Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Posts Tagged ‘Loughborough University’

Makana Mania rages in England

Posted in Basketball, Wolves in college, tagged , , , , on December 14, 2020| Leave a Comment »

Makana Stone (in headband) chases down a loose ball. (Photo property Loughborough University)

She made a very-good first impression.

And then a great second, third, fourth, and fifth impression.

Coupeville grad Makana Stone has played five basketball games for England’s Loughborough University, throwing down five double-doubles.

Now, after amassing 20 points and 21 rebounds Saturday, including hitting a game-winning bank shot with four seconds to play to upend undefeated Ipswich, the former Wolf is once again raking in honors.

Stone was tabbed Monday as the Women’s National Basketball League Player of the Week, the second time she’s snagged that award this season.

Ipswich is the defending league champ and looked like it would keep its record perfect after a three-ball staked it to a late 76-75 lead.

Enter Loughborough’s American assassin, who pulled down an entry pass, used and abused her defender — Gonzaga-bound Esther Little — then softly banked home the game’s final bucket while hanging in the air.

With the win, the Riders improved to 4-2 on the season, 4-1 with Stone in uniform, while sending Ipswich to 6-1.

Coupeville’s progeny, who had a torrid four-year run of academic and athletic success at Whitman College before heading overseas, is among the league leaders in multiple categories.

Stone is tied for #1 in rebounds (16.4 a night), #4 in efficiency (133.0), #5 in scoring (17.0), and #8 in free throw percentage (79.2%).

Loughborough has one game left before winter break, with a matchup against Nottingham this coming Saturday, December 19.

That game will pit Stone against three-ball gunner Mady Burnett, her running mate at Whitman for four seasons.

Together, the duo led the Blues to 94 wins, the most by a graduating class in program history.

Read Full Post »

England, bow before your new Queen!

Posted in Basketball, tagged , , , , , on December 12, 2020| Leave a Comment »

Makana Stone recorded her fifth-straight double-double Saturday in England. (Photo property of Loughborough University)

Advantage, America.

Sparked by their Coupeville superstar, who outplayed her Gonzaga-bound British rival, the Loughborough University women’s basketball squad ended Ipswich’s undefeated season.

And they did it in electrifying, beat-the-buzzer style.

Former Wolf Makana Stone went off for 20 points and 21 rebounds Saturday, claiming her fifth-straight double-double as the Riders shocked Ipswich 77-76.

The winning basket, on a Stone bank shot off of a setup from Hannah Bird, came with just two ticks left on the clock.

The victory lifts Loughborough to 4-2 overall, 4-1 with its American assassin in the lineup. Ipswich falls to 6-1.

Ipswich’s Esther Little, widely regarded as the best player in the Women’s National Basketball League, collected 15 points and 14 rebounds, but was unable to answer Stone, missing a potential game-winner on the day’s final shot.

The two teams battled evenly through the first half, knotted at 19-19 at the first break, before going to the halftime break with the league leaders clinging to a 32-30 lead.

Loughborough struggled early, falling behind 10-0 to open the game and not scoring until Molly James singed the nets for a three-ball at the 7:46 mark of the first quarter.

Once that initial basket hit the bottom of the net, however, the Riders seemed to right things, using a 19-15 run to reclaim the lead.

Coming out of the halftime break, Loughborough once again flashed its ability to dominate.

Holding Ipswich scoreless for four-plus minutes, the Riders went off on a 14-0 run, threatening to turn a tight tilt into a runaway win.

If the league leaders were fazed, though, they didn’t crumble.

Carving the lead back down to 53-49 by the end of the third quarter, Ipswich narrowed its deficit all the way down to 58-57 two minutes into the final frame.

Stone, who played all 40 minutes Saturday, snatched an offensive board and slapped it back in to stake Loughborough to a 67-63 advantage with three-and-a-half minutes to play, then things got dicey.

Coming down the stretch, the two squads exchanged a trio of three-point bombs in a 30-second burst.

Rider gunner Robyn Ainge netted a trey, but Ipswich’s Susannah Rafiu hit a three both before and after Loughborough’s bomb, putting her team ahead 76-75 with 1:01 on the clock.

The scoreboard remained locked in place for 59 agonizing seconds after that, until Stone, coming out of a timeout, nailed the biggest shot of her overseas career.

The Whitman College grad has a double-double in each of her five games in England, and sits with 85 points and 82 rebounds on the season.

Stone also has nine assists and 12 steals.

Coupeville’s progeny has one more game on the schedule before the winter break, and it will reunite her with a former teammate.

Loughborough plays Nottingham next Saturday, Dec. 19.

