Norfolk State is primed for its best season in decades. Read about it here and check out the series: W&M, ODU, Liberty, JMU, Virginia, George Mason, VCU, Richmond, Virginia Tech and Radford. Norfolk State. Hampton coming later today!
Goings
Treasure Doberson: the 5-5 freshman, a redshirt from Virginia Union her first season who played sparingly is no longer on the roster
Kieera Basey: the senior, who played in 28 games and started five times, averaging 1.7 ppg, 1.2 rpg, graduated
Tyona Moses: the 5-11 guard, who played in three games prior to being sidelined with an injury, is no longer on the roster
Dominique Harper: the 5-5 guard, who played in 30 games and started 16, averaging 9.8 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.5 assists, graduated
Khalilah Ali: the 6-0 forward who spent one year at NSU after transferring from Longwood, played in all 30 games, the only Spartan to start every game; averaged 5.6 ppg, 6.0 rpg and 1.5 bpg; she has graduated
Nia Roberts: played in 11 games last season then missed the rest of the season due to medical issues has graduated
Kiara Phillips: The Australian, who spent her final two years at NSU, starting 26 games and averaging 7.8 ppg, 3.3 rpg 2.2 apg, graduated
Tamoria Holmes: the former assistant to coach Larry Vickers is now an assistant at Howard
Comings
Zaira West: 5-4 freshman guard helped Millbrook (N.C.) to the 4A North Carolina High School Athletic Association state championship in 2015-16
Raven Russell: 5-10 guard joins NSU from Shelton State, which finished 34-3, third nationally; averaged 10.3 ppg on .556 shooting; shot .481 from 3; spent her freshman year at Alabama State where she played in seven games.
Kendra Dawkins: 6-1 redshirt sophomore forward also from Shelton State; spent her freshman year at Central Arkansas
Armanai Franklin: 5-5 guard from Hampton High where she spent her senior season, earned first-team All-PenSouth Conference and Daily Press All-Star honors as a senior; spent first three years of her high school career at Williamsburg Christian
Alexis Sparkman: 5-10 guard/forward spent her first two years at Palm Beach State; averaged 9.1 ppg shooting 53.8 percent from the field and 42.6 percent from three-point range last year
Khadedra Croker: 6-3 forward/center is a Kings Fork High grad and transfer from Virginia Tech who is eligible this season; ranked the No. 20 forward out of high school by ESPN HoopGurlz
Felicia Jackson: 5-5 guard from Pensacola State will sit out the 2017-18 season
Morra Gill: assistant to Vickers; comes to NSU from LaSalle; played at Dillard University
We expect these Spartans to contend for a MEAC crown after going 15-15 a year ago. NSU last posted a winning record in 2001-02. Time for a change? We think so. So do the coaches, too, as the Spartans were picked to finish fourth in the league.
The list of hellos and goodbyes is a long one, and unfortunately, the NSU backcourt has taken a hit. Jordan Strode, third-team All-MEAC and second on the team in scoring last season, will miss the year due to a concussion.
Also, Gabrielle Swinson is no longer on the roster after a suspension. The senior guard, who started 14 games last season, averaged 10 ppg and 4.3 rpg and 4.3 apg while shooting a team-best .497. She could redshirt the year but could possibly play second semester. Stay tuned.
Minus that pair, ballhandling is a concern, especially when the Spartans are in the early stages of developing chemistry. De’Janaire Deas, Alexys Long and Shayla Tanner will be key in distributing. All got time last year, but will be need to do more if these Spartans are to contend in the MEAC. Long, a biology/pre-med major, missed part of the preseason due to an internship that took her to both Rice and Stanford for a final presentation.
“It was the best thing that ever happened to her,” Vickers said, noting she’s hungrier and focused on improving from last season when she averaged 5.6 points.
Leading scorer Kayla Roberts returns for ideally what will be her best season. The first-team all-league selection has won a heap of individual honors. She actually considered transferring but decided to finish her career with NSU, and the Spartans will be better for it. While this team improved last season, she would like to go out with a splash.
She’ll also be helped by an improved perimeter game from the Spartans thanks to an influx of sharpshooters and another big in Croker.
“She’ll start from day one,” said Vickers, noting the Hokies transfer had double-doubles in both Spartan scrimmages.
NSU shot 26.7 percent from beyond the arc last year — putting them near the bottom of the NCAA. Vickers’ recruiting class addressed that. Alexis Sparkman shot .426 from 3 last season at Palm Beach State; Russell was even stronger at Shelton State and of course, Long shoots .345. JUCO transfer Dawkins is also capable. Let’s hope the Spartans rain 3s. outside. Vickers is already dubbing Sparkman ‘Melo.
NSU opens against the youngest team in the state, VCU, on Sunday. Let’s get it started!