Gauchos college alumni Iasia Hemingway Named ACC Rookie of the Week.

The freshman has scored in double-figures in five of the last seven games

GREENSBORO, N.C. - North Carolina's LaToya Pringle and Georgia Tech's Iasia Hemingway were named Atlantic Coast Conference Women's Basketball Player and Rookie of the Week for the week ending on Sunday, Jan. 27.

Hemingway grabbed her fifth double-figure scoring performance in the past seven games against tenth-ranked Duke last Thursday. Pringle was instrumental for the third-ranked Tar Heels as the senior recorded 12 of her career-high 31 points in the second overtime en route to defeating fourth-ranked Maryland in Chapel Hill, N.C., last Saturday. Both student-athletes earn the weekly recognition for the first time this season.

Despite falling to No. 10 Duke on Thursday, Hemingway showed glimpses of brilliance against a taller Blue Devils squad. The newcomer from Newark, N.J., reached the free-throw line five times by using her quickness to pass the opposing post players. Hemingway scored in double-figures for the fifth time in the past seven games, and has scored in double-figures against all four of Tech's top-10 ranked opponents (at Georgia, at UNC, at Maryland and vs. Duke).

Pringle scored a career-high 31 points and grabbed nine rebounds in the 97-86 double-overtime win over No. 4 Maryland on Saturday. The senior from Fayetteville, N.C., made the overtime-forcing three-point play and scored six straight points in the second OT as the Tar Heels finally pulled away. Pringle finished 11-for-16 from the field, tallied nine rebounds and blocked three shots in 40 minutes. She did all that despite taking an elbow to the lip in the second half, forcing her to change from her No. 30 jersey to No. 55 with no name. In addition, Pringle scored a team-high 20 points in UNC's tough loss at No. 1 Connecticut on Jan. 21.

North Carolina and Georgia Tech return to action on Thursday, Jan. 31. The Tar Heels travel to face Wake Forest in Winston-Salem, N.C., while Georgia Tech welcomes ACC foe Clemson. Both games are slated for 7 p.m. ET.

Another Gauchos Alumni College Picked For Athlete of the Week: Crystal Ahmed

Crystal Ahmed is the Lynn University Female Athlete of the Week for the second time this year. The Bronx, N.Y. product recorded her sixth double-double of the season and seventh of her career in a home loss to Nova Southeastern.

Ahmed had an efficient outing against the Sharks, scoring 14 points on 6-of-10 shooting from the field while pulling down a career-high 14 rebounds. In addition, the junior guard dished out six assists and notched three steals, both game-highs.

For the season she is averaging 10.1 points per game and pulling down 8.4 boards a contest, both of which rank in the top-20 of the Sunshine State Conference.

GAUCHOS GIRLS 2007 COLLEGE SIGNINGS

October 29, 2007 By: Walter Welsh

The New York Gauchos coaching staff is extremely proud of our 2007 Gauchos players who have sacrifice and worked extremely hard to the point that they can each receive a basketball scholarship to the college of their choice.

This group of talented players is the highest nationally ranked group of players that has played in our program in 5 years. It was a total joy to train and coach our 2007 group of players, because they were all open to learn the game and was willing to do anything for their teammates. This was the formula for our success throughout the spring and summer.

On behalf of the gauchos organization our coaching staff would like to thank each player for being an intricate part of the Gauchos family and for their commitment to help us to maintain our ongoing status as one of the top AAU programs in the country. The motto we adopted for the summer of "Gauchos Stand Up" was represented in every way and we salute you and will always hold this summer success close to our heart. You now set the standard that the next group of Lady Choz basketball players must live up to in 2008.

DASHENA STEVENS - 6-1 - Rated #50 in the country nationally committed to St. Johns University after considering Rutgers University, Boston College, NC-State, and Georgetown University

KEISHA HAMPTON - 6-2 - Rated #27 player in the country nationally committed to DePaul University after considering St. Johns University and University of Florida.

CRISTIANA CENTENO - 5-8 committed to Siena University after being recruited by LaSalle University, Northeastern University, Georgia State University and St. Francis University at Pennsylvania.

MARKEL WALKER - 6-2 - She is a 2009 recruit who is ranked #7 in the country nationally and she has already committed to the University of Pittsburgh.

The schools our other seniors are considering are:

QUIANA PORTER - 6-2 – is considering Virginia Commonwealth University, Winston Salem university, Canisius University

EBONY THOMAS – 6-0 – is considering Albany University, Coppin State University and St. Peters College

EBONY SELLER- 5-6 – is considering New Orleans University, Rider University, South Carolina State University

LAUREN MORRIS – 5-10 - is considering Jacksonville University, St. Francis University Pennsylvania.

