The OldGold Purdue Sports Net: SEARCH | PRIVACY | COPYRIGHT | DISCLAIMER | CONTACT | LINK EX | DONATE | ADVERTISE
Celebrating 20 years on the Internet in March of 2015 !
Boiler UP!
Hammer Down!
Covering Boilermaker
Athletics since 1995!
Current Site Visitors Online:
31 visitors
OldGoldFreePress.com
HOME
BASKETBALL
MENS HOOPS MAIN
RECRUITING (M)
BOILERS IN THE PROS
WOMEN HOOPS MAIN
RECRUITING (W)
FORUMS
FOOTBALL
FOOTBALL MAIN
RECRUITING
FORUMS
OLYMPIC SPORTS
VOLLEYBALL
SPORTS NEWS
SPORTS NEWS
SPORTS NEWS (FACEBOOK)
COLUMNISTS
SPORTS NEWS ARCHIVE
BLOGS
The Purdue 'BBB'
Brad's Boilermaker Blog
PURDUE FORUMS
MENS HOOPS
WOMENS HOOPS
FOOTBALL
FOOTBALL RECRUITING
TICKET BOARD
OLYMPIC SPORTS
COMMENTS, IDEAS,
and/or SUGGESTIONS
BIG TEN LINKS
BIG TEN SPORTS FORUMS
BIG TEN MEDIA
BIG TEN NEWSPAPERS
SPECIAL FEATURES
10 TICKETS
PURDUE PREDICTIONS
OLD GOLD STORE
JOHN PURDUE CLUB

 

OLD GOLD FREE PRESS
Purdue Women's Basketball Recruiting

 Candace Parker

[Candace Parker]
 CLASS OF: 2004
 SCHOOL: Naperville Central HS, IL
 HEIGHT AND WEIGHT: 6'3
 POSITION: Power Forward
 02-03 RATINGS: #1 (BS)
 01-02 RATINGS: #1 (BS)
 ACADEMICS: Honor roll student
 STATUS: Mutual Interest
 AAU TEAM: Philadelphia Belles


BIO | NEWS | SCOUTING REPORTS | LINKS | SEASON STATS | HONORS | SCHEDULE

PLAYER BIO

It is hard to write a player profile that is accurate for any more than a few games when you talk about a player like Candace Parker. Parker is one of the nation's best players, a 6'3 forward from Naperville Central in Illinois. An all-american from her earliest high school days, Parker is not a stranger to the limelight. An athletic specimen from a family strong in basketball, Parker could surpass them all by the time she hangs up her sneakers. She has already beaten her two brothers in one respect. It took them until their junior years in high school to dunk a basketball. Parker did it halfway through her sophomore year, and made history by being only the second high school girls player to dunk in a game.

Candace is a fourth-generation basketball player in the family. Her great-grandfather played at Langston University, and her grandmother was a high school player in Oklahoma. Her father, Larry Parker, played at Iowa in 1972-76. Candace's brother Marcus is currently a medical student in Maryland, and her brother Anthony plays professionally in Israel after starring at Bradley with brief NBA stops in Orlando and Philadelphia.

The summer before her junior year found her in the spotlight nationally and internationally. After being chosen as an invitee to the Nike All-American Camp in Indianapolis, she toured with the Philadelphia Belles Select AAU team and defeated the French 1985 National Team in the finals of the 13th annual Reze International Cadet Tournament in France. Parker scored 17 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in the championship game, and averaged a double-double for the tournament. Named the tournament MVP, Parker averaged 24.2 points and 13.5 rebounds on 54-percent shooting. Her biggest game came against the Russia National Team when Parker scored 34 points and grabbed 20 rebounds.

As a sophomore, Parker led her team in average points per game (22.0), average rebounds per game (15.0), in blocks (104) and field-goal percentage (52.7), while finishing second in steals (118). This all came after a grueling 39-match volleyball season, during which she earned all-city first-team honors with 278 kills, 117 blocks, a .497 hitting percentage and .600 kill percentage as middle hitter for the Redhawks. Candace made Illinois high school history by being the first girl to dunk during a game. She would later dunk again. In the same game, she pulled down 34 rebounds, the 4th best rebounding effort in the history of Illinois state basketball. Naperville Central finished the seaosn 28-3. Parker was also named the Gaterade Illinois Player-of-the-Year.

As a freshman, Parker led the team in scoring and rebounding in 28 of 32 games, with a game high of 32 points. She averaged 20.8 points and 11 rebounds, and her 273 made field goals for the 2000-01 season ranks 24th all-time in the state of Illinois. Parker also plays volleyball where she is a middle blocker on a team that has been ranked nationally. Candace finished 16th in the voting for the Illinois Ms. Basketball Award as a freshman. She garnered two first place votes, seven second place votes, and 10 third place votes to finish with 41 total. Rutgers signee Cappie Poindexter had more than 700 votes to run away with the award. Candace finished with more votes than Barrington's Lindsay Richards, Purdue's own Emily Heikes, and Erin Lawless of Fenwick, considered then to be one of the top players in the country.

