Plays like Paris

By Scott Moore
The Norman Transcript

July 16, 2008 01:25 am

— At times, Brittany Lewis looks a lot like Courtney Paris.
Tuesday, the Long Island Lightning center would take a pass and display the same soft hands that Oklahoma’s Paris possesses, then she’d simply put the ball in the basket. She even looks like Paris — same build, same look in the face.
And she has the game.
She scored a team-high 15 points Tuesday against the Chester County Wizards to stay alive in the AAU 13U Girls National Championship as the Lightning won 50-41 at Norman North.
“She had a monster game for us,” Lightning coach Dennis Nuss said.
Not that she does this all the time. She’ll be a ninth-grader and still has a long way to go. Still, there are moments she looks every bit as good as the Sooner center who has been a phenom in women’s college basketball.
“She’s so strong,” Nuss said. “She’s knows what to do with the basketball. She has such an inside presence. She’s really a dominant player.”
Case in point. With 12 minutes left in the second half, Lewis grabbed a rebound off a missed shot, then scored at the other end to give the Lightning an 18-point lead. On the next possession, she blocked a shot; then on offense, took a pass and made an easy lay-up to give the Lightning a commanding 40-22 lead with 10:58 left.
Chester County called a timeout.
Nuss made wholesale substitutions and Lewis went to the bench.
She didn’t return until there was just 2 minutes left. During that stretch, Chester County got within six points. The Lightning regained control and eventually built the lead back up to double digits, leading 47-36 right before Lewis got back in the game.
Some qualifiers should be in order. Chester County didn’t have as many players at the Lightning, so they were probably a little winded.
“But Chester County is a great defensive team, even though they didn’t have many kids,” Nuss said. “We took the air out of them and went inside to Brittany.”
Lewis said this was a fairly typical game for her, but you won’t catch her bragging about anything.
“I was getting kind of lucky with some of those shots,” she said. “I have my ups and downs, but this was typical, especially defensive-wise. I’m usually pretty good on the boards.
“I really can’t take all the credit. Our team, we just work well together. I had some great passes from my teammates.”
Guard Darius Faulk had a team-high 10 assists on a team that has been playing together for four years and plays eight to nine months a year. In the past two years at this tournament, the Lightning have finished third and fourth.
“This is what we live for,” Nuss said. “In the AAU season, this is the biggest tournament by far.”
As for Lewis, she averages about 10 points and 10 rebounds per game. Even though she looks and plays like Paris, she looks up to a current WNBA superstar.
“If I had to pick a role model, it would be Candace Parker,” she said. “She’s definitely a good player.”
Weather she becomes the next Paris or the next Parker remains to be seen. Tuesday at North, she was the best player on the floor.
“I try to incorporate everything in basketball. I even watch men’s basketball and maybe try to pick up some pointers so I can reach my potential. Really, I’m just trying to be the best basketball player I can be.”
Scott Moore
366-3535
sports@normantranscript.com