By Phil Murphy
Senior Multimedia/Content Manager, Washington D.C. Metro Area
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As T.C. Williams senior guard Tierra Ruffin-Pratt readied for the Titans’ practice and team photo on Wednesday afternoon she pulled the two-tone, reversible practice jersey over her head. Ruffin-Pratt flipped the white side out, the only player to do so against a backdrop of teammates donning all black.
But it was more than the color coordination — or Ruffin-Pratt’s incomparable skill — that made her stand out amongst the other Titans.
It was a padded, Velcro-strapped brace on her upper left arm, a tangible reminder of the separated shoulder she suffered in last season’s Patriot District championship game.
She only missed one game with the injury, but it was a Northern Region tournament first-round, elimination-game loss to Robinson.
That was T.C. Williams’ only defeat in 23 games last year.
“I need to keep being a leader on and off the court,” said Ruffin-Pratt, a four-year captain, of her responsibilities to the team in her senior season. “[I need to] help my team to what they need to do on and off the court, try to stay healthy as a player and keep doing what I’ve been doing the last three years.”
Her personal goal for this season was simple and direct.
“Just stay healthy,” she said.
The reiteration comes as no surprise.
The Titans are 62-13 in games in which Ruffin-Pratt has played in the last three years, but are 2-5 in those she has missed.
For a team that graduated eight seniors and has its third head coach in as many seasons, stability — both literal and figurative — for the nation’s top guard could not be more valuable.
“We need our underclassmen to step up and play hard,” said guard Khalia Boston, one of three Titan seniors along with Ruffin-Pratt and Monica Fikes. “It’s great to have Tierra on the team and it makes us all stronger and play a lot harder. She gives us a lot and brings a lot to the game, but the other teammates can’t leave it on here.
“She can’t do it by herself, she needs us.”
Added first-year coach Cavanaugh Hagen, a Titan alumnus: “I have high expectations, very high. We graduated eight, so that’s a large amount of kids you have to replace quickly … Everyone needs to understand their role, defensively and offensively.
“No one can win 1-on-5. I think they know that and I think Tierra knows that. For us to win, we all need to be on the same page.”
With all the off-season changeover and spots the fill, at least one distraction recently receded: Ruffin-Pratt’s college decision.
After months, even years, of courtship from the cream-of-the-college-basketball-crop, she chose her NCAA destination last week. Ruffin-Pratt elected North Carolina over Duke, Maryland, Rutgers, Virginia and a host of others.
“It was fun at first when the [recruiting] started,” said Ruffin-Pratt, the 2008 Gatorade Virginia Player of the Year. “But then it started to get annoying. When I committed, I was just glad it was over.”
Added Hagen, a stellar T.C. Williams guard herself from 1999-2001: “Having elite programs come after you, saying ‘Come this way, come this way,’ I’m sure she’s been pulled in many different ways. She’s built relationships with the coaching staff, with the players. It’s tough to tell someone, ‘No.’
“But when you’re looking out for yourself, the academic interests, the program, the school, the area, everything, I think she can be a kid again. She can just be ‘T.’ And she deserves that.”
With the Titans’ superstar free of distraction — and, hopefully, ailment — Ruffin-Pratt is the early favorite to repeat as Northern Region Player of the Year.
The former USA Today National Freshman of the Year averaged 26.5 points, 11.5 rebounds and over five assists per game in 2006 as a sophomore. And, as an encore, she posted 25.5 points, 15 rebounds and seven assists per game last year.
“With Tierra on the court, everyone should play better,” Hagen said. “She makes everyone around her better. So, if I’m a freshman and Tierra’s a senior and I were coming into the situation, I’d try and emulate what she does. She’s first to the gym, she’s carrying a [high G.P.A.], she doesn’t get in trouble, she has everything a coach could want.
“She’d be a good coach.”
T.C. Williams’ 2008 season began on Tuesday with a 55-47 loss at last year’s state runner-up Forest Park. Ruffin-Pratt tied her season-low from last season with 17 points, but added 15 rebounds and three blocks, including four rebounds in the game’s first :40 seconds.
Ruffin-Pratt’s AAU teammate, Bruin senior guard Danni Jackson, committed to George Washington, stole the show with a game-high 33 points. Despite the setback, Hagen and the Titans lack little confidence in their opportunity to do what Tierra does best: Rebound.
“Forest Park is a really good team, they played great,” Hagen said. “Danni Jackson is obviously their leader. I’ve known her since she was 12. We’ll see them again.
“Last year, we won the first 22 and lost the one that matters. This year, we lost the first one. I’d rather lose the first game and win the last 22.”
