Kenny1oo6
04-26-2005, 11:16 AM
This is a bit old and maybe most of you know of it already. Still I think this girl could be a big factor to next years lady Aggies who's young team looked very promising.
COLLEGE STATION, Texas- For months, Gary Blair maintained the only thing the Aggie Women's Basketball Team was missing was a player taller than the head coach.
Problem solved.
Lenka Zimova , a 6-foot-6 sophomore post from the College of Southern Idaho, has signed a national letter of intent to play women’s basketball at Texas A&M, Blair announced Wednesday.
Zimova, the tallest player ever signed by A&M, is ranked No. 2 nationally among junior college post players by All-Star Girls Report.
A native of Partizanske, Slovakia, Zimova is the highest rated junior college player ever signed by A&M and ranks as the tallest player Blair will coach.
“We just didn’t see her late in the process, we’ve been watching Lenka for two years now at the national junior college tournament in Salina, Kansas,” Blair said. “We saw what our needs were going to be this past fall and Coach (Vic) Schaefer went out and established the rapport with Coach (Randy) Rogers and Lenka.”
Zimova averaged 10.0 points and 4.9 rebounds a game, while blocking a team-high 52 shots as Southern Idaho posted a 34-2 overall record and finished second nationally. The team was ranked No. 1 for two months. Over the last two seasons, Southern Idaho has recorded an impressive 63-9 record.
“More and more in the Big 12, teams have shot blockers and pressure inside that we don’t have,” Blair said. “To complete our team, we needed someone to stop (opponents) from taking advantage of us there.
“Offensively, she has the softest touch I’ve ever seen. You can tell that she has spent a tremendous amount of time working on her shot.”
A consistent shooter from 15 feet away and closer, Zimova connected on 48 percent shooting from the field and 74 percent from the free throw line for Southern Idaho coach Randy Rogers.
“She’s pretty versatile,” Rogers said. “She can play with her back to the basket and she can also face up. I’d call her a typical European player. I think she’s the best I’ve seen personally especially from 15 feet with her ability to use the glass. She’s a shooter, a scorer, and a real good passer.”
Zimova was one of two 6-foot-5 plus posts that averaged double digit scoring for Southern Idaho last season. She earned All-Tournament honors at the Region 18 Tournament.
As a freshman in 2003-04, Zimova averaged 11.5 points and 5.6 rebounds. She blocked a team high 52 shots.
In two seasons, Zimova scored 644 points, grabbed 315 rebounds, and blocked 104 shots.
Rogers said Zimova would only improve her skills playing for Blair and A&M coaching staff.
“I think she has a lot of upside as a low post with her back to the basket and with the staff down there at Texas A&M she can only get better,” Rogers said. “Her upside is just tremendous and the coaches at A&M will bring that out from her.”
Zimova is the second true inside player that Blair has inked this season. She will join true freshman Latoya Micheaux, a 6-foot-3 post, on the team next season.
“Lenka is going to add stability to Latoya Micheaux and help her development,” Blair said. “With someone with size to go against in practice everyday, both of them will only get better. Our best plan is to have a freshman and junior at that position.”
Zimova visited the A&M campus in late March and Blair said she immediately formed friendships with the current players.
“On her visit she fit in with our team immediately,” Blair said. “She’s so easy going and developed friendships with our kids. She has called or emailed every day since then with our players. I credit her coach for doing such a tremendous job of selling the Big 12 to her, too.”
Zimova’s coach described the Southern Idaho community’s admiration for her.
“Off the court, she is loved by everyone,” Rogers said. “The young kids around here looked up to her. She would spend her time in the community at elementary schools reading to kids. She loves doing that. For her, education is first and basketball second, that’s why she’s over here. We used her for both and now Texas A&M will too.”
A&M reached the quarterfinals of the postseason WNIT after its most successful season since 1996.
http://www.kbtx.com/sports/headlines/1469562
COLLEGE STATION, Texas- For months, Gary Blair maintained the only thing the Aggie Women's Basketball Team was missing was a player taller than the head coach.
Problem solved.
Lenka Zimova , a 6-foot-6 sophomore post from the College of Southern Idaho, has signed a national letter of intent to play women’s basketball at Texas A&M, Blair announced Wednesday.
Zimova, the tallest player ever signed by A&M, is ranked No. 2 nationally among junior college post players by All-Star Girls Report.
A native of Partizanske, Slovakia, Zimova is the highest rated junior college player ever signed by A&M and ranks as the tallest player Blair will coach.
“We just didn’t see her late in the process, we’ve been watching Lenka for two years now at the national junior college tournament in Salina, Kansas,” Blair said. “We saw what our needs were going to be this past fall and Coach (Vic) Schaefer went out and established the rapport with Coach (Randy) Rogers and Lenka.”
Zimova averaged 10.0 points and 4.9 rebounds a game, while blocking a team-high 52 shots as Southern Idaho posted a 34-2 overall record and finished second nationally. The team was ranked No. 1 for two months. Over the last two seasons, Southern Idaho has recorded an impressive 63-9 record.
“More and more in the Big 12, teams have shot blockers and pressure inside that we don’t have,” Blair said. “To complete our team, we needed someone to stop (opponents) from taking advantage of us there.
“Offensively, she has the softest touch I’ve ever seen. You can tell that she has spent a tremendous amount of time working on her shot.”
A consistent shooter from 15 feet away and closer, Zimova connected on 48 percent shooting from the field and 74 percent from the free throw line for Southern Idaho coach Randy Rogers.
“She’s pretty versatile,” Rogers said. “She can play with her back to the basket and she can also face up. I’d call her a typical European player. I think she’s the best I’ve seen personally especially from 15 feet with her ability to use the glass. She’s a shooter, a scorer, and a real good passer.”
Zimova was one of two 6-foot-5 plus posts that averaged double digit scoring for Southern Idaho last season. She earned All-Tournament honors at the Region 18 Tournament.
As a freshman in 2003-04, Zimova averaged 11.5 points and 5.6 rebounds. She blocked a team high 52 shots.
In two seasons, Zimova scored 644 points, grabbed 315 rebounds, and blocked 104 shots.
Rogers said Zimova would only improve her skills playing for Blair and A&M coaching staff.
“I think she has a lot of upside as a low post with her back to the basket and with the staff down there at Texas A&M she can only get better,” Rogers said. “Her upside is just tremendous and the coaches at A&M will bring that out from her.”
Zimova is the second true inside player that Blair has inked this season. She will join true freshman Latoya Micheaux, a 6-foot-3 post, on the team next season.
“Lenka is going to add stability to Latoya Micheaux and help her development,” Blair said. “With someone with size to go against in practice everyday, both of them will only get better. Our best plan is to have a freshman and junior at that position.”
Zimova visited the A&M campus in late March and Blair said she immediately formed friendships with the current players.
“On her visit she fit in with our team immediately,” Blair said. “She’s so easy going and developed friendships with our kids. She has called or emailed every day since then with our players. I credit her coach for doing such a tremendous job of selling the Big 12 to her, too.”
Zimova’s coach described the Southern Idaho community’s admiration for her.
“Off the court, she is loved by everyone,” Rogers said. “The young kids around here looked up to her. She would spend her time in the community at elementary schools reading to kids. She loves doing that. For her, education is first and basketball second, that’s why she’s over here. We used her for both and now Texas A&M will too.”
A&M reached the quarterfinals of the postseason WNIT after its most successful season since 1996.
http://www.kbtx.com/sports/headlines/1469562