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Banner sees L to beat in cor By DAVE KAY Staff writer Schonna Banner says she's confident heading into her third year with the Lady Gamecocks. When asked if this year's team ? and last year's Metro Conference champions ? is the best she has been associated with, Banner said, "I'm sure of it. I'm just looking forward to it." Last year, the 6-foot-3-inch Banner led the team in rebounding with 7.3 points a game and was second in scoring with an average of 15.3 points a game. This season, Banner has a good chance to become only the 13th player in Lady Gamecock history to reach the 1,000-point plateau. She needs only 61 points to surpass this goal, and she seems poised to do this. When asked about her personal goals for this season, Banner said she wasn't looking for a specific scoring average but just planned to try her best. "I'm going to keep working hard in practice and try to help the team out the best that I can, as far as giving them what they need," she said. "If I try to play good, I know the scoring will come." Because the Lady Gamecocks' won the conference tournament last year, they're a prime target for other teams hoping to knock them out of the competition, Banner said. "It (the Metro Conference) is going to be tough," said Banner. DATE OPPONENT Now. 26 Rhode island Nov. 27 Holy Cross Dec. 3 ApoaJachran State Dec. 6 UNC-Chartone Dee. 12 GEORGIA SOUTHERN Dec. 14 S C. STATE Jan. 4 NORTH CAROLINA Jan. 7 + MEMPHIS STATE Jan. 9 SOUTHERNMISSISSIPPI Jan. 12 GEORGIA Jan. 14 + Lootsvtlle Jan. 16 Cmcmnaa Jan. 19 old dominion J?n. 23 + FLORIDA STATE ' I out of Come tc for c Q.nn %J \J V/ < I Compute I 777-60 1988 JSC as team iference race "I'm going to keep working hard in practice and try to help the team out the best that I can, as far as giving them what they need. If I try to play good, I know the scoring will come.,, Schonna Banner basketball player "Coach (Nancy) Wilson said the other teams lost a lot, but they had good recruiting years. But I think we're going to be the team that everyone is going after." Banner was highly sought after during her senior year of high school. In addition to USC, the junior from Lenoir, N.C., was recruited by Georgia, North Carolina, Auburn and Tennessee. Banner said she's happy she chose USC and that she's been satisfied with her career here. "The coaches showed that they cared about my family and they didn't just talk about basketball," she said. "I also liked them because tV? a\r Hnu/nfrroHo on\r AtliAr U1U11 L UUYTUgiaUV CI 11J VH1VI schools the whole time they were recruiting me." & Schedule Jan. 26 CLEMSON Jan. 26 Ctemsoo Jan.-30 + VIRGINIA TECH Feb. 2 Tennessee Feb 4 + Memphis State Feb. 6 + Southern Mississippi Feb. 13 +CINCINNATI Feb. 15 NX-State Feb. 18 LOUISVILLE Feb. 20 Florida State Feb. 25 * Virginia Tech Feb. 27 East Carolina Mat. 1 DEPAUt Mar. 6-11 Metro Tournament ke a big I your hoi ith a spei IBM offe ) the IBM PI i demonstra ovember 171 a.m. to 4:00 ir services J 3rd Floor 15 for infor] '89 Women's Baske 1F??1 i ^ pv*^ J>W wKmKm 11 1 wBI mr ' ,-. -.,U;r>.. . . ; .^i^f ' '*?&4?"V~> ,. 'i "-^ * ' ' : : - . . ' Senior preseason Ail-American Martha Parker Parker to It By CHRIS SILVESTRI Assistant sports editor When five seniors leave a basketball team, the first thought that comes to mind is that the year will be one for rebuilding. For this season's Lady Gamecocks, however, that isn't the case. Of the five seniors who graduated, only one played regularly. And with the addition of standout transfer Beth Hunt, center Schonna Banner, point guard Lisa Diaz, forward Beverly Hawkins, three-point specialist Karen Middleton and last season's Metro Conference Player of the Year Martha Parker, USC is looking to improve on last year's 23-11 mark. "This is the best basketball program since we've been here," said USC head coach Nancy Wilson, entering her fifth season with the Lady Gamecocks. kUn JliC nework :'al ft 3/2 Day / tion :h ^ . p.m. Building mation Great Savi IBM equipment during IBM Special Fal tball Preview Lady Gamecock pr <* #&* 1 Karen Middleton File photo LJsa Djaz >ad Lady G Parker, a senior who can play any position from center to point guard, is a preseason first team AilAmerican. She led USC in scoring (16.6 ppg), field goal percentage (.563), assists (3.9), and steals (1.7) last season. Hunt, a 6-foot-1-inch sophomore forward who transferred from Maryland and had to sit out last season, led the Terrapins with 16 points and 9.1 rebounds per game in the 1986-87 season, and she was named the ACC Freshman of the Year. Banner, a 6-foot-3-inch junior center, led the Lady Gamecocks in rebounds last year with 7.3 per game and was voted a preseason honorable mention Ail-American, while Middleton led USC with a .434 shooting percentage from the three-point area. Wilson says Middleton ". . . is one of two or three best three-point shooters in the country." Diaz averaged 7.9 .points a game last season, ?^ I .. i' IH JIlL'h,!] , '%?'/ and software the II Promotion. I obable starters - ^ wMm^* Schonna Banner n?<k u..n> UCU1 11UIII amecocks scoring, in double figures in eight of the last 12 games, and was named most improved by her teammates. Hawkins, a 6-foot forward, came on strong at the end of last season, starting five of the final six games. Hawkins scored nine points and grabbed 10 rebounds in USC's season-ending loss to No. 3 Texas in the NCAA playoffs. Forwards Ann Gardner and Treka McMillian and guards Sherry David and Tracey Parker will compete for playing time as well and add depth off the bench. Also joining the Lady Gamecocks this season will be highly- recruited freshmen Angel Henderson and Lori Joyner. "We should be the team in the Metro that other teams are coming after," said Wilson. "We seem to be the consensus number-one pick . . . we'll definitely be the team everyone's shooting for.'' '' ' ^ ^ '