China Crosby our point guard is now rated #24 in the country nationally and will return for the 2008 season.

Keep an eye out for our current Gauchos alumni college players below who are excited to start their 2007/2008 NCAA season. [click here to see the Lady Choz alumni]

UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT
TAHIRAH WILLIAMS
JUNIOR
GUARD
5-10

FAIRFIELD UNIVERSITY
MESHA JOSEPH
FRESHMAN
FORWARD
6-1

GEORGIA TECH UNIVERSITY
IASIA HEMINGWAY
FRESHMAN
GUARD
5-10

UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA
JALEESA RHODEN
R/S FRESHMAN
GUARD
5-9

MARQUETTE UNIVERSITY
TATIYANA MCMORRIS
FRESHMAN
GUARD
5-6

UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE
JELILA ABDUL BASSIT
SENIOR
GUARD
5-10

UNIVERSITY OF MASS
TEYA WRIGHT
FRESHMAN
FORWARD
6-1

UNIVERSITY OF MASS
STEPHANIE LAWRENCE
FRESHMAN
GUARD
6-1

PENN STATE UNIVERSITY
RASHIDA MARK
JUNIOR
FORWARD
6-2

RHODE ISLAND UNIVERSITY
MIA MARCUS
SENIOR
GUARD
5-8

RHODE ISLAND UNIVERSITY
WHITNEY HOLLIS
SENIOR
CENTER
6-3

RUTGERS UNIVERSITY
MATEE AJAVON
SENIOR
GUARD
5-8

NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY
DAMISI ADEWUMI
SOPHOMORE
GUARD
5-10

STANFORD UNIVERSITY
MELIANE MURPHY
SOPHOMORE
GUARDS
5-8

OLD DOMINION UNIVERSITY
DAWN COLEMAN
JUNIOR
GUARD
5-9

LYNN UNIVERSITY IN FLORIDA
CRYSTAL AHMED
JUNIOR
GUARD
5-6

UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS EL-PASO
ALYSSA FAUBION
FRESHMAN
GUARD
5-8

UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE
JESSICA AYILOLA
RS- SOPHOMORE
CENTER
6-3

SAVANNAH STATE UNIVERSITY
ARABIC ROLLINS
FRESHMAN
GUARD
5-7

HERE ARE OUR OTHER COLLEGE ALUMNI'S WHO DO NOT HAVE A PICTURE

RAYNA BROWN - UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE - transferred from buffalo university
MAYOWA ONIKUTE - HOUSTON UNIVERSITY
JULIYA SEBEBANSKYA - ARKANSAS PINE BLUFF UNIVERSITY

Congratulations to Tommy Swinton's 11U AAU team. After placing third in the nation in last year's national AAU Championship tournament, the team traveled to Cocoa Beach, FL and placed eighth in this year's national championship. The team's record was 6-2. in pool play. They won most of their games by an average of 23 points. The results were:

--NY Gauchos 68 - Cincinnati Royals 29;
--NY Gauchos 50 - Georgia Fastbreak 40
--NY Gauchos 51 - Brevard Lakers (the home team) 30

The team received a buy into the second round of tournament play. In the second round of tournament play, they beat the NC Carolina Cougars 51-44. This was the same team that they played in last year's nationals in the first round. In the next game, they beat Central Indiana Attack 54-37. In the quarter finals the team suffered their first loss to a extremely talented NU United Stars 65-47. Disappointed but not out yet, the team beat the New Orleans Panthers 45-31 in the first round of the quarter-final consolation game. The team suffered their second loss in the tournament to the Delaware Hawks 44-31. This loss kept the NY Gauchos from placing higher than eighth place in the tournament instead of fifth place. The 11U team with the addition of two kids in the Gauchos program won the Holcombe Rucker Tournament in the 12U Division.

The 11U team roster:

Steven Bush
Taquan Givens
Joshua James
Shawn Jones
Shayquoan Linen
Malik Payne
Malachi Richardson
Chris Robinson
Nohah Vickers
Tyler Wilson

Special Thanks To: Coach Tommy Swinton for his tireless effort and dedication to the team. Thanks also to assistant coach Marvin Wilson. Special thanks to Team Mom, Natasha Lindsey, for keeping everything running and running smoothly. Thank you to the parents of this team, without all of your support there would be no team.

GAUCHOS GIRLS 2007
NIKE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

We started the summer feeling that our team motto of "GAUCHOS STAND UP" that we wore on the back of our shirts would show everyone across the country that we were prepared to have a successful summer. After coming off consecutive championships victories during the spring at the Houston Elite national event and again at the GYMRAT Challenge in Albany New York we knew that we had one of the best teams in the country.

