Coupeville’s Makana Stone continues to tear up the British hardwood. (Photo property Loughborough University)
It’s an honor just to be nominated.
Or so says everyone as they wait with bated breath, hoping to be a winner.
Coupeville basketball fans have a stake in England’s Women’s National Basketball League awards season, which begins May 24.
That’s because Wolf grad Makana Stone is a nominee for Player of the Year, Team of the Year, and Defensive Player of the Year.
The Loughborough University whirlwind has the third-best adjusted efficiency rating (43.9) of the 26 players up for Player of the Year.
She trails just Gonzaga signee Esther Little (55.5) and Harriet Welham (46.7), both of league champ Ipswich.
The top five vote getters in Player of the Year balloting will make up the WNBL Team of the Year.
Stone is also up for Defensive Player of the Year, one of 16 nominees in that category.
The former Wolf is also ranked #3 in that field, with her blocked shots plus steals (4.4 per game) trailing just Reading’s Sitota Gines Espinosa (5.9) and Little (5.6).
Loughbrough, which is 12-5 on the season, 12-3 with Stone in the lineup, faces off with Reading Saturday in the WNBL quarterfinals.
Other awards, none of which Stone is eligible for, include the British Team of the Year, the Young (U19) Player of the Year, Coach of the Year, and Best Streaming.
The daughter of Josh and Eileen Stone, and lil’ sister of Andre, Makana is a graduate of Whitman College, where she put together one of the best runs in the school’s distinguished history of women’s basketball.
Heading into the playoffs, she has 240 points, 215 rebounds, 32 assists, 54 steals, and eight blocks in a Loughborough uniform.
Wow, wow, wow Makana! You are amazing!