Stevens Stays Close

By Glenn Nelson
HoopGurlz Publisher
Posted Wed, 10/24/2007 - 07:17 The No. 52 prospect in the 2008 class offers a boost for a rebuilding program in the Big East.

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STORY & PHOTOS BY GLENN NELSON

One of the country's most underrated prospects, silky, hyper-active Da'Shena Stevens is a major catch for a Big East program that is rebuilding after a down season.

Stevens, ranked 52nd in the HoopGurlz Hundred for the 2008 class, verbaled to St. John's coach Kim Barnes Arico on Wednesday morning.

At 6 feet 1, Stevens has spent much of her high-school career at forward or post, but has a game suited for the wing on the next level. She is slinky and explosive inside, a player who always seems to find a way to attack the rim, whether off the dribble, loose balls or offensive rebounds. Her quickness, length and agility grants her the ability to defend wings, some guards and forwards, and her ballhandling and passing make her a candidate for the perimeter, granted she continues to improve a jump shot sometimes good to mid-range.

Stevens has had a distinguished high-school career at Trinity Catholic, averaging eye-popping numbers - 22.1 points, 15.4 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 3.2 steals - as a junior and making all-state teams for three straight seasons.

The Stamford, Conn., resident helped the New York Gauchos claim the Silver championship at Nike Nationals this past summer. Two of her Gauchos teammates, Keisha Hampton and Markel Walker, both from the Philadelphia area, have similar games and already have made commitments to Division I schools as well. Hampton, ranked 60th in the 2008 class, has committed to DePaul, while Walker, No. 7 overall in the HoopGurlz Super Sixty for 2009, has pledged to Pitt.

St. John's finished 8-20 last year, after two straight 20-win seasons.

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Glenn Nelson is the founder and publisher of HoopGurlz.com. He is a member of the McDonald's All-American Selection Committee and SportsShooter.com (Click for Porfolio), Asian American Journalists Association, National Association of Photoshop Professionals, National Press Photographers Association and Online News Association. Glenn also founded and coached the Dragons and Northwest HoopGurlz select girl's basketball teams and previously was the editor-in-chief at Scout.com and a longtime, national-award-winning basketball columnist and writer for The Seattle Times. His work has appeared in several books and national magazines. He is co-author of "Rising Stars: The Ten Best Players in the NBA" (Rosen Publishing, 2002). For more on Glenn's World, click here. Glenn can be reached at glenn@hoopgurlz.com.

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