Smalley makes the all-tournament

RALEIGH, N.C., March 15, 2008 – It was not indicative of Lamona Smalley’s personality. Therefore, there must have been something to why the 6-foot sophomore forward sprinted down the court, ran over a teammate in the process and put her hands on top of her head and stared into the heavens after screaming repeatedly “No way!”

Smalley fouled out of the MEAC Championship Game on Saturday afternoon on what some might consider a controversial call on a block of Coppin State’ center Whitney Cunningham. The call ended what was a terrific tournament for Smalley – a tournament that garnered her respect from fans, the players, the coaches, the media and MEAC representatives.

Smalley averaged 13.7 points, 8.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 2.0 blocks in the tournament. She put the Aggies are on her back during an overtime semifinal win over Hampton and she was in the process hoisting the Aggies on her shoulders in the championship game before fouling out.

For those who already knew Smalley, they know her display after the call had little to do with her showing someone up.

The Philadelphia native wears her Aggie Pride on her sleeve. Before being recruited by the Aggies, Smalley had never heard of North Carolina A&T. Now that she is here, her support for everything Aggie is becoming legendary.

Smalley’s support of the softball program last season even prompted head coach Mamie Jones to take out time in talking about her team at the 2007 North Carolina A&T Athletic Banquet to thank Smalley for all her verbal support.

“I didn’t know who she was at first until the ladies told me,’’ said Jones. “I just had to find who this young lady was that was cheering so loudly at all of our games. We appreciated it.”

Smalley isn’t the only athlete who supports other programs other than her own, but she is the most visible. The N.C. A&T swimming team was preparing to compete in the HBCU Championships on Feb. 2. The meet started at noon. Meanwhile, Smalley and her Aggie teammates were preparing to play Howard at 2 p.m., across the hall and down stairs at Corbett Sports Center.

Start times didn’t deter Smalley. She ran up the steps in her basketball uniform to cheer and watch the first few races of the meet before going down stairs to lead the women’s basketball team to a 93-58 win over the Howard Bison. “You can’t help but to love Lamona’s personality,’’ said teammate Brittanie-Taylor James. “She brings a glow wherever she goes. She is the life of our team.”

After all it was Smalley who led the cheers of “Go, Go Aggies, Hey, Hey!!” at an alumni dinner thrown for the men’s and women’s basketball teams in Washington, D.C., after playing Howard in March. It was also Smalley who led the same cheer – only much louder – at a Newport News Golden Corral during a Sunday luncheon thrown for the team by Tidewater Aggie alumni. And there were probably a few Hampton alumni listening as well.

“I love this kid,’’ said N.C. A&T women’s basketball coach Patricia Cage-Bibbs as she looked at Smalley during a postgame press conference at the 2008 MEAC Tournament. “I can go on for days talking about the type of player and the type of person she is. Lamona Smalley can just flat out get it done. She is one of those players who love to wear the uniform.”

Perhaps the referees knew this too. None of them called a technical foul on Smalley despite her display after being whistled for her fifth foul. Perhaps they knew Smalley’s display was less about them and more about the “North Carolina A&T” that was stitched across chest. She hurt not only for herself, but every Aggie who watched the Aggies go down 72-70 with a NCAA Tournament bid on the line.