Our summer started in Raleigh, North Carolina at the Roundball Journal event on the campus of NC-State. With 8 players minus Keisha Hampton our starting forward, we went on to defeat teams such as Garner Flames, Orlando Comet, NYC Exodus and anyone else who stepped up to the challenge. We eventually lost in the SEMIFINAL FINAL FOUR when we were defeated by the Florida Essence who are the #1 aau team in the country. We were 4 - 1 in this event.

THE GIRLS JUST HAVING FUN DURING A HOT SUMMER AFTERNOON

After a 5 hour drive we moved on to Atlanta Georgia to play in the ADIDAS NATIONAL SHOWTIME without our starting point guard China Crosby who had another obligation. We added our scoring forward Keisha Hampton who joined us to face the competition. Once again we ran through all opponents by winning all our games by double digits. Again to our disappointment we played in the SEMIFINAL FINAL FOUR championship game and lost to the Dayton Lady Hoopster with their top guard Shay Shelby (Duke University signee). During the tournament we lost our backup point guard (Ebony Sellers) to an injury, but the players did the best they could under the circumstances. All the games were great but without our point guards and 7 healthy players we simply ran out of gas. Our record for the event was 5-1. We had great play from Quiana Porter, Cristina Centeno, Monique Tilford, and Ebony Thomas

GAUCHOS GIRLS HAVING FUN IN ATLANTA

Our third tournament was the NIKE SUMMER SHOWCASE IN CHICAGO. We started the tournament by defeating teams from California, Colorado, Michigan and Wisconsin. In the final game of pool play we lost to the Minnesota Metros in probably the team's most exciting game of the summer. After being down by 19 points in the first half, we started to play the type of basketball we knew we could play. We cut into the lead and in the second half took the game into overtime. At the end of the overtime quarter we were down 2 points with 8 seconds to play. With the ball in one of our best players hands (Dashena Stevens), she drove to the basket and missed, three Gauchos players rebounded in traffic after her missed lay up and we could not make the necessary lay up. There could have been some calls by the referee but with no call and 4 missed lay ups, time ran out on us and that knocked us out of playoff contention. We left the event with a 4 -1 record.

GAUCHOS GIRLS IN BIRMINGHAM

We started the second half of the summer in Birmingham, Alabama still without our point guard China Crosby, Lauren Morris and Ebony Sellers who were still injured but we were still looking forward to competing against the best teams from around the country. We got off to a great start with players such as Markel Walker, Keisha Hampton, and Cristina Centeno helping to carry us to victory. At this point we were continuing to fill up the sidelines with college coaches from all over the country who have been following us all summer. We won our first 4 games and moved on to the SWEET 16 Playoffs to face the hot shooting Louisville Legend team who defeated us. Our team started to show signs of fatigue but we were not done just yet. Our record was 4-1 for that event.

Before driving to Augusta Georgia to play in our final event at NIKE NATIONALS. We met in a team meeting and decided that we were tired of getting close to the semifinal game and not winning. Someone said in the meeting that we had to be a bride and end our run of being just a brides-maid, so we moved to our final event with tremendous confidence. The difference now was we were intact with all our players for the first time since the summer began and we knew we would win a championship.

We had nicknamed our top 4 players the FOUR HEADED MONSTERS - Keisha Hampton, China Crosby. Markel Walker and Dashena Stevens and they were ready to give it all they had. With everyone together we knew we could beat any team in the country. We defeated Cal Storm with Alyssa Brewer who is one of the top 10 ranked players in the country, Cal Swish with UCLA signnee Atonye Nyingifa and Nike Georgia Elite. In the playoffs we moved on to defeat North Tartan-Minnestoa, Fairfax Stars ( our player Keisha Hampton scored 31 points). The championship game was played with great enthusiasm and great play from both teams. The score changed hands 10 times during the game. With seconds to go in the game Dashena Stevens stoled the ball and threw an outlet to China Crosby who drove to the basket between her opponents. This caused her to lose the ball in midair, but she had enough toughness to keep her concentration catch the ball in mid-air and flick it off the back board for the winning shot to defeat the Orlando comets before a pack house of college coaches and spectators.

3 OF THE 4 HEADED MONSTER- Keisha Hampton, Dashena Stevens and Markel Walter

The four head monster played like the All-Americans that they are. The chemistry between all four players is the best I have coached in a long time. Markel Walker is now rated the #7 player in the 2009 class, China Crosby is now rated the #24 player in the country in the 2009 class, Dashena Stevens is now rated #51 in the 2008 class. Keisha Hampton is now the #60 best player in the 2008 class.

