There is a saying that is associated with the city of New Orleans. “Laissez les bons temps rouler!” That’s French for “Let the good times roll!”
For the St. Louis Surge women’s semi-pro basketball franchise this weekend, they hope that good times in the Crescent City are highlighted by a championship trophy hoist at the Women’s Blue Chip Basketball League (WBCBL) national tournament.
Photo Credit: St. Louis Surge
The Surge (11-1) battles the Virginia Lady Stallions (7-3) in the quarterfinal round at noon Saturday at Landrey Walker High School. The eight-team, single-elimination tourney holds its semifinal games later that afternoon and its championship game on Sunday.
St. Louis secured its trip to “The Big Easy” after winning the WBCBL Mid-West Division tournament this past weekend at UMSL’s Mark Twain Building. After besting the Illinois Shooting Stars in the semifinals, the Surge toppled Kansas, 104-76, in the title game.
Staying in step with the play that has defined the team this season, the Surge utilized a second-half explosion to pick up the tourney victory Saturday. Up 48-45 at intermission, St. Louis outscored Kansas, 36-12, in the third quarter en route to the 28-point win.
Five Surge players scored double-digits in the contest, paced by Jaleesa Butler’s 26 points, followed by Leah Kassing’s 17.
Photo Credit: St. Louis Surge
As a whole, numerous Surge weapons were displayed Saturday night. Rebecca Harris and Lucy Cramsey added 16 points apiece with their hard-charging play while Katie Yohn added 14 with clutch three-point shooting. Amber Dvorak, Gabriella Green and a host of others were able to bank points while keeping Kansas at bay defensively.
The team was also solid from the charity stripe, converting 21-24 shots (87.5%) from the free-throw line, which included 16 made in a row.
Long story short, every player on the Surge roster contributed in the Mid-West Division title win. They’ll collectively have to play with that same team unity and intensity this weekend in “Nawlins.”
Saturday’s quarterfinal opponent, the Virginia Lady Stallions, earned its trip to the national tournament by netting an 83-81 overtime victory over Fayetteville Lady Rush in the WBCBL Carolinas Division title game two weekends ago.
Tied 72-72 at the end of regulation, Virginia outscored the top seed, 11-9, in the extra frame to pick up the upset special.
Six-foot forward Crystal Clary (Lenoir-Rhyne University) scored 20 points in the Lady Stallions’ win. She’ll be joined in the line-up by guard Bonae Holston (5’ 11”, North Carolina State) and forward Kymesha Alston (6’, Radford University), who each contributed 11 points in the tourney finale. Tekita Butler (6’ 1”, Liberty University) and LaShantel Wilson (5’ 9”, Old Dominion) are also projected to start.
Much like St. Louis, Virginia likes to work with a deep bench. In its title tilt with Fayetteville, all twelve players on the Lady Stallions’ roster logged over 20 minutes respectively and each recorded points in the scoring ledger.
It’s a pretty comparable foe that the Surge faces Saturday in the quarterfinals. A win is not guaranteed, but St. Louis has proven many times this season that it plays at its collective best when facing adversity.
Three wins in the Bayou this weekend will give the locals its first-ever WBCBL Championship. Electricity with frequency is the missive and high-voltage is the projected output.
A look at the other six teams competing at this Saturday’s tournament, listed alphabetically:
Auburn Flyers (14-0) – The defending WBCBL National Champions have never lost a game in its two year existence (29-0 overall) and are primed to keep that streak intact in New Orleans. Two weekends ago, the Alabama-based hoopsters topped Georgia-Lina in the South Division final. Last year’s WBCBL National Tourney MVP Whitney Houston (5’ 6”, UTEP) leads a lethal threat of double-digit scorers. On paper, this is arguably the team to beat this weekend.
Cleveland Crush (6-1) – Winners of the WBCBL North East, Cleveland topped Chicago-based Illinois Starlights to reach the tourney and currently sports a three-game winning streak. Forward Jihan Williams (6’, Charleston) returned to the Crush this season after a two-year sabbatical and paced the team with an average of 17 points and 10 rebounds per game.
Dade County Bulls (8-0) – Winners of the Suncoast Division with a 19-point win over the Florida Nighthawks in the finals. In three of its eight wins in 2014, the team has eclipsed triple-digits in the scoring column. Point guard Cherelle George (5’5”, Purdue) leads the team in offense (15.7 PPG), while 6-foot forward Arlande Cherizol (North Florida) is tops in rebounding (10 RPG).
Dallas Lady Diesel (9-1) – The Texans won the Mid-South Division with a “palindromic” win over Shreveport (74-47) two weekends ago. Guard Chantoya Hawkins (5’ 5”, Oklahoma State) averaged over 24 points per game during the regular season. 6-foot forward Jill Duffey (Texas A&M-Corpus Christi) brings size to the talented line-up.
Fayetteville Lady Rush (9-3) – Lone team that finished runner-up in a division tournament to make the field of eight. Overtime two-point setback to lower-seeded Virginia in the WBCBL Carolinas final stung a bit, but a tourney turnaround is on the docket this weekend. Guard Loreal Price (5’ 9”, Fayetteville State) tops scoring with over 20 points per contest. Its roster is tight with only ten players deep. Quarterfinal draw against undefeated Auburn will be a tough challenge.
Louisiana Bayou Angels (8-1) – 2012 WBCBL National Champions, the Bayou Angels have won the WBCBL Gulf South Division the past four seasons, including a 102-65 win over Mississippi Storm in this year’s playoff finale. Winners of five straight en route to New Orleans. Guard Hannah Kador (5’ 9”, Southern University) and forward Lori Nero (6’2”, Louisville) is projected to lead the charge.
WBCBL NATIONAL TOURNAMENT
SATURDAY, AUGUST 2 (All times Central)
QUARTERFINALS
10 AM – Louisiana vs. Dallas
10 AM – Cleveland vs. Dade County
12 PM – Fayetteville vs. Auburn
12 PM – Virginia vs. St. Louis Surge
SEMIFINALS
4 PM – Louisiana/Dallas winner vs. Fayetteville/Auburn winner
4 PM – Cleveland/Dade County winner vs. Virginia/St. Louis winner
SUNDAY, AUGUST 3
12 PM – WBCBL Championship Game
For more information on the St. Louis Surge, go to stlsurgebasketball.com.
By trade, he is a six-time, regional Emmy Award-winning news videographer/editor for KTVI/KPLR-TV. By hobby, he is a writer for Arch City Media, dating back to February 2014. Emphasis is on featuring and promoting local women's sports, but will cover anything that is not reported by traditional media outlets. Also a contributor to local concert reviews.
