Southeast recruit Whitney adds to her lore

~ The forward became the second female player at Three Rivers to repeat as an All-American.

Missy Whitney cemented her legacy at Three Rivers with another All-American selection.

Whitney was named a third-team All-American last week, joining Paul Corder as only the second player in Lady Raiders history to receive the honor twice.

"She's been the centerpiece of our program the past two years," Three Rivers coach Jack Childress said of Whitney. "She's really come to the top and it would be a slam to our program and Region XVI if she wouldn't have gotten something. She's quite a talented young lady."

Whitney, who was an honorable mention selection last year, is only the ninth All-American in program history and only the fifth to be named to the first, second or third team. Corder was selected to the second team in 1997 and the first team the next year.

A 6-foot-3 forward, Whitney, who signed with Southeast Missouri State in the fall, will be remembered as the program's most athletic player ever and maybe one of its most versatile. She possessed the strength to score and rebound on the interior, and the guard-like skills to handle the ball and shoot from the perimeter.

There was little Whitney couldn't do, especially around the basket. She leaves as the program's second-leading rebounder, eighth-leading scorer and most likely the all-time blocked shots leader. There isn't a record in that category but with 92 in 59 career games, Childress said the record is hers.

A series of season-long injuries from a sore thumb on her non-shooting left hand to a nagging groin strain slowed Whitney during her sophomore season, but they didn't stop her. She still averaged 14.3 points on 48 percent shooting, 7.4 rebounds and 1.4 blocked shots. She led the Lady Raiders with a 76.5 free throw percentage and was fourth with 20 3-pointers on 60 attempts.

As a freshman, Whitney averaged 16.7 points (seventh-best in a single season), 8.5 rebounds (sixth-best) and 2.1 steals.

In her final game as a Lady Raider, Whitney had 26 points, 17 rebounds and four blocks in Three Rivers' 70-67 loss to State Fair in the region semifinals. It was the 21st double-double of her career.

"Her consistency was a trademark and her ability to play under pressure was one big thing she possessed," Childress said. "It didn't matter what the situation was, she wanted the ball."