GAUCHOS GIRLS HAVING A MEAL AFTER A VICTORY

Some of the colleges that are recruiting our players are Florida, DePaul, Rutgers, Duke, St. Johns, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, Boston College, Georgia, and Tennessee so stay tuned for our final follow up on what schools our players decide to commit to within the next few months. It was a great summer and I am extremely proud of the players who started with us in the month of March and worked very hard to improve their game until the end of July. They were a great group to coach. Keep your eyes and ears open because, you will be hearing from Markel Walker and China Crosby who are both future McDonalds All-American in the 2009 class.

DASHENA STEVENS AND CHINA CROSBY JUST CHILLING

It was great to end on a winning note and it was even better to live up to our motto that we adopted for this team. GAUCHOS STAND UP.

GAUCHOS NO. 1 AFTER BIG SUMMER – by Adam Zagoria

Breakdown (as featured in the Ballers All-Star Report) has the New York Gauchos, featuring three Big East-bound players in Jordan Theodore (Seton Hall), Kemba Walker (UConn) and Truck Bryant (West Virginia) ranked No. 1 nationally among 17-year-old AAU teams.

To see the Gauchos, check, out the Hoops for a Cause event Tuesday night at the Gauchos Gym in the Bronx.

BOOK STARTS AT XAVIER

Emanuel "Book" Richardson, the Gauchos director who had such a successful summer in leading that team to wins at the Peach Jam and the Nike Main Event in Vegas and also winning gold at the USA Basketball Youth Development Festival, begins his new job Monday as an assistant at Xavier University under Sean Miller.

"I'm recruiting," Richardson said by phone. "I'm excited to see if I can get somebody from New York in '09."

Look for Richardson to focus on the talented New York-area players in that class, including Durand Scott of Rice; Dom Cheek of St. Anthony (left); Tevin Baskin of Stamford (Ct) Trinity Catholic; and Omari Lawrence and Kevin Parrom of St. Raymond's. Scott's top five includes Memphis, Arizona, UConn, Xavier and Georgetown, Book said. Asked if Seton Hall or Rutgers were in the mix, Richardson said, "No, but that could change tomorrow."

As for who takes over the Gauchos, Book said, "That's a pretty good question. We're still trying to work that out."

We wish Book the best. He is one of the good guys in this business.

MATEE AJAVON - GAUCHOS ALUMNI POWERS PAN AM OLYMPIC TEAM TO GOLD MEDAL IN BRAZIL

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil – Rutgers guard Matee Ajavon (Newark, N.J.) scored a game-high 27 points, including 24 in the second half, to lift the U.S. women to their first Pan American Games Championship since 1987 with a 79-66 win over host Brazil in Rio De Janeiro.

After scoring just three points in the first stanza, Ajavon poured in 24 in the second, helping the U.S. open up a four-point lead in the beginning of the third quarter. Brazil responded, however, with a pair of triples to take a 53-49 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

The U.S. took a permanent lead with 8:43 left on the clock and Ajavon added to the lead with nine points in the final five minutes of play.

"Brazil has a good team and had the crowd behind them, so we had to do something," Ajavon said.

The victory came in front of 13,2000 fans at the Mulitsport Arena. The American team is the winningest squad at this year's games with seven titles, having never finished out of podium status in the games' history.

"It's a big win for our country," added Ajavon. "We are all young players, but we want to represent our country well."

NEW YORK GAUCHOS HS GIRLS SELECT COLLEGE PROGRAMS
by Coach Walter Welsh

After a great summer of traveling the AAU circuit 6 of the Gauchos HS girls players have officially committed to the following colleges.

1) Iasia Hemingway - 5 - 11 - 2007 - Shabbazz HS - who is rated 12th in the country - verbally committed to Georgia Tech University - after considering - NC- State, Louisville, Rutgers, Penn State, St. Johns, Boston College.

2) Mesha Joseph - 6-1 - 2007 - Midwood High School in Brooklyn,New York - verbally committed to Fairfield university - after being recruited by St. Johns University, Marshall University, East Carolina University.

3) Teya Wright - 6-1 - 2007 - Paterson Eastside High school in Paterson New Jersey - verbally committed to UMass - after being recruited by Xavier University, Syracuse University, Seton Hall University, Cincinnati University and Fordham University.

4) Stephanie Lawrence - 6-1 - 2007 - John Abbott High school in Montreal Canada - verbally committed to UMass - after being recruited by Tulsa University, St. Joseph university, Vermont University.

