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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 18, 1995)
bOOl 8 I. i X V wJ V i—X X k—J V ^ * ixvjJLtvjLx^u anxL** Ul Spinks adds brawn to AScM’s KO puncb □ JUCO transfer has found a home in Lady Aggie post. By Kristina Buffin The Battalion After losing senior center Nikki Littles last season, the Texas A&M women’s basketball team hoped to fill the void left at the post position by recruiting a similarly styled player to produce at that position. This season, the Lady Aggies responded to the sit uation by recruiting one of the top ju nior college recruit in Texas, junior center Angel Spinks. Although Spinks did not begin playing basketball until she was twelve, she has gained both experi ence and success in high school and at Howard College before transfer ring to play with the Lady Aggies. While playing for Clear Creek High School, Spinks was named to the Texas all-state second team as a senior and was a 4A-5A North all- star team pick. After high school, Spinks opted to go to Howard College before playing for a Division I-A school. “I’m glad that I went to JUCO (ju nior college),” Spinks said. “It was a different level than high school, I was able to experience something differ ent. I’m still trying to become a Divi sion I player.” As a freshman at Howard College, Spinks averaged 13.7 points and 10 rebounds per game. She posted a 66.5 field goal percentage, a Western Junior College Athletic Conference all-time season record. Spinks started all 37 games as a sophomore. While leading her team to a 33-4 record and a first place fin ish in the WJCAC, she averaged 16.3 points, 9.7 rebounds, 2.3 steals and 2.0 blocks. She also led the confer ence with a 38.3 three-point field goal percentage. “I want to be able to go in and give it all I can,” Spinks said. “Whether I score or play individual defense well is irrelevant.” Spinks has become the “sixth woman” for the Lady Aggies this sea son, playing in all of A&M’s games without starting. She has been able to fill the post position void left by Littles and even expand upon that role. “My play is kind of similar to Nik ki’s,” Spinks s^id. “But I can fill more spots inside or outside. Other teams don’t expect a post player to shoot the three, and (that has) let us open up other shots.” Spinks’ versatility has enabled her to average 10.2 points and 4.7 re bounds per game, which are third and fourth on the team respectively. Spinks is shooting 52.6 percent from the floor and 37.5 percent from be hind the three-point arc. “Angel gives us good depth at the post po sition, and we are much more consistent there now,” head coach Candi Harvey said. “She has been able to feed her game effort into practice ef fort. When she comes in, she has the ability to take over a game.' “She has the potential to be one of the better post players in the SWC.” Spinks' efforts led her to score a career-high 20 points in the Lady Ag gies’ first game against Lamar Uni versity. She has led the team in scor ing twice and in rebounds twice. She was also named to the Holiday InryDomino’s Pizza Lady Aggie Invi tational All-tournament team. As for her plans after college, Spinks, a biomedical sciences major, hopes to become a pharmacist. As for basketball, Spinks said, “When it’s over, it’ll be over.” Spinks is confident about the rest of the season for the Lady Aggies. She believes that there is only more success ahead for the team. “It is all mental, we need to be more confident,” Spinks said. “The team is full of talent. We are good at home, we need to take that home at mosphere on the road.” "I want to be able to go in and give it all I can. Whether I score or play indi vidual defense well is irrelevant." - Angel Spinks m Lady Aggies 100-Point Games Date Opponent Score January 8,1983 Rice 105-81 December 17,1984 St. Mary's (4 OT) 101 -95 November 30, 1987 Pan American 110-50 December 8,1988 Pan American 100-39 December 5,1990 Oklahoma 101 -80 February 26,1994 SMU 103-85 Stew Milne/T'HE Battalion Angel Spinks #50 moves inside to receive a pass during the game against the UT Lady Longhorns last Saturday. • Lady Aggies’ Top 12 • BIGGEST WINS IN HISTORY Margin Date Team Score 83 January 21,1975 Rice 99-16 61 December 8,1988 Pan American 100-39 60 November 30, 1987 Pan American 110-50 58 January 5,1978 Friends University 97-39 53 January 22, 1980 Sam Houston State 94-41 48 January 10,1990 SMU 93-45 47 January 14,1989 Baylor 94-47 47 January 8,1993 Oral Roberts 96-49 46 February 14,1975 SMU 70-24 46 November 30,1978 Wharton Junior College 88-42 44 November 18,1978 Texas A&l 81-37 44 December 6,1991 Chicago State 82-38