she had a great spirit. For the most part, I liked the spirit of most of the freshmen. Mostly everybody did some good things this season.”

   Spann was probably the most improved player on the team. After missing most of last season because of personal reasons, Spann returned with a purpose. She dedicated herself over the summer to becoming better and it paid off for her. Spann was far from one-dimensional. Not only did she score, she also finished as the team’s second leading rebounder (7.6) behind Howell, who averaged 8.2 boards per outing.

   Spann reached double figures in scoring in nine games, while being the Lady Lions high scorer six times. She also led the team in rebounding in seven games while recording three double-doubles. Spann scored a season-high 23 points in a 64-48 loss to Susquehanna University. Her 21-point, 12-rebound effort during a 69-52 win over Valley Forge Christian College helped the Lady Lions break a two-game losing streak in mid-January.

    Despite losing their final three games, Howell finished the season strong for the Lady Lions. Howell ended her Lincoln career with a bang by recording three double-doubles in the Lady Lions last four games. Howell followed up effort against Keystone College with a solid eight-point performance in a 57-48 victory against Wilmington College. Howell had 14 points and 13 rebounds in a 49-44 loss to Bryn Mawr College and in her last collegiate game against Newport News Apprentice, a 58-41 defeat, Howell finished with 15 points and 11 rebounds.

   Savoy collected a double-double (14 points, 10 rebounds) as Lincoln defeated SUNY-Old Westbury, 56-48 in the consolation game of the John Jay University tournament.

   A three-year starter, Savoy missed seven games with an assortment of injuries. In her first game back, Savoy scored 17 points in a 62-50 loss to Keystone College February 2. Keystone was still undefeated at the time. She had 16 points in the win against Wilmington College and 12 in a heartbreaking 60-57 defeat to Columbia Union. Savoy ran the team with poise and made sure players got the ball in perfect scoring position.

   “Even with her injuries, Jada exhibited leadership on and off the court for us this season,” Miles said. “With a young team, some of the injuries may have caused us some problems. Not having a lot of senior leadership also hurt us too.”

   After opening the season with a 2-2 record, the Lady Lions dropped eight of their next 10 games to fall into a 4-10 hole. Lincoln only won consecutive games once this year when it rallied to defeat Keystone and beat Wilmington near the end of the season. Lincoln also struggled when trailing at halftime. The Lady Lions were 1-13 in such games this year. The only time the Lady Lions rallied after trailing at intermission was against Keystone.

    “We lost some close games because the girls didn’t know how to win early in the season,” Miles said. “The girls never quit. We have nowhere to go, but up.”

 

 

 

 

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