5) Alyssa Faubion - 5 - 8 - 2007 - Hamilton High School in Hamilton, Ohio verbally committed to UTEP - after being recruited by William and Mary University, New Mexico State University and Austin Peay University.

6) Tatiyana McMorris - 5- 6 - 2007 - John F Kennedy High School in the Bronx, New York verbally committed to Marquette University - after being recruited by St. Johns University, Tulsa University and Duquesne University.

Our Junior Dashena Stevens is now rated as one of the Top 50 players in the country.

We are looking forward to experiencing the same success with the new team that we are putting together for next year (2008).

A SUMMER TO REMEMBER FOR GAUCHOS UNDERCLASSMEN GIRLS TEAM
The Gauchos Lady Choz Underclassmen team pulled off one of the greatest feats in Gauchos History for a young girls basketball team by wining four out of five tournaments that the team participated in this summer. The Lady Choz also placed second in their summer tournament finale.

The team ended their summer traveling schedule with an impressive record of 25 ö1, claiming championship status at New York's Basketball City with wins over competitive teams such as Brooklyn Saints and Exodus. The team won the championship at Penn State University by out playing east coast teams from New Jersey to New Hampshire. Winning the championship title at one of the toughest tournaments of the summer at the Nike Summer Showcase in Chicago with wins over Arizona Silver Streaks, Michigan's Finest, Team California, and Indiana's Finest was the team's most impressive accomplishment. The Lady Choz followed their Nike Summer Showcase championship with a second place finish at the USJN Championship in Washington DC by beating tough competition including the New Jersey Sting, the Baltimore Charm, and the Maryland Extreme, only to lose in the championship by 1 point 44-45. The team's accomplishments are a tribute to the hard work and dedication by the players, parents, and coaching staff. Each player and parent and coaching staff member should be extremely proud of each of these accomplishments.

Gauchos 10U AAU Team Makes Repeat Appearance In National Championship Final Four.
Congratulations to Tommy Swinton's 10U team. After placing third in the nation in last year's national AAU Championship tournament, the team traveled to Winston-Salem, NC and came in third again. They were the only team from last year's Final Four teams to make it to the Final Four again. The team's record was 7-1. In pool play, they won their games by an average of 26 points. The results were:

- NY Gauchos 58 vs. Central Jersey Hawks 28
- NY Gauchos 63 vs. Arkansas Hoyas 36
- NY Gauchos 54 vs. Prince William Pacers 34

In the first round of tournament play, they beat the NC Carolina Cougars 63-54. In the next game, they beat a home team, the NC Kappa Magic Red, 51-44. In the third round, they got past the Central Kentucky Warriors 42-33. This was the same team that dealt the team their only loss in last year's tournament. In the semifinal game, the team overcame a slow start against the Baltimore Panthers and built a 10 point lead in the third quarter. Unfortunately, two quick turnovers led to a momentum change and, ultimately, to the team's only loss of the tournament, 37-41. In their final game, the team played a strong game from the opening tip to the final buzzer to beat the Bentalou Bombers 48-26 and established themselves as the third best team in the nation.

10U Team Roster:

Dakari Johnson - At 5'8", Dakari anchors the defense. Besides countless blocked shots, Dakari has probably altered the same number of shots. In addition to leading the team in rebounds, Dakari can finish around the rim and clearly established himself as a presence in the post.

Chris Robinson - A versatile 5'3" forward with speed and a good handle. Chris is capable of both backing up the center position and playing up top in the team's 3-2 defense. He can get around bigger defenders and, when fouled, makes other teams pay from the free throw line.

Isaiah Strickland - A 5'2" forward with skills at both ends of the court. Isaiah is a very good rebounder with a good nose for the ball.

Malachi Richardson - A 5'2" forward who can shoot the rock. Malachi stretches opponents' defenses and opens things up for the rest of the team. Malachi plays good, hard defense every game. He has great instincts and is an essential part of the team's press.

Tyler Wilson - A 5'0" forward with lockdown defensive skills. The team gets a defensive lift as soon as Tyler enters the game. In addition to being a relentless defender, Tyler is also a threat to score on put backs and jump shots.

Steven Bush - A 4'11" forward with a consistent jump shot and the ability to get it off even against bigger defenders. Steven is a smart player and plays a steady, reliable game on both ends. He also shoots a high percentage from the free throw line.

Joshua James - A 4'11" guard/forward with a great all-around game and he can play the 1, 2, or 3. In addition to playing tenacious defense, Josh can bring the ball up, get to the rim, or pull up and shoot the J. He's also an excellent passer - just ask his teammates.

Justin Hill - A 4'9" guard who can score from anywhere on the floor. He has quickness and uses it to attack the basket. Justin also has good range on his jump shot.