PLAYER NEWS

08-05-02...Candace Parker was a unanimous choice for All-Camp honors by the three Old Gold Free Press writers attending the 2002 Nike All-American Camp. For a look at our impressions, check out our Nike scouting report.
02-23-02...Postseaosn Update: Season over. No. 2 Benet upset No. 1 Naperville Central, 51-41 at Naperville. Candace Parker was limited in the third and fourth quarters due to foul trouble, and eventually fouled out of the game with less than two minutes remaining. She finished with 13 points, 14 rebounds and three blocked shots on the evening, as Naperville Central finished the season with a record of 28-3.

02-20-02...Postseason Update: Next game: 2/21 vs. Benet Academy at Benet Academy. Parker dunked for the second time this season in the 44-27 win over Glenbard North. She ended the game with 11 points.

02-18-02...Candace Parker has been named to the Chicago Sun-Times all-area team. Parker came close to being named the MVP, an award instead won by Johanna Solverson. Parker is at the head of a sophomore class that is being touted as Illinois' best class in years. Other sophomores on the all-area team include Fenwick guard Kristin Heidloff, Marian Catholic center Lauren Lacey, Trinity forward Caprice Smith and Neuqua Valley forward Lindsay Wisdom.

02-17-02...Postseason Update: Next game: 2/18 vs. Glenbard North at Benet Academy. Wheaton North has something their 2-22 record does not show. They have met Naperville Central twice this year, and both times have held all-american Candace Parker to only eight points. A bittersweet accomplishment, as they have lost both games. Naperville beat Wheaton North 66-27, then moved on to beat Wheaton-Warrenville South 55-29 on Thursday. Parker scored 29 in the win.

01-20-02...At the McDonalds Girls Prep Classic in Chicago...Naperville Central's Candace Parker scored 23 points and pulled down 15 rebounds against Wisconsin's No. 1 team Janesville Parker HS. The Parker of the Janesville variety beat the Parker of the Candace variety, 61-46. Duke recruit Mistie Bass had 17 points and 12 boards.

01-04-02...Sophomore Candace Parker continues to assault high school records. After being only the second high school girls player to dunk during a game on December 27th, Parker scored her 1,000th point in a 52-31 win over 11-3 Glenbard North. She also pulled down 34 rebounds in the game, the fourth-best rebounding effort in Illinois state history.

11-19-01...No.12 Naperville Central beat Elgin 59-37 behind 25 points from Candace Parker.

11-15-01...Blue Star has their newest rankings out. Missy Taylor is the highest rated verballed Purdue recruit on the "seniors only" list, at #61. Others of interest among the 100 listed...Sabrina Keys #66, Ashley Mays #73, and Sharika Webb #84. Looking at the list of the top 80 players regardless of class, Candace Parker ranks #15 as the top sophomore in the nation, and Katie Gearlds ranks #32 as the 7th best junior in the nation. Reicina Russell ranks 68th overall, and is the 17th best junior on the list.

10-28-01...The latest Street & Smith all-american teams have been released. Wilnett Crockett, visiting Purdue this weekend, is the highest honored prospect on the list. Crockett made the Street & Smith third team, while sophomore Candace Parker of Naperville Central (IL) made the fifth team.

05-20-01...Three names mentioning Purdue appear on USA Today's list of top girls underclassmen, one from each of the 2002, 2003, and 2004 classes. Barrington (IL) guard Lindsay Richards is listed as one of the eight top junior players, while Beech Grove (IN) wing Katie Gearlds is strengthening her reputation as one of the top players in the class of 2003. Keep and eye on a class of 2004 player Purdue is also all over, Naperville Central's (IL) 6'3 Candace Parker.


SCOUTING REPORTS

Scouting report from Capri Small and Bob Sternvogel at the 2002 Nike Camp..." College coaches are, by and large, a hard lot to impress. So when an athlete makes representatives of so many top staffs go "Ooh!" and "Wow!", she obviously has something. Candace, who has hang time on her hang time, gives off an air of feeling entitled to the paint. She elevates so effortlessly that it's easy to overlook how high off the floor she gets. At least once, she leapt, caught a pass, turned around while still in mid-air, and scored. Cat-quick, she can make a breathtaking cut to get into position to receive a pass, then catch and shoot the ball before any opposing defender can react. Candace can also legitimately guard the speediest of perimeter players. She needs a bit more muscle, grace, and overall consistency before she can be said to have surpassed Brittany Hunter. Still, Candace's infinite "upside" makes it easy to see why she's so coveted by so many. She said that this was her second Nike Camp, and that she enjoyed the experience more in 2002 because she knew what to expect. Among the personal goals she has set for herself are "to play with great heart and effort at all times" and "to develop a 'take no prisoners' attitude on the court". She hasn't thought much about college, but plans to start examining her options this fall." (August 5, 2002)

Steve Valiant at the 2001 Nike Camp..."Extremely fast for her size, she could shoot all over the floor including a few pull-up 3 point shots. She had the vision to make a few passes after penetrating from the wing." (July 21, 2001)


