Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
SYRACUSE -ÊAs she stared in the mirror just one week ago, Shanna Zolman took a moment to take it all in.
Her dream of becmoing Miss Basketball and wearing the No. 1 jersey in the Indiana-Kentucky All-Star game had come true.
"It's amazing," said Shanna. "It's a dream come true. When I went down to the Indianapolis Star last Monday and they opened the cabinet with all the different No.1 jerseys. it was amazing.
"When I went to try it on, I just stared in the mirror and tried to take it all in. This is a dream for almost any boy or girl who plays basketball. Now to be able to live it, I can't describe it."
The dream officially became a reality for Shanna Saturday evening in Indianapolis as she was named Indiana's 2002 Miss Basketball.
Shanna, who has led the state in scoring since her first varsity game as a freshman, earned 205 of 256 votes for the honor. Indiana coaches and members of the media vote on the award.
"She is excited to know that others voted on her behalf," said Shanna's father and coach Kem Zolman. "It is a great honor. It's very humbling to be honored by coaches and members of the media.
"Her eyes lit up when she saw the uniform. It was neat to see the grin on her face when she saw the No. 1 jersey and put it on."
No other player received more than eight votes in the balloting conducted by The Indianapolis Star.
Shanna broke the Indiana high school girls career scoring record as a senior and finished her career with 3,085 career points. She sits at second on the all-time scoring list, 52 points short of Damon Bailey's 3,134 career points.
As a senior, Shanna sported a 55.6 shooting percentage from the field, a 49.5 three-point shooting percentage and a 94.7 free-throw shooting precentage.
She also averaged nine rebounds, five assists and 4.6 steals per game this year.
Shanna was seen as the favorite for the Miss Basketball honors, but she has worked hard for the accomplishment.
"Shanna has spent countless hours in the gym," said Kem Zolman. "It's not what most teenagers did, but her hard hard work has paid off.
"This is a great individual honor, but I know she would trade it for a state championship."
Wawasee's dream of making a trip to the state finals this season was stopped short in the Warsaw Sectional when Columbia City defeated the Warriors 44-42 in the semifinal game. Wawasee finished the season 22-3.
In Shanna's four years at Wawasee, the Warriors went 71-19, won two sectional championships and two Northern Lakes Conference Holiday Tournament titles. The Warriors also won the NLC title outright the past two years.
But Shanna's high school playing days are not over yet. As a finalist for the Naismith National High School Player of the Year, Shanna will play in the McDonald's All-American game in New York April 4. Then she will travel to Hartford, Conn., April 6 to play in the Women's Basketball Coaches Association All-America game.
Then Shanna will play a little closer to home at the Indiana-Kentucky All-Star series. The All-Stars compete June 15 in Owensboro, Ky., and June 22 at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
Shanna Zolman Career Scoring
Year G Pts Avg
1998-99 21 656 31.2
1999-00 23 759 33.0
2000-01 24 824 34.3
2001-02 25 846 33.8
Career 93 3,085 33.2
Indiana Miss Basketballs
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - These players have been named Indiana high school Miss Basketball since the award's inception in 1976:
1976-Judi Warren, Warsaw
1977-Teri Rosinski, Norwell
1978-Chanda Kline, Warsaw
1979-LaTaunya Pollard, EC Roosevelt
1980-Maria Stack, Columbus East
1981-Cheryl Cook, Indpls Washington
1982-Trena Keys, Marion
1983-Jody Beerman, Heritage
1984-Sharon Versyp, Mishawaka
1985-Jodie Whitaker, Austin
1986-Kim Barrier, Jimtown
1987-Lori Meinerding, FW Northrop
1988-Vicki Hall, Indpls Brebeuf
1989-Renee Westmoreland, Scottsburg
1990-Patricia Babcock, Culver Academy
1991-Jennifer Jacoby, Rossville
1992-Marla Inman, Bedford N.Lawrence
1993-Abby Conklin, Charlestown
1994-Tiffany Gooden, Fort Wayne Snider
1995-Stephanie White, Seeger
1996-Lisa Winter, Huntington North
1997-Lisa Shepherd, Richmond
1998-Kelly Komara, Lake Central
1999-April McDivitt, Connersville
2000-Sara Nord, Jeffersonville
2001-Shyra Ely, Indpls Ben Davis
2002-Shanna Zolman, Wawasee