Taquan Givens - A 4'10" guard who can play on the wing or at the point. Taquan has a terrific handle and slick moves. Taquan is constantly attacking basket and will either finish strong or setup a teammate for an easy bucket. He also has one of the quickest jump shots on the team.

Nohah Vickers - A 4'6" guard who runs the team's offense. Nohah has a cool, professional manner on the court. He plays the same way whether his team is up by 20 or down by 1. Nohah has a deadly three point shot which he uses whenever opposing defenses lay off him.

Asante Gist - A 4'6" guard who comes to play and plays hard every game. He is a fearless player who will take it hard to the hole whenever the opportunity is there.

Andrew Ng - A 4'6" guard with a sure handle and good court vision. Andrew has a consistent jumper that makes him a threat from the perimeter.

SPECIAL THANKS TO:
First and foremost, thank you to Coach Tommy Swinton for his tireless effort and dedication to the team. There would be no team without him. Thanks also to Assistant Coaches Tyrone Pearson and Marvin Wilson. Special thanks to Team Mom, Natasha Lindsey, for keeping everything running and running smoothly. Finally, we'd like to especially thank Jaheim for supplying the team with some high quality uniforms (both home and away) and warm-ups. Jaheim, your generosity is greatly appreciated.

GAUCHOS ALUMNI RASHIDA MARK MAKES HER PRESENCE IN BIG TEN FOREIGN TOUR

Rashida Mark finished an outstanding tour for the Big Ten All-Stars with an eight-rebound, 11-point performance on 6-for-7 shooting in the team's final game, a 97-55 win over Oslo/Akershus on Wednesday. The win brought the squad's record on the tour to 4-0. The team next boards the Crown of Scandinavia cruise ship on Friday, which will take the players back to Copenhagen for their departure.

Mark, O'Rourke Steer Big Ten All-Stars to Fourth Straight Win Lady Lion duo combines for 22 points in win over Oslo/Akershus

Brianne O'Rourke scored 11 points vs. Oslo/Akershus on 5-for-10 shooting to help lead the Big Ten All-Stars to a 97-55 win. The team next boards the Crown of Scandinavia cruise ship on Friday, which will take the players back to Copenhagen for their departure.
OSLO, Norway, July 26, 2006 - Penn State's Brianne O'Rourke (Pittsburgh, Pa.) and Rashida Mark (Brooklyn, N.Y.) combined for 22 points Thursday vs. Oslo/Akershus to help the Big Ten Foreign Tour team to a 97-55 win. The victory gave the All-Stars a perfect 4-0 record for the trip.

Along with O'Rourke and Mark, three other conference standouts, led by Illinois' Lori Bjork and Indiana's Leah Enterlline, scored in double figures. Bjork led all scorers with 14 points, followed by Enterline's 13.

Bjork did most of her damage from the perimeter, knocking down 3-of-6 from beyond the arc, while Enterline, who also swiped a team-best six steals, provided her scoring output in transition. Mark missed only one of her seven shots and added eight rebounds as well, however Wisconsin's Danielle Ward held the rebounding game-high with 11 boards.

Wednesday's win marked the 23rd-consecutive win over the past five years and its fifth-straight undefeated Foreign Tour. Since the inception of the Tour in 1992, which has been held annually except for 2003, the All-Stars have gone 55-18 (.753).

The Big Ten All-Stars jumped out to a 14-4 lead in the first 10-minute period and did not look back. Purdue's Katie Gearlds scored the team's final six points in the first quarter en route to an all-around performance of nine points, seven rebounds and a team-high four assists.

All 12 student-athletes that played Wednesday scored. Illinois' Erin McCarthy and Michigan State's Rene Haynes added six points each, Minnesota's Leslie Knight and Ohio State's Tamarah Riley posted five apiece, while Iowa's Megan Skouby recorded four and Wisconsin's Ward finished with two.

As a team, the All-Stars finished 41-of-84 (.488) from the floor and 11-of-18 (.611) from the free-throw line. The 97 points was a Tour high for the team and was the highest scoring total since the All-Stars posted 110 against the Luxembourg Musel Pikes in their finale victory during last year's trip.

Enterline, Haynes, Mark, O'Rourke and Riley all earned the final starting honors for Illinois head coach Theresa Grentz.

For the entire 10-day, four-game Tour, Bjork led all scorers with 10.3 points per contest, while Ward led the rebounders with 7.3 boards per game. Additional categorical leaders include Enterline in assists (3.0), Gearlds in steals (3.5) and Skouby in blocks (1.5). O'Rourke also led the All-Stars in starts, beginning three of the four international games.

