Lady Vols feeling pain of summer

Shekinna Stricklen on the women's Pilot Rocky Top League

The Women's Pilot Rocky Top League's feel-good storyline has taken a hit.

Make that two hits and both involve Tennessee women's basketball players.

Junior point guard Shekinna Stricklen went down early in Smith & Hammaker's 54-42 loss to Duncan Automotive Thursday night at Catholic High School and had to be helped off the floor. She ended up on crutches with an ice bag on her left knee.

Stricklen said that the injury wasn't serious, saying that she tweaked her quadriceps tendon.

"It's been bothering me all year long, she said.

The other Lady Vols rushed to her aid, along with medical personnel. Stricklen estimated that "three or four of them" called Jenny Moshak, the Lady Vols associate athletic director for sports medicine.

"I was the first to suggest it,'' teammate Alicia Manning said.

Stricklen said that she will be examined by Moshak "the first thing in the morning."

Redshirt freshman Faith Dupree didn't play for Duncan. She was sporting a splint on her left hand after suffering what's believed to be a hairline fracture of her wrist in Tuesday's game against DeRoyal.

Dupree, who had an X-ray Thursday, said that she will undergo further examination next Tuesday.

"If it turns out to be a fracture, I'll just do everything I can without this hand,'' she said.

Dupree thought that the injury was the byproduct of a rebound scramble with Lady Vols senior Angie Bjorklund that sent Dupree tumbling to the court.

"I think when Angie and I went up for a rebound we got our arms tangled somehow,'' Dupree said. "She came down first and pulled me down. I tried to catch myself."

And the rest becomes part of Dupree's medical history.

"Not saying anything but Angie gets all the calls,'' Dupree said jokingly. "No fouls on this."

The injury won't curtail most of Dupree's summer conditioning, which is crucial to her comeback from missing last season with back problems. She completed Thursday's team workout.

Before the injury, Dupree had been pleased with how she was holding up physically. Her back has been largely pain-free, requiring only an occasional adjustment.

"Being able to play a whole game, I didn't think I was in that good of shape,'' she said.

Dupree put her summer league playing time to good use, averaging 21.2 points per game for the five games she played. Her only single-digit effort was seven points against Tennessee Team Hustle last Thursday. She missed most of that game after taking an elbow to the throat from UT teammate Glory Johnson.

Dupree referred to her wrist injury as "bad luck" and wondered about UT coach Pat Summitt's reaction.

"I hope she doesn't get upset and make us not play (in the league) next year,'' Dupree said. "I could've done this in pickup (basketball). It's not like it's the league's fault."

The attrition highlighted a spotty turnout of players Thursday. adidas mustered just six players, borrowing Jenna Mire from DeRoyal. The makeshift squad was overwhelmed by the News Sentinel, 93-70.

Lady Vol Kamiko Williams scored 35 for the News Sentinel, hitting four 3-pointers. Former Lady Vol Dominique Redding scored 32.

Smith & Hammaker, which started with five players, pulled two players from the stands to finish its game.

The evening's final game had enough players and no injuries with Tennessee Team Hustle beating DeRoyal, 61-38. Bjorklund played her final game in the league, scoring 20 points.

nWilliams' father, Vincent, attended his daughter's game. He is a master sargeant in the U.S. Army and said that he will be leaving for Afghanistan at the end of July.