Sports Shorts

Athlete Of the Week

Senior Malisha Richardson, from Cleveland, has been helping the women’s basketball team to what could be a very promising season.
The women’s team defeated Uruline College 67-51 giving the team their first win. Richardson managed to pull in 22 points and seven rebounds, allowing her to lead the team in points.
Last wednesday the Yeowomen played the Battling Bishops of Ohio Weslan University. Despite a tough loss Richardson again had a stand out performance. She made a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds.

Currently Richardson leads the women’s team with an average of 12.7 points per game. She also leads field goals made and attempted and has made 12 of 14 from the free throw line.

In the Locker Room with. . .

This week’s In the Locker Room had the misfortune of taking place in my hellhole of a room. Fortunately for me sophomore Steve Reid of the Men’s Basketball team dealt with it...

Despite a rough start (0-5) do you think that the team will improve as the season progresses?

SR: Yeah, we’ve been seeing an improvement every game. We’ve been in very game, it just comes down to mental toughness. Once we improve on that we’ll be winning a lot more games.

You have a seven man rotation on the floor right now, how does that affect the team?

SR: Well, we get fatigued without having the extra bodies to come in for even a minute or two. We end up with a lot of players who have to play the whole half. With our style of play it’s difficult because we do a lot of full court pressing so it’s easy to get tired. If you throw in foul trouble, it makes the rotation even smaller.

What made you decide to come to Oberlin, especially since you’d considered the Naval Academy as well?

SR: Even though the schools seem to be polar opposites, the option to go to Oberlin has always been there for me. Both my parents graduated from Oberlin and they met here. And on top of that my mom was born and raised here so I made frequent trips to visit family.

What did you want to do in the Navy?

SR: At first I wantd to be a fighter pilot, like every kid. Then I wanted to be a JAG Officer, but then I decided that I could be a lawyer out of the military so there was no point. Finally I came to the conclusion that I wanted to be a destroyer Captain.

I heard you use Victoria’s Secret shower stuff, isn’t that only for women?

SR: Well, let’s see…uh…well everyone seems to say it’s only for women — but right now I have a combination of 10 different shower gels and body sprays from Victoria’s Secret. I can name about 15 different scents. I use them before every game, and on weekends to match the outfit I’m wearing – the color of the lotion matches the outfit I’m wearing at the time.

Why do I hear ’NSync coming from your room?

SR: I have bought, NOT BURNED, all three CDs. I’m probably the only black person who owns both concert DVDs, Live From Madison Square Gardens and The Pop Odyssey Tour. Not to mention I can sing every song word for word and do the dance moves that go with some of the songs.

Okay, back to the original question — Why do I hear ’NSync coming from your room?

SR: I like to consider myself a very diverse person. Not only do I listen to rap, R&B, alternative, but a lot of my favorite songs come from the pop genre. I love boy bands.

I hate the guys in boy bands…

SR: Yeah, they’re all soft.

How was your high school team compared to Oberlin’s team?

SR: Wow, um, well, I don’t want to say my high school team was better because that game will never happen and it’s two different levels. But I come from a school that was ranked in the top seven nationally by USA Today. The teams that we beat featured five current NBA players and countless division I stars. Needless to say being in California’s largest division we played great competition and only lost three so the record speaks for itself.

How’s recruiting for next year look?

SR: Coaches are involved with a lot of great players that are interested in coming here next year. We are already a team that can compete with the top teams in the NCAC so with some good additions next year we will be a team to be reckoned with.

Anything else?

SR: If you have any questions about Victoria’s Secret or N’Sync, feel free to call me x5811 [phone rang at this point ironically enough] or feel free to stop by Langston 112. Come to our game on Saturday at 3 p.m. It’s our only home game before winter term, and if you happen to be here for winter term or for any other home games, please come support us – we like the crowds. If you come to the games I will give you a prize. Also, if you come on Saturday say hi to my sister in the stands who is visiting right now.