Shante Evans honored for career record, then adds 30 more points in win
Hofstra senior Shante Evans, second from left, poses alongside, from left, athletic director Jeffrey A. Hathaway, former player Dia LaBella and women's basketball head coach Krista Kilburn-Steveskey during a presentation that preceded Hofstra's game vs. Old Dominion at Mack Sports Complex. (Jan. 20, 2013) Credit: James Escher
The special day for Hofstra women's basketball forward Shante Evans began as she was honored in a pregame ceremony for becoming the program's all-time leading scorer. Former record-holder Dia LaBella Alberda posed with her and the two received a standing ovation.
Evans then went to work, scoring a season-high 30 points, grabbing 10 rebounds and adding four assists in an 83-72 victory over visiting Old Dominion in a pivotal Colonial Athletic Association game.
Evans had 26 points and eight rebounds in the second half as Hofstra (8-8, 4-1) scored 45 points. Old Dominion, which scored 46 second-half points, is 12-5, 3-2.
Evans surpassed LaBella Alberda's record of 1,840, which had stood since 1982, a week earlier. She now has 1,889. "It's finally great to put her face to the record,'' she said of meeting LaBella Alberda, 52, of East Northport. "She put the record high for me. It was great to meet her.''
Evans had only four points in the first half, but Anma Onyeuku scored all 18 of her points as the Pride built a 38-26 halftime lead. Evans was 9-for-11 from the field and 8-for-10 from the line in the second half.
"Just moving to open spots,'' Evans said of her production. "Talking to my teammates where to give me the ball. It was the first time in a while I had one-on-one coverage, so I definitely had to take advantage of that.''
Onyeuku, who was 8-for-11 from the field and held ODU's Jackie Cook to six points, enjoys playing alongside Evans. "It's just an honor to play with a person of her stature,'' she said. "As a younger player who's trying to be like her, you just look up to her. It gets you hyped every game to see her take somebody off the dribble, beat somebody on the rebound. It's a good feeling to play with her.''
Andreana Thomas, who had 12 points -- including a layup that gave Hofstra a 22-point lead with 5:27 to play -- and a career-high 13 assists, added: "You never know what she is going to bring. You see a spin move on the baseline, you never know how to defend her.''
Evans was asked about returning to Hofstra someday if someone breaks her mark. "Of course,'' she said. "Records are made to be broken, so definitely I will be here.''
