DATE: Friday, August 8, 1997                TAG: 9708060180

SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS     PAGE: 10   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY PAUL WHITE, STAFF WRITER 

                                            LENGTH:   72 lines

GIRLS SUMMER LEAGUES RISE IN POPULARITY

Starting up a female basketball league, a concept few took seriously when the '90s began, now seems to be as hip as alternative rock, flavored coffee or the crossover dribble.

A year ago, there weren't any women's professional leagues; now there are two. And after four years of having the South Hampton Roads' high school summer league action all to itself, the Virginia Beach-based Rising Stars League was joined this summer with the Wilson Girls Summer League.

The six-team Wilson circuit concluded play Saturday, with Deep Creek defeating Oscar Smith in the championship game.

But while many observers of the pro scene believe that the American Basketball League and the Women's NBA can't co-exist longterm, Wilson summer league organizer Roger Smith believes two off-season leagues in this area is just about right.

``There shouldn't be a problem,'' Smith said. ``There's enough teams to go around.

``The important thing is that they just play. Girls aren't like guys. Guys will play year round. Girls, if it's up to them, they'll just play during the season.''

While the Wilson circuit's emergence did reduce the Rising Stars' league by two teams, that still left 20 squads to square off in the Virginia Beach-based loop. Smith intentionally held league play on Wednesdays, so as not to conflict with the Rising Stars' Tuesday-Thursday schedule. And he's hoping to expand his league to as many as 14 teams next season, not by raiding the Rising Stars but by mining untapped summer-league markets like Newport News and Norfolk.

``The Rising Stars league is so far down in the Beach,'' said Smith, the Wilson junior varsity coach whose Presidents played in that loop last season. ``You have problems getting through the tunnel and getting to games on time. Having something in Portsmouth makes it more convenient.''

Not to mention cheaper. The Rising Stars league charged $45 per player last season, or $675 for a team of 15. Teams paid only $250 to play in Smith's league.

``The other league became too expensive for our kids,'' Smith said.

Despite the discount and the high cost of hiring officials (65 percent of his budget), Smith said his league still managed to break even.

Besides Deep Creek, which not only played in both leagues but also won both titles, the big winner at Wilson was the host school. The Presidents fielded two of the six teams, and Smith said the experience the players gained was well worth the lumps they took on court. The two Wilson squads posted a combined 3-12 record.

``Our B team was my JV team,'' Smith said of the squad that was winless in seven games. ``I told the girls not to worry about trying to win, that this would expose them to a lot of things. During their JV season they won't experience half the pressure they did in this summer league.''

Wilson Girls Summer League Final standings: 1 (tie). Deep Creek 6-1*; Oscar Smith 6-1; 3. Indian River 4-3; 4. Wilson A 3-4, 5. Norcom 1-6; 6. Wilson B 0-7.

*Deep Creek got the top seed in the league tournament by virtue of its victory over Oscar Smith in the teams' lone head-to-head matchup.

Playoff results Semifinals: Deep Creek 54, Wilson A 42; Oscar Smith 31, Indian River 23

Final: Deep Creek 40, Oscar Smith 28.

Tournament MVP: Sherry Butler, Deep Creek

All-Star team* Brooke Coley, Oscar Smith; Cherie Collins, Indian River, Toni Shannon, Norcom; Sherry Butler, Deep Creek, LaShawnya Brown, Wilson A; Linda Somerville, Wilson B

*as selected by the league coaches. Each coach chose one player from his/her team. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo/PAUL WHITE

Toni Shannon of Norcom High School was named to the all star team of

the Wilson Girls Summer League.

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