The Alabama women’s basketball 1,000-point club is exclusive, but don’t tell that to the current Crimson Tide team.
In program history only 27 women have accomplished the feat of scoring that many points. Coach Kristy Curry has three of them on the 2017-18 team, and there could be more before the season concludes.
Seniors Hannah Cook and Ashley Williams started the season as members of the club. Cook ranks 18th on Alabama’s all-time scoring list, and her shooting ability made her the first of Curry’s players at Alabama to reach the milestone. Williams is Alabama’s 19th all-time leading scorer, and a player who joined the club with efficient post play and offensive put-backs around the rim.
The two seniors got the honor of welcoming teammate Meoshonti Knight to the club in the Crimson Tide’s recent loss to Elon. It was a bright spot on an otherwise gloomy day.
“(Knight) has really stepped up this year,” Cook said. “I wish we could have won on her 1,000-point game because it would have been a better moment, but she’s really grateful and we are really excited for her.”
Knight powered her way to 1,000 points in her own way. While she can shoot from the outside like Cook, the majority of her points come from getting to the basket on drives, or knocking down shots at the free-throw line. Knight is a 66 percent free-throw shooter for her career.
“Seeing (Knight) improve over the years has been a blessing,” Williams said. “She’s being more aggressive and she has confidence in her shot. We always tell her to shoot the ball.”
The three 1,000-point scorers are a testament to the balanced offense Alabama has had in Curry’s five years in Tuscaloosa. Passing the ball and having five players score in double-figures each night is something the Crimson Tide takes pride in accomplishing.
This is not Curry’s first team to have three players in the scoring record book.
“I believe our Purdue teams and maybe one Texas Tech team had three (1,000-point scorers),” Curry said. “That was a great moment for (Knight), but a bad day for our team, and we congratulated her after the game. The thing with her game is she has to play confidently. She’s going to have people take away the drive so she has got to knock shots down over people.”
On top of the three players already mentioned, senior Quanetria Bolton will also have a chance to reach 1,000 points this season. Bolton started the season with 735 points, and scored over 280 points each of her past two seasons. With more depth inside, Bolton will need to be more efficient in fewer minutes if she wants to become the 28th member of the club.
Bolton has scored 45 points over seven games this season, but has nagged by an ankle injury that has held her back.
Alabama vs. Grambling State
When: 2 p.m. CT, Sunday, Dec. 10
Where: Coleman Coliseum
Records: Alabama 5-3, Grambling State 3-3
Radio: 93.3 FM (Tuscaloosa)