**DISTRICT PREVIEWS**
CONCORDE
The Northern Region’s top district is up for grabs and has considerable depth. That was proven last year when Robinson, the No. 4 seed from the Concorde, knocked off the previously-unbeaten — and Tierra-less — Titans in the first round of the regional tournament, 58-45.
Centreville was 10-2 in district play last season and had out-of-district wins over Madison and Yorktown — both participants in the Northern Region final four. But the Wildcats lose first-team All-Region guard Chelsea Dunn, the team’s leading scorer last year.
Seniors Kate Vennergrund and Victoria Marvin figure into the mix as the Wildcats look to surpass always-dangerous Oakton as top dogs. The Cougars lose three starters to graduation, but sharp-shooting sophomore Zora Stephenson and two-year captain, senior Erin McGartland provide solid balance to last year’s district championship team.
Impact W.C.A.C. transfers join Oakton and Fairfax, making the region’s most demanding district that much deeper. The Rebels add junior forward Lauren Burford, ranked No. 34 nationally in her class on ESPN, from St. John’s College in Washington, D.C.
Westfield was 9-3 in district play last year and returns both backcourt starters, senior Alicia Richardson and junior Shelby Romine. A first-round district tournament upset abbreviated the Bulldogs’ promising season last year. They hope to improve on last season’s campaign with Richardson as the lone senior on the roster.
LIBERTY
Madison has owned this district of late, winning 40 of its last 42 games. But the Warhawks return bring back just one starter — senior guard Dani Landry — and have a first-year head coach. The Liberty District has historically been a fight for second, but that will likely change this season with a host of proven challengers.
Langley returns four starters and finished second in the league last year before falling in overtime, 52-49, to Yorktown in the first round of regionals. Sophomore Audrey Dotson and junior Kristin Kody were first-team and second-team district nominees last year.
South Lakes is both the most athletic team in the Liberty District and the most experienced. The Seahawks have two four-year starters and two three-year starters on the roster.
Woodson reached the state tournament last year and was the Northern Region runner-up, while only losing two players to graduation. Senior Melissa Gallo is at the forefront of a roster with eight seniors, plus a transfer. The Cavaliers may have the best chance to overtake the Warhawks come February.
McLean showed promise last season, but has to replace six seniors, four of whom were starters. The Highlanders are fiery, but they are young, having graduated 61-percent of its offense.
Jefferson and Stone Bridge both have first-year coaches.
PATRIOT
Team records over the last three years for T.C. Williams: 23-7, 19-9 and 22-1. In that time, the Titans are 37-5 in Patriot-District play, with all in-conference losses coming in the 2006-2007 season. They lose eight starters, but feature four-year captain — and All-American caliber guard — Tierra Ruffin-Pratt.
Lee won the Northern Region tournament for the first time in school history last season, taking down Woodson, 66-40, in the final.
The Lancers were 25-4 and those losses were to T.C. Williams — twice — West Springfield and state champion Heritage. But Lee only returns two starters, senior point guard Jacqueline Williams and regional tournament MVP, senior Kristine Mial, losing nine players to graduation from last year.
West Springfield has looked simply awesome in the early part of the season, with a 52-27 win over Woodson, and has its historically solid perimeter and free-throw shooting at peak performance. The Spartans were 18-9 last year and return three starters, including Sam Landers, who was 11-for-11 from the line in the win over the Cavaliers.
South County features first-year coach Chrissy Kelly, from perennial power Forest Park, and have a “wealth of returners.” But they only have one senior on this year’s roster.
NATIONAL
No team has dominated its district like Edison.
In the last 75 district games — spanning 300 quarters — the Eagles have led after 299 of those quarters. The lone exception was the first quarter of the first Yorktown game last year, but Patriot guard LaNia Charity left the game with an injury and the Eagles ran away with victory.
A senior, Charity is back for the Patriots, Edison’s biggest threat to this year’s district title. The Eagles lose two players to top Division I programs — Adria Crawford to Florida State and Chasity Clayton to Georgetown — but return junior Myisha Goodwin, the top underclassman guard in the Northern Region.
The 5-foot, 4-inch point guard can stroke the three, take it to the rack or hit the floor to gather a loose ball with the best of them.
Last year, despite the one-sided history within the district, Yorktown advanced farther than Edison in the regional tournament. The Patriots reached the Northern Region final four. While the Eagles fell to the soon-to-be region champion Lancers, 63-53, in the second round.
Email: pmurphy@digitalsports.com
Thank you to all the Northern Region coaches that contributed to this report. — PM
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