For the past four years, the St. Louis Surge women’s professional basketball franchise has appeared in the trophy game of the Women’s Blue Chip Basketball League.
Photo Credit: Mick Lite Photography
The 2014 and 2016 WBCBL Champions begin their quest of a third national title Sunday night in a Show-Me-State road meeting with the Elsberry Flyers. Tipoff is at 7 p.m. at Elsberry High School (138 Tomahawk Drive).
The Surge finished 2017 with a 12-1 record and was denied back-to-back national crowns via a one-point loss to the Georgia Soul at the WBCBL Championship showdown last August.
That setback now propels the team as they enter an 11-game docket that features divisional play within the WBCBL Midwest Division and a quartet of road games launches the campaign.
Six veterans return to the Surge fold this season including franchise lynch pins Rebecca Harris and Jaleesa Butler. Harris (5-8, University of Illinois) averaged 18 points per game last season while Butler (6-1, Georgetown) contributed ten points per conest.
Photo Credit: Mick Lite Photography
Other St. Louis returnees include forwards Kristi Bellock (13.4 PPG), Sherice Williams (6.9 PPG), Leti Lerma (6.4 PPG) and guard Bianca Latham (3.2 PPG).
A quintet of newcomers is set to make initial splashes at Sunday’s game. Dyana Pierre (6-3, SIU-Carbondale) averaged over 12 points per game for the Salukis during her senior season in 2016.
Incarnate Word-alum Brittany Carter (6-0, University of Illinois) netted eight points per game in her 2015 senior season while starting all 31 games for the Illini. Chicago native Mariah King (6-2, Eastern Illinois) averaged 14 points per contest during her 2013 senior cycle.
Forward Laura Johnson (6-0, University of Sioux Falls) finished fifth in career scoring (1402) and holds the benchmark in career three-pointers (259) at her alma mater.
Photo Credit: Mick Lite Photography
Finally, guard Kelsey McClure (5-9, Arkansas Tech) served as a graduate assistant at the University of West Georgia after a stellar senior year at Arkansas Tech (13 PPG) that saw the Golden Suns reach the Great American Conference championship game.
After a four-game road docket, the Surge begins their home slate on Saturday, June 9 at Washington University.
For more information on the Surge, go to their official webpage.
By trade, he is a six-time, regional Emmy Award-winning news videographer/editor for KTVI/KPLR-TV. By hobby, he is a writer for Arch City Media, dating back to February 2014. Emphasis is on featuring and promoting local women's sports, but will cover anything that is not reported by traditional media outlets. Also a contributor to local concert reviews.
