After spending most of the 2000-01 season atop the Class AA girls basketball poll, Bridgeport coach Dave Marshall was selected the Harrison County girls coach of the year. Two of his standouts were also named to the all-county team.
Point guard Erica Rome (sr.) and forward Theresa Melko (jr.) were selected to the first team. Rome, a first-team all-state selection, averaged a county-best 16.9 points to help lead the Indians to a 23-1 finish, including 14-0 season in the Big 10. Melko, who was selected to the Class AA second team, averaged 14.5 points. The Indians won the John Marshall Holiday Tournament, the Lincoln-McDonald's Holiday Tournament and the Mountain State Coal Classic in Beckley.
South Harrison and Liberty also had a pair of first-team selections.
Senior Forward Bobbi Jo Devericks (10.9 ppg.) and junior guard Desiree Evans (10.9 ppg., 23 3-pointers) led the Hawks which finished second in the Harrison County standings.
Liberty sophomore Katy Orndorff and teammate Lindsey Brown (sr.) were named to the first team. Orndorff, a second team selection last season, led the Mountaineers at 13.2 ppg., while Brown, a repeat first-teamer, finished at 11.1 ppg.
Robert C. Byrd's Keisha Bowsman and Lincoln's Brandi Brown round out the first team. Bowsman, a freshman, was Harrison County's third leading scorer at 13.8 ppg. and helped lead the Eagles to the Class AAA Region IV finals. Brandi Brown was one of the few bright spots in a winless season for the Cougars. The junior was the team's leading scorer at 11.0 ppg.
Bridgeport landed three players on the second team, led by senior guard Angie Handschumacher (6.7 ppg.), who was the team's defensive specialist. Teammates Lauren Kerr (jr., 7.7 ppg.) and reserve guard Jaclyn Ross (6.4 ppg.) were named to the second team.
The remainder of the second unit consists of South Harrison's Sarah Byrd (sr., 5.6 ppg.) and Tracy Devericks (6.3 ppg.), Liberty's Valerie Bramel (sr., 6.9 ppg.), Lincoln's Elizabeth Arnett (sr., 3.7 ppg.) and Robert C. Byrd's Eva Costa (jr., 5.7 ppg.).
Sports writer Mike Nutter can be reached at 626-1444 or by e-mail at sports@exponent-telegram.com