The Big Ten squad will spend Thursday in Oslo, before boarding the Crown of Scandinavia cruise ship for an overnight trip back to Copenhagen, Denmark. Upon arrival in Copenhagen, the team will have a few hours for last-minute shopping and will fly back to the U.S. just after noon. The All-Stars are expected in to Chicago's O'Hare airport around 5:30 p.m. CT.

GAUCHOS GIRLS JUNIOR COLLEGE ALUMNI SIGNS LETTER OF INTENT WITH MAJOR DIVISION 1 PROGRAM

Gauchos alumni Mayowa Onikute signed with the University of Houston. May signed her letter of intent to attend the university of Houston after considering Michigan State, Marshall University, Dayton University and St. Johns University

Jelila Abdul Bassit signed with the University of Maryland Eastern Shore and Jessica Clark signed with Providence College.

GAUCHOS GIRLS SUMMER NEWS
The Gauchos 16 Year-Old Girls Team Travel
August 4, 2006

The Gauchos Girls team started the summer in Fisher Indiana at the US Junior National Premier National Tournament. The team went undefeated in 3 days of tough physical play. Over 100 college coaches were in attendance to see the top talent at Fisher Recreational Center where over 90 teams participated. At the Adidas National Showtime the Gauchos team was 4 -1 losing to the eventual champions of the tournament by 9 points in pool play.

4 of the Gauchos players (Mesha Joseph, Tatiyana McMorris Dashens Stevens and Iasaia Hemingway) were chosen for the Adidas All- American Camp in Atlanta.

Rising senior Iasaia Hemingway who is the 12th ranked player in the country participated in the all-star game at Suwanne Sports Academy which featured Nikki Speed, Jasmine Dixon, Brookly Pope, Alex Montgomery, Gloria Johnson and Lenita Sanford. who are some of the top players in the country. The team moved on to Las Vegas to play in the Nike Main Event. After going undefeated in pool play and defeating All Comer (OGDL from California and The West Virginia Tornados in the playoffs. The team eventually lost to the Kansas City Keys in the final four.

The final tournament was the Nike Nationals in Augusta Georgia, which was the most important tournament of the summer. The competition was brutal with some of the best teams in the country.

The girls' pool included the West Coast Elite that had post players who are 6 - 5 - 6-4 and 6-3, the Boo Williams AAU team which has some of the best players in the country, the ODGL team from California, the Alabama Roadrunners and the West Virginia Tornados.

The Gauchos team came out of pool play unscathed and moved on to the gold bracket. After the playoffs was over, the Gauchos team made it to the final 8 of the gold bracket before losing to the eventual Nike National Champions the Georgia Metro led by the #1 player in the country Maya Moore.

Iasia Hemingway led all scorers in the Nike National Tournament with 18 point a game and she also led the entire tournament in rebounding. This was an impressive feat considering that she is only 5-11. Dashena Stevens the Gauchos super rising junior scored 14 points per game and averaged 7 rebounds in the tournament. She also tied Iasia in overall offensive rebounds for the whole tournament with 23 rebounds in a game.

Gauchos guard Alyssa Faubion was ranked 7th in assists in the tournament

Underclassmen Gauchos Girls Team Runners Up At Prestigious Boo Williams Tournament!
The New York City Gaucho girls team traveled to Virginia during the April evaluation period to compete in one of the elite tournaments of the spring and found themselves among the elite groups in the country, after going undefeated in pool play by an average margin of victory of 15 points [read more]

Tyrone Pearson's Gauchos 14U Team Strike Gold
The Gauchos 14U Black team took home the GOLD in the Metropolitan AAU DII 14U regionals at the Island Garden on May 29, 2006. Coach Tyrone's team used their 2005 AAU experience to catapult them into the AAU division II regional finals. The teams road to glory was not easy, but the gritty team pulled together to go undefeated throughout the New York Metropolitan regionals. [read more]

Gauchos 16U Strike Gold AT FIVE STAR's HOOP Classic
The Gauchos 16U participated last weekend in the Five Star Hoop Classic that was held at Basketball City. The weekend tournament featured elite AAU teams from across the country and throughout the Tri-State. [read more]

Gauchos' 16U AAU Team Show Great Promise
The Gauchos 16U team participated in LeBron "King" James Tournament this weekend in Akron, OH: The entire team deserves lots of praise for playing hard and making to the semi finals. [read more]

May 4, 2006 – New Film About Gauchos Now Playing Right Here
Thanks to the efforts of Board Member Charles Chiara and his business partner, Peter Mackie, we can now share our story with the whole world, over the internet. “The New York Gauchos: Hosted by John Salley” is now playing right here on our web site. Please watch this inspirational 10 minute film by clicking on the “GAUCHO FILMS” link on the right side of this page, and then choosing the film hosted by our good friend and Gaucho Alumni, John Salley. Charlie and Peter produced this film to be shown at last years fundraising event at the Copa and now they have made it available for streaming on our web site. Please tell your friends and family to come on-line on our site and watch the film. Thanks Peter and Charlie.

