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Archive for the ‘Basketball’ Category

Stone collects all the honors (all of them!)

Posted in Basketball, tagged , , , , on March 19, 2021| Leave a Comment »

Makana Stone tears up the hardwood in England. (Photo property Loughborough University)

She’s been a Player of the Week before, but now she’s taking it a step further.

Coupeville grad Makana Stone was one of three athletes recently hailed by Loughborough University in England, named as the school’s Players of the Month.

The former Wolf joins tennis ace Otto Sterner and hockey player Guy Sheldon in being honored by the Loughborough Students’ Athletic Union.

The trio were hailed for having “gone above and beyond and continued to support their teammates, participated in various lockdown challenges and kept themselves active.”

During her time in Europe, Stone has been a steady presence on the basketball court, helping lead the Riders to a 9-1 record in games in which she has suited up.

A three-time pick as National Basketball League Player of the Week, she sits with 168 points, 155 rebounds, 24 assists, 34 steals, and five blocks on the season.

Stone is second in the league in rebounding (15.5 a game), third in efficiency (279.0), fourth in scoring (16.8) and steals (3.4), and ninth in free throw percentage (75.7%).

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Limited minutes, unlimited impact

Posted in Basketball, tagged , , , , on March 16, 2021| Leave a Comment »

Another week, another honor for Coupeville’s Makana Stone.

Like clockwork.

Every week, FocusHoops selects five female players from the National Basketball League in England and honors them for their on-court achievements.

Coupeville’s Makana Stone has been a regular presence on the weekly team — even being tabbed Player of the Week three times — and this time around, she’s right back in her comfort zone.

Despite playing just 22 minutes Saturday, thanks to Loughborough University annihilating winless BA London 76-42, the former Wolf managed to put up some nice stats on the hardwood.

While Stone normally stays on the floor for close to the full 40 minutes, with the Riders up 44 points at one point, coach Quintero Cano seized the opportunity to give his bench substantial playing time.

Coupeville’s progeny used her time well, however, dropping in 12 points, snatching a game-high eight rebounds, dishing out four assists, and making off with three steals.

Stone hit on 85% of her shots in the paint.

On the season, Loughborough is 9-3 overall, 9-1 with the former Cow Town resident anchoring its lineup.

Through her 10 games, Stone sits with 168 points, 155 rebounds, 24 assists, 34 steals, and five blocks.

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It’s a Stone-cold massacre

Posted in Basketball, tagged , , , , on March 13, 2021| Leave a Comment »

Coupeville’s Makana Stone collected 12 points and eight rebounds in limited minutes Saturday, as she and her team rolled to a big win. (Photo property Loughborough University)

She came. She saw. She conquered. She sat.

Coupeville’s Makana Stone dominated play in the first half Saturday, then she and her fellow Loughborough University basketball starters watched their backups do the same down the stretch during a 76-42 rout of winless BA London.

The Riders did just about everything right, scoring inside and outside at will, eventually building a 44-point lead before the visitors shaved a few points off at the end.

With the win, Loughborough, second in the National Basketball League standings, improves to 9-3 overall, 9-1 with Stone in the lineup.

Limited to just 22 minutes of action when she normally plays 38-39 a game, the former Wolf saw her double-double streak end at nine games.

Still, Stone’s 12 points was one off the game-high, her eight rebounds was a game-high, and she added four assists and three steals before being prematurely plucked from the game.

BA London could do little to stop Coupeville’s progeny, as she slapped home eight points in the first quarter, nearly equaling her foes as Loughborough bolted out to a 21-9 lead.

Stone’s buckets came on a variety of moves, highlighting all the weapons in her arsenal.

She banked home a bucket, put an offensive rebound back up and in, knocked down a breakaway layup, then split a pair of defenders, slicing to the hoop and tossing the ball high off the glass.

Stone capped a super-efficient 6-8 shooting performance with a pair of quick baskets in the second quarter.

After that, she spent the rest of her time on the floor making John Stockton-style passes and scaring any BA London player foolhardy enough to momentarily think about invading the paint.

Loughborough, which is now off until April 10, had an incredibly well-balanced stat ledger.

Robyn Ainge tossed in 13 points, Stone and Erin Hikin added 12 apiece, and 11 Riders made it into the scoring column, with six notching eight points or more.

Through 10 games, Stone sits with 168 points, 155 rebounds, 24 assists, 34 steals, and five blocks.

 

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One more time, with feeling

Posted in Basketball, tagged , , , , on March 9, 2021| Leave a Comment »

Makana Stone drills a jumper during warm-ups. (Photo property Loughborough University)

This one was a slam dunk.

Coming off of her most-dominating performance in England, Coupeville grad Makana Stone was tabbed Tuesday as the National Basketball League Player of the Week.

It’s the third time this season she’s received the honor.

The former Wolf was lights-out Saturday, when she went off for 20 points, 26 rebounds, six steals, four blocked shots, and three assists as she helped Loughborough University top Worcester 73-64.

That victory avenged an earlier-season loss to the same team in a game in which Stone and a fellow starter were fouled out right before overtime started.

Coupeville’s progeny has amassed a double-double in every game she’s played overseas, a big reason why Loughborough is 8-3 overall, 8-1 with Stone in the lineup.

On the season, the American assassin has racked up 156 points, 147 rebounds, 20 assists, 31 steals, and five blocks, while also working on her master’s in exercise physiology.

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Don’t hurt ’em, Kana (too late)

Posted in Basketball, tagged , , , , on March 6, 2021| 1 Comment »

Makana Stone threw down a 20-point, 26-rebound performance Saturday in England. (Photo property of Loughborough University)

The wrecking crew has arrived.

Going on the road Saturday, Coupeville’s Makana Stone delivered maybe her most explosive basketball performance since arriving in England.

The former Wolf went off for 20 points, 26 rebounds, six steals, four blocked shots, and three assists as she helped Loughborough University avenge an earlier-season loss.

Using a fourth-quarter run to pull away in a nail-biter, the Riders exited with a 73-64 victory against host Worcester.

That was sweet payback for an overtime loss in November, a game in which refs fouled out Stone and another key Loughborough player right before the extra period.

This time around, the zebras were more realistic, assessing just two fouls on Coupeville’s progeny as she played all but 35 seconds of the game.

With the win, Loughborough improves to 8-3 overall, 8-1 with Stone in the lineup, and 8-0 in games where she’s allowed to play until the final buzzer.

Saturday’s rematch went back-and-forth until the Riders pulled away in the final nine minutes of the game.

Trailing 21-19 after one quarter, and 36-35 at the half, Loughborough slipped back in front 50-49 headed to the game’s final frame.

Worcester had one last push, briefly pulling ahead 54-50, then fell apart as Stone took control down the stretch.

Pumping in 10 of her 20 points in the fourth quarter, she sparked Loughborough to a 23-10 finish to seal the deal.

The Riders cracked Worcester with a 12-0 run, with Stone banking home a team-best five points during the surge.

She now has a double-double in all nine games she’s played in England, and sits with 156 points, 147 rebounds, 20 assists, 31 steals, and five blocks on the season.

The Riders, who played Saturday without big-time basket producers Robyn Ainge and Katie Januszewska, got 20 points from Molly James and 11 out of Hannah Bird in support of Stone.

Loughborough, which is second in the National Basketball League behind Ipswich (9-1), returns to action next Saturday, March 13, when it hosts winless BA London.

 

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