FRESHMAN LEADS A&T ON SENIOR DAYGREENSBORO – North Philadelphia native Lamona Smalley had never heard of North Carolina A&T until former Aggie assistant Tarrell Robinson started calling her. Associates and friends looked at Ta’Wuana “Tweet” Cook in a strange way when the Fayetteville Seventy-First superstar signed with a struggling program named N.C. A&T.
But it has been Smalley and Cook who have played a huge role in making sure N.C. A&T is better known and now the strange looks once heaped upon recruits attended Aggieland has been reduced dramatically.
Along with Tyronnica Alford and Shantar Waddell, Cook and Smalley are now a part of the best senior class in program history. The foursome played their final home game at Corbett Sports Center on Thursday night, which resulted in a 79-59 win over Norfolk State.
The foursome have won 89 games, 56 conference games, three regular-season MEAC titles and one MEAC Tournament title and they have made one NCAA Tournament appearance.
Also on Thursday, Cook earned her first first-team All-MEAC selection. Smalley and Jaleesa Sams were named second-team All-MEAC. The University of North Carolina and Duke are the only two Division I programs in the state with more wins than the Aggies over the last four years. The Aggies have defeated in-state opponents East Carolina, Elon, Charlotte, Campbell, N.C. Central, Winston-Salem State and UNC Asheville over the last four years.
“When we came in we were not a good program,’’ said Cook. “Now people look at us as a mid-major. We’ve made some major steps and that’s because coach did a great job of bringing outstanding players who had the same goal – turn the program around.”
Patricia Cage-Bibbs’ first impression of Cook was that she was “fly.” That simply means she was really cool. Meanwhile, Bibbs didn’t know what to think of Smalley because the two spent most of the summer playing phone tag. Sixteen hundred points later for Cook and 800 rebounds later for Smalley, the two have certainly have left a permanent impression on the program.
“I love A&T,’’ said Smalley. “There was a time when North Carolina A&T was the only school recruiting me.”
Despite the seniors’ accomplishments, in their final home game, it was a freshman who led the way. Amber Calvin had a game-high 17 points to go along with seven rebounds and six assists. Cook added 13.
N.C. A&T struggled early. The Aggies missed 11 of their first 13 shots. Norfolk State Genor Dalton cut the Aggies lead to 19-16 with 7:17 remaining in the first half. Freshman JaQuayla Berry answered by following up a Tierra Thomas miss to spark an 11-3 run that ended with a Sams 3-point play that put the Aggies ahead 30-19.
Calvin helped the Aggies end the half on a flurry. On a fastbreak, the Fayetteville freshman glided through two players and scooped in for a jaw-dropping layup. Seconds later she knocked down a 3-pointer to give the Aggies a 38-25 halftime lead. The Aggies led by as many as 27 in the second half.
“It’s always tough when you have ceremonies,’’ said Bibbs, referring to the Aggies pregame ceremonies for her seniors. “I know we probably didn’t excite the crowd like we usually do. But when you have ceremonies it’s hard to get refocused.”
The Aggies will now focus on the MEAC Tournament. They will open the MEAC Tournament on Wednesday. They will play the winner of the Coppin State versus S.C. State game at 12:30 p.m., from Lawrence Joel Coliseum.