Tommy Swinton's 10U Team Win King James Shooting Stars Classic Championship!
May 01, 2006 The Gauchos 10U team coached by Tommy Swinton traveled to Akron, OH this past weekend (April 28th -30th) to compete in the King James Shooting Stars Classic Basketball Tournament and come home victorious. [read more]

Gauchos 15U, 16U, 17U Get Strong Start In 2006 AAU Season
The AAU season is off to a great start for the Gauchos Basketball Organization led by the Gauchos 15U championship win in The Spring Fling Tournament. [read more]

Gauchos 10U AAU Team WIN Maryland AAU Super Regional March 20, 2006
The 10U team traveled to Maryland this past weekend (March 17th -19th) to compete in the Maryland AAU Super Regional that featured 4 quality AAU teams. Coached by Tommy Swinton the Gauchos team went undefeated throughout tournament. Although it was a small Super Regional by most standards it was still very competitive. The Gauchos won their first game against the Fairfax Stars by 20, their second game against the Metro Sixers by 17, their third game against the Metro Ballers by 11 and won the championship game against the Metro Sixers by 7. The team entered the tournament with only 8 players (Steven Bush, Asante Gist, Justin Hill, Joshua James, Dakari Johnson, Malachi Richardson, Nohah Vickers and Tyler Wilson) instead of the 11 man roster that the team normally travels with. Tommy Swinton's team played very well on defense and offense collectively.

Last month, the team went 1-3 in pool play during the ICP tournament that was held in Portland Oregon. The Gauchos made it to the tournament semi final where they lost to a very strong ARC team from California. The team returned motivated from Oregon and worked hard to regain their winning ways in Maryland.

Gauchos Girls 8th Grade Team Score Big In Oregon March 9, 2006
The 8th grade girls traveled to Portland, Oregon to compete in the Nike Presidents Day Tournament of Champions in Portland, Oregon. The team went undefeated in pool play and beat two very competitive teams in the playoffs.[click for more]

MOVIN’ FORWARD, BY THE ‘BOOK’
An Interview with the new Director of Basketball Operations:
Emanuel Richardson
By Smackie – Gaucho Reporter - BRONX, NY: Oct. 12, 2005

As most of you know by now, there’s a new sheriff in town. Teamwork Foundation’s Board of Directors recently named Emanuel ‘Book’ Richardson to be the new Director of Basketball Operations for the New York Gauchos. Book had been a Gaucho coach for three years, prior to taking a coaching job last year at Marist College in upstate New York. Clearly excited and upbeat about his new challenge, Book took some time recently to answer some questions about the Gauchos, their limitless future and the task at hand. [read more]

GAUCHOS FLOORED BY KNICK GIFT!
GYM FLOOR WAS TO BE REPLACED DUE TO WATER DAMAGE!
By Smackie - Gaucho Reporter - October 11, 2005 – Bronx, NY

This past June, when a fire broke out in the building next door, we were all relieved that NYC fire fighters stopped it just short of reaching the Gaucho gym. Smoke and flame damage to ‘The House That Lou Built’ was mostly averted. But something was lurking under the gym, WATER. It seems that all that water they poured onto the flames managed to flow into and under the Gaucho gym – and as everyone is painfully aware – the Gaucho hardwood floor was severely damaged. Beyond repair, actually. Okay, that’s the bad news. [read more]

The Future Looks Bright For Gauchos Basketball
Summer Tournament Recap - September 27, 2005

The New York Gauchos are back on track and looking good. All solid AAU organizations have great foundations to build their future on and such is the case with the resurging Gauchos basketball program. 2005 has been a very successful year for the 9U, 12U, 13U, 14U and 15U AAU teams. [read more]

Marbury Honored by Gauchos Gym
NEW YORK, September 15, 2005 -- John Salley, Dwayne “Pearl” Washington, Mark Jackson, Chris Mullin, Jamal Mashburn…Over the past 27 years, the Gauchos program has produced an astonishing plethora of college and professional basketball greats. Thus Knicks super-guard Stephon Marbury’s reaction to receiving the organization’s inaugural Legends Award was more than understandable.[read more]

Written by :

Shaughn Dolcy