April 8, 2011
2011 LSWA All-State Team
RUSTON - Louisiana Tech forward Adrienne Johnson was rewarded for her stellar senior season Friday when she was named the Louisiana Sports Writers Association Women's Basketball State Player of the Year by a vote of state sports information directors and media members.
Senior guard Tarkeisha Wysinger-Mackey earned second team all-state honors while junior guard Jasmine Bendolph earned honorable mention accolades.
Johnson received 37 of the 42 votes for the award as she easily outdistanced her competitors after leading Louisiana Tech to a 24-8 record, the Western Athletic Conference regular season title and the program's 27th NCAA Tournament appearance.
The Franklin, La. native averaged 21.9 points and 9.4 rebounds while shooting 51 percent from the field, 39 percent from the three-point line and 84 percent from the free throw line. She scored in double figures in 31 of 32 games while eclipsing the 20-point plateau 21 times.
Johnson received numerous honors during the year, including earning the WAC Player of the Year award, a spot on the Wade Trophy Watch List and numerous honorable mention All-America honors. She was a five-team WAC Player of the Week recipient and was also voted to the WAC All-Defensive Team for the third straight year.
Johnson was joined on the LSWA first team by McNeese State guard Ashlyn Baggett (16.7 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 2.3 apg, 1.5 spg), LSU forward LoSondra Barrett (12.2 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 2.6 apg), Louisiana College forward Tillisha Givens (16.0 ppg, 10.6 rpg) and Tulane guard Danielle Nunn (15.5 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 2.0 apg, 1.4 spg).
Wysinger-Mackey earned her spot on the state's second team after averaging 11.4 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.9 steals while shooting 42 percent from the field, 31 percent from the three-point line and 57 percent from the free throw line.
She ranked second on the Tech team in scoring, steals, assists and rebounds while recording 15 double digit scoring games. She played 40 or more minutes 10 times during the season, including a program single game record of 51 in a triple overtime win over Fresno State.
The Many native saved some of her best performances for the biggest games as she averaged 12.0 points, 7.6 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.1 steals in seven contests against NCAA Tournament teams.
Wysinger-Mackey was joined on the second team by Loyola's Keiva Council (16.9 ppg, 6.0 rpg), UL-Lafayette's Mercedes Johnson (14.4 ppg, 6.2 rpg), LSU's Adrienne Webb (12.8 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 73 3s) and Nicholls State's Ricshanda Bickham (13.9 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 3.9 apg).
The third team consisted of Tulane guard Tiffany Aido (12.8 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 84 3s), Southern guard Hannah Kador (13.1 ppg, 5.3 rpg), Grambling State forward Secrett Anderson (10.7 ppg, 7.0 rpg), Xavier forward Christina Warren (11.8 ppg, 3.7 rpg) and Babin (12.9 ppg, 3.2 rpg).
Bendolph joined six other state players on the honorable mention list after averaging 8.2 points, 4.4 assists, 3.6 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game. She shot 34 percent from the field, a team-high 85 percent from the free throw line and ranked second on the team with 25 three-pointers.
The Mobile, Alabama native registered 13 double digit scoring games, including a season-high 21 points in a win over Fresno State. She scored 15 points and dished out a career-high 13 assists against Nevada while adding 17 points in a victory over in-state foe Tulane.
Bendolph also earned second team all-WAC honors this year.
Other specialty awards included Northwestern State's Jordi James earning Newcomer of the Year, Nicholls State's KK Babin earning Freshman of the Year and McNeese State's Brooks Donald-Williams receiving Coach of the Year.
