FORMER BALTIMORE STARS LEAD RESPECTIVE TEAMS TO POSTSEASON

By Brandon Hopp

March Madness is now in full swing after the NCAA revealed the 2008 NCAA and NIT Tournament brackets last night. Ten former stars from the Baltimore Metro Area will participate with their respective teams for the ultimate prize, the coveted NCAA championship. Two more will take a shot at bringing home the NIT title.

Three of the former standouts from the area once played in at schools in Baltimore City. Junior Whitney Cunningham (Western) will lead Coppin State into the NCAA Tournament. Cunningham started all but one game for the Eagles and averages 10 points and close to 8 rebounds for the west baltimore university.

The Eagles will face #1 seeded Maryland on Sunday in the first round of the Tournament.

Junior forward Krystal Vaughn (Lake Clifton) and freshman Sheree Ledbetter (Southside Academy) will lead their squards, Virginia Commonwealth and St. John’s, to the NIT Tournament.

Vaughn leads the Rams in scoring with 15 points a game and Ledbetter has come off the bench in 19 games this season for the Red Storm.

Keep your eyes peeled to the television because you never know when one of these former Baltimore City players will hit a game-winning shot at the buzzer or lead her team to the title.

LOCAL WOMEN IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT

Maryland – ACC

Marah Strickland (Mt. Airy, Md. Towson Catholic)

Coppin State – MEAC

Whitney Cunningham (Baltimore, Md. Western)

Temple – Big East

LaKeisha Eaddy (Columbia, Md. River Hill)

Kristie Watkins-Day (Millersville, Md. Old Mill)

Dawnnae Roberts (Baltimore, Md. St. Frances)

Notre Dame – Big East

Brittany Mallory (Baltimore, Md. McDonogh)

Syracuse – Big East

Chandrea Jones (Baltimore, Md. Institute of Notre Dame)

Louisville – Big East

Angel McCoughtry (Baltimore, Md. St. Frances)

Robert Morris – NEC