That squad is led by Mady Burdett, a three-ball droppin’ ace who played alongside Stone for four stellar seasons in Walla Walla.

During their time at Whitman, the duo led the Blues to a 94-20 record — the most wins for a graduating class in program history — and three trips to the NCAA D-III national tourney.

 

The winning bucket:

Read Full Post »

It’s a Stone-cold highlight reel

Posted in Basketball, tagged , , , , on December 8, 2020| Leave a Comment »

Makana Stone lines up a shot. (Photo property Loughborough University)

She’s flying up the charts.

Four games into her hoops adventure in England, Coupeville grad Makana Stone is drawing notice from National Basketball League coaches, players, and fans.

The former Wolf is second among WNBL Division 1 players in rebounding, snatching 15.3 caroms a game.

Stone is also third in efficiency (103.0), fifth in points (16.3), and seventh in free throw percentage (77.3).

Her school, Loughborough University, is 3-2 overall, 3-1 since the prairie superstar joined the lineup.

The Riders, who are tied with Nottingham for third-place in the 12-team WNBL, get their biggest test of the season this coming Saturday, December 12.

That’s when they face off with league-leader Ipswich (6-0), which is led by Gonzaga signee Esther Little.

As you mentally prep for that titanic tilt, take 30 seconds to marinate in Stone lighting defenders up, all day, every day.

 

Read Full Post »

She’s a double-double machine

Posted in Basketball, tagged , , , , on December 5, 2020| Leave a Comment »

Makana Stone put up her fourth-straight double-double Saturday in England. (Photo property of Loughborough University)

She’s rampaging across Europe.

Coupeville grad Makana Stone continues to show up and show out, dominating play in Britain’s National Basketball League.

Playing in her fourth game for Loughborough University, the former Wolf collected her fourth-straight double-double Saturday, throwing down 18 points and snatching a game-high 11 rebounds.

Paced by their American assassin, the Riders rolled to an 88-71 win over Cardiff Met.

With the victory, Loughborough is 3-2 on the season, 3-1 with Stone in uniform.

And that only loss came after refs fouled out Stone and a fellow starter, which allowed their foes to go on a game-closing 26-2 run.

Saturday’s game against Cardiff Met went much smoother, with Loughborough outscoring the Archers in every quarter to grab a convincing win.

Up just 20-19 at the first break, the Riders stretched the margin out to 43-37 at the half, then 69-60 after three quarters.

Cardiff was led by the hot-shooting Amber Deane, who torched the nets for a game-high 30 points, but Loughborough countered her by getting solid scoring across the roster.

Molly James tossed in 23 to go with Stone’s 18, while Hannah Bird came off the bench to chip in with 15.

Stone, who was a perfect 8-8 at the free throw line Saturday, has rung up 65 points, 61 rebounds, nine assists, 11 steals, and a blocked shot this season.

She and her mates return to action next Saturday, December 12, when they face undefeated Ipswich.

A week later, Loughborough plays Nottingham, which is led by Stone’s running mate during her four years at Whitman College – three-point bomber Mady Burdett.

Read Full Post »

Stone-cold savages romp to win

Posted in Basketball, tagged , , , , on November 28, 2020| Leave a Comment »

Coupeville’s Makana Stone rang up 12 points and 14 rebounds Saturday in England as her team rolled to a big win. (Photo property Loughborough University)

Three games, three double-doubles.

Coupeville’s Makana Stone continued the torrid start to her overseas basketball career, dropping in 12 points and snatching 14 rebounds Saturday in a blowout win.

Paced by its American assassin, Loughborough University roared out to a 32-point halftime lead, then coasted in for a 72-53 win over Thames Valley.

With the victory, the Riders improve to 2-2 on the season, 2-1 with Stone in the lineup.

Loughborough came out on fire, and never let up against Thames Valley.

Stone picked off a pass on the game’s first offensive possession, one of her five steals in the game, and the Riders surged to a 17-6 lead by the first break.

A 30-9 run in the second quarter, fueled by eight points off the hot-shooting fingertips of Stone, stretched the halftime margin to 47-15 and cemented the win.

Loughborough had nice balance across the board, with Robyn Ainge leading the squad with 21 points, while Molly Jones added 14 off the bench to go with Stone’s double-double.

Coupeville’s progeny played a team-high 31 minutes, and added a pair of assists to top off her performance.

On the season, Stone has 47 points, 50 rebounds, seven assists, 10 steals, and a blocked shot while playing for the Riders.

She and her English mates return to play next Saturday, December 5, when they face off with BA London.

 

 

Read Full Post »

« Newer Posts - Older Posts »