Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Hampton women cruise past Delaware State on Senior Night

MELANIE WARNER
 FORWARD, SENIOR
HOMETOWN: TALLAHASSEE, FL
NORTH FLORIDA CHRISTIAN H.S.
HAMPTON, Virginia - Melanie Warner's smile was bright, but it masked myriad emotions.

Warner, Hampton's senior guard/forward, caught the opening tip of Monday night's game against Delaware State with her left hand, then immediately headed to the bench. She spent the rest of the night cheering her teammates, playing their final home game of the season, with the broken finger on her right hand heavily wrapped.

Warner, averaging 10.7 points, 6.5 rebounds and 32.7 minutes per game for the Lady Pirates, jammed the finger catching a pass in Sunday's practice. She will have surgery Tuesday and is likely out for the rest of her final season.

"It's bittersweet," said Warner, a 42 percent 3-point shooter who shoots 83 percent from the free-throw line. "Everybody wants to play on senior night, but my teammates held it down, so I'm OK with it. All I can do is be positive and just cheer on my teammates. I know that they have my back."

They certainly did on Monday, dispatching Delaware State 71-44 after a ragged 0-for-9 start from the field. But even as the Lady Pirates (20-4, 12-1 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) cruised to victory, trailing by no fewer than 23 points in the second half, their missing teammate wasn't far from their thoughts.

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