LINKS
  • Parker's versatility makes her one to watch [USA Today]
  • Parker leaps onto the scene [USA Today]
  • Naperville standout dunks ball in victory [Chicago Tribune]
  • Parker receives some help in upset [Chicago Tribune]


    SEASON TO DATE STATISTICS

    SEASON MIN PPG FG% FT% 3P% RPG APG BPG SPG RECORD
    2001→2002   22.0 .527     15.0   3.4 3.8 28-3
    2000→2001   20.8       11.0        



    AWARDS AND HONORS

    02-03 season
  • All-American First Team (Street & Smith)
    01-02 season
  • All-American Second Team (Parade)
  • All-American Third Team (USA Today)
  • Illinois Player-of-the-Year (Gatorade)
  • All-American Fifth Team (Street & Smith)
  • All-City First Team (volleyball)
    00-01 season
  • Reze International Girls' Tournament MVP
  • USA TODAY Top 5 freshman
  • All-American (Student Sports)
  • All-American Honorable Mention (Street & Smith)
  • All-State first team (News-Gazette)
  • Nike All-American Camp
  • All-State First Team (IBCA)
  • All-State First Team (News Gazette)
  • All-State Second Team (Chicago Tribune)
  • All-State, All-Area (Sun Times)



    2002-03 NAPERVILLE CENTRAL SEASON SCHEDULE
    Date Day Time Opponent ---- --- ---- -------------------- Naperville Central Tip-Off Tournament 11/22/02 FRI 6:00P TBA 11/23/02 SAT 6:00P TBA 11/26/02 TUE 6:00P TBA 11/29/02 FRI TBA TBA 11/30/02 SAT 12:00P TBA Naperville Central Tip-Off Tournament 12/05/02 THR 7:30P Hinsdale Central 12/07/02 SAT 4:00P @ Waubonsie Valley 12/12/02 THR 7:30P @ Glenbard East 12/14/02 SAT 3:00P West Aurora 12/19/02 THR 7:30P @ Wheaton Warrenville South Charger Classic (at Dundee-Crown) 12/26/02 THR TBA TBA 12/27/02 FRI TBA TBA 12/28/02 SAT TBA TBA 12/30/02 MON TBA TBA Charger Classic (at Dundee-Crown) 01/09/03 THR 7:30P Glenbard North 01/11/03 SAT 3:00P @ West Chicago 01/16/03 THR 7:30P Naperville North 01/18/03 SAT 3:00P Wheaton North Chicagoland Prep Shootout 01/20/03 MON TBA TBA Chicagoland Prep Shootout 01/23/03 THR 7:30P Glenbard East 01/25/03 SAT 3:00P @ West Aurora 01/30/03 THR 7:30P Wheaton Warrenville South 02/01/03 SAT 3:00P @ Glenbard North 02/06/03 THR 7:30P West Chicago 02/08/03 SAT 3:00P @ Naperville North 02/10/03 MON TBA @ Chicago Marshall 02/13/03 THR 7:30P @ Wheaton North 02/17/03 MON TBA IHSA Regional 02/18/03 TUE TBA IHSA Regional 02/20/03 THR TBA IHSA Regional 02/24/03 MON 7:30P IHSA Sectional 02/25/03 TUE 7:30P IHSA Sectional 02/27/03 THR 7:30P IHSA Sectional 03/03/03 MON 7:30P IHSA Super Sectional 03/07/03 FRI TBA IHSA State 03/08/03 SAT TBA IHSA State

  • As news organizations move their stories to an archive, some of the links listed above may become inactive

    OldGoldFreePress COLUMNISTS
    OGFP_Staff -Career Blocked Shots Rankings
    Bob_Richards -Women's Recruiting Update: Liza Clemons No. 1
    Steve -Opponent #11: University of Wisconsin
    MDC -NCAA: (5 seed) Purdue 76 - (4 seed) Washington 74
    Capri_Small -Purdue 76, Western Illinois 44
    Jimmy_D - Gazing into the Crystal Bubble, Part III: SEC / Big Ten / PAC 10
    Brad_Jewell -Introducing Purdue Sports News via Facebook
    Bob_Sienicki -Nike Camp: Elena Delle Donne Interview
    Bob_Sternvogel -Nike Camp Report #1 (Sparks and Monarchs)
    Guest_Columnist -Gazing into the Crystal Bubble, Part III: The SEC/Big Ten/PAC 10
    Others -Purdue Sports Info
     
    Current Site Visitors Online:
    31 visitors

    Share Share

     
    OldGoldFreePress.com is organized & maintained by a group of college sports reporters with the help of Purdue sports fans everywhere. OldGoldFreePress.com is an independent and unofficial Purdue (+ Big Ten Conference/NCAA) sports news site that is not affiliated with Purdue University, the Big Ten Conference, the NCAA and/or any university athletic program.

    Current Site Visitors Online:
    31 visitors

    Share Share

    © OldGoldFreePress.com 1995-2014