Top Girls Just Wanna Have Fun National Players Of The Year Love Game, Put Aside Pressures

Her game is as smooth as her southern accent and as pleasing to the eye as the voice is to the ear.

The game, quite simply, is about as good as anything you’re going to see in Spokane.

The game belongs to Shea Ralph, a versatile 6-footer who bangs with the biggies and runs with the guards for the North Carolina Mercury Athletic Club.

She is participating in the AAU Nationals 18U and 16U Girls Basketball Championships in Spokane, before she heads off for the University of Connecticut.

Mark it down: Tonight, 6:30, East Valley High School, North Carolina vs. Tennessee Stars. It’s worth the price of admission.

Of course, that means you’ll have to wait until Monday at 2:30 at Cheney High School to see Kiesha Brown, the superb point guard for the Georgia Trojans.

Brown, a 5-6 magician, is ticketed for the University of Georgia to replace Saudia Roundtree, who graduated after leading the Bulldogs to the NCAA championship game. Brown plays at 6:30 tonight at Mountain View Middle School against a Michigan team.

(The schools are close enough in proximity to see a half of each game.)

Both seeded teams - NC is No. 4, Georgia is No. 7 - won their opening pool games Saturday morning in the 18U tournament and each has a good shot at reaching the double-elimination tournament that begins Tuesday.

Ralph and Brown are two of the many stars participating in the two eight-day tournaments. Their stars just burn a little brighter. Brown was the Naismith player of the year; USA Today went with Ralph.

“There’s a little pressure, but it’s fun pressure to be National player of the year,” Ralph said. “I think it’s really great. I’m proud to have something like that, but I don’t judge myself. I don’t worry about what other people say. I just love to play basketball.”

Ralph put up the numbers to be everybody’s All-American her senior year in Fayatteville, N.C. She averaged 37 points, 10 rebounds, nine steals and eight assists per game for a 29-2 team that finished second in the state’s largest classification.

During her career, she set 22 state records, including points (61) and assists (18) in a game.

The experience of playing in six national tournaments encouraged her to travel, though Connecticut was a little farther than she planned.

“I wasn’t planning to go too far out of state, even though I wanted to leave,” she said. “I just wanted a change. I’ve been in North Carolina all my life. Connecticut was a perfect fit. I loved it.”

Her junior year, she established a state record of 1,135 points, and everyone came calling - and calling and calling.

“Sign early, definitely,” is her advice to young players. “You don’t want to go through your senior year talking on the phone 24 hours a day.

“I would tell them to make sure and look past all the fronts of the coaches telling them what they want to hear. Look at every aspect of the school. Look at the people you’re behind - you could be on the bench for three years.”

Brown sounded very much like Ralph.

“One of the best things is, don’t let the pressure get to you,” Brown said of the recruiting process. “Wherever you go or whatever you decide to do, do it for yourself. … You have to live with the decision for four years. Be honest with yourself.”

Brown also wanted to get out of Georgia, but the Bulldogs’ Final Four team was too alluring.

“The only strike against Georgia is the distance,” the Atlanta native said, “but all the good overcame that. It will work in my favor as the years go on.”

Brown was two-time Georgia Miss Basketball while guiding Woodward Academy to two undefeated state championships.

“I’m blessed to get everything I’ve received, but when I go out on the court, I’m just a player,” she said. “Maybe I have a few more moves, but I’m out there to play basketball and have fun. Sometimes I feel (pressured), but I’ve talked to people who told me, ‘You don’t have to prove yourself. You’ve already proven yourself. Just play.”’

Looking ahead

The 15U and 14U tournaments are in Nashville, Tenn., July 19-27 and 161 teams have entered. Next year’s 18U and 16U gathering is in Chattanooga, Tenn., June 27-July 5. , DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Photo

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: STARS RESULTS, SCHEDULE U-18/Saturday’s games Stars 80, Iowa Lady Gators 60 Indiana 80, Stars Too 73 Today’s games Stars vs. Michigan, University HS, 8:30 p.m. Stars Too vs. New England, E. Valley HS, 4:30 U16/Saturday’s games Stars 95, Dallas No Fear 61 Stars 97, Iowa Hawks 67 Philadelphia Runnin’ Rebels 76, Stars Too 71 Today’s games Stars vs. Oklahoma at Lake City HS, 2:30 p.m. Stars Too vs. Pacific North Coast at East Valley Middle School No. 1, 8:30 p.m.