Stock Up, Stock Down [Part 1]

The last word is close to being spoken. The fat lady is tuning up for her final performance. For college basketball fans, the season that has gone by so abruptly will soon come to an end. And for seniors in division one basketball, their shot of impressing scouts of WNBA teams has passed. Let's see who really impressed us this season, and who buckled under pressure.

STOCK UP


Charel Allen - NCAA Numbers: 22 ppg, 8 rpg.
This guard from Notre Dame has truly been a leader in all meaning of the word. Despite being young, Notre Dame had an excellent season. For that, they can thank Allen. All season long, Allen made clutch shots needed to keep her team in it. In the NCAA tournament, she was one of the brighter stories, including her 35 point effort against Oklahoma. The shooting guard is a pretty stocked position in the WNBA, but I like Allen's chances to give a couple of vets a run for their money.

LaToya Pringle - NCAA Numbers: 19 ppg, 9 rpg.
Without LaToya Pringle, North Carolina might've watched the New Orleans Regional Championship in Chapel Hill. All season, while she has put up big numbers, Pringle has been a bit under the radar. She didn't come into this program with what she's leaving it with. Sure, she was always a great defender, but her ability to board and score the basketball have wowed scouts. A year ago, no one had Pringle in the first round. This year, some have her going very early.

Erica White - NCAA Numbers: 12 ppg, 6 rpg, 4 apg
I don't know where the old Erica White went, but I think I like this one better. Early in the season, Van Chancellor told White that to become a solid collegiate player and to garner attention from pro scouts, she'd have to improve her offensive game. Well, she did. Against Oklahoma State in the regional semifinals, she actually led her team in scoring (18). Not only that, but after getting into scuffle with a OSU player, she didn't let it bother her. She's shown that she's mentally tough and she's also shown that she's not a liability on offense.

Candice Wiggins - NCAA Numbers: 28 ppg, 6 rpg, 5 apg
If Candice's post game interview didn't do the trick, her play sure has. America has fallen in love with this spunky guard from Palo Alto. For years, Stanford seemed to be snake bitten. For two years, they got out in the elite eight. And of course last year's collapse in Maples against FSU is a memory. But for Wiggins, she doesn't care. This year, she carried her team on her back offensivelly. No one took over the tournament like Candice. She's got us all saying Ice, Ice baby!

Ketia Swanier - NCAA Numbers: 8 ppg, 5 apg
Swanier's numbers may not look huge, but her on court play is beautiful to watch. Swanier can run and push tempo and still remain under control. Late in this tournament, she's proven that she can put up some points, too. She's the floor general of the top team in the nation who has only one loss. That should tell you something about Ketia and her leadership skills.