ALL IN THE FAMILY: MOTHER-DAUGHTER DEVOTION UCLA'S BLUE INSPIRED BY STRENGTH FROM SUPPORTIVE PARENT.Byline: Ramona Shelburne Ramona Shelburne is an American sports journalist currently writing for the Los Angeles Daily News. Shelburne was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. She attended El Camino Real High School in Woodland Hills, California where she was a class valedictorian. Staff Writer It's just a quick look, then a point and maybe a smile. A moment of acknowledgment. Unless you were watching closely, you'd probably miss it. Nikki Blue Nikki Blue was a WNBA basketball player from 2006-2006. She played in 24 games and played for the Washington Mystics. Nikki attended West High in Bakersfield, California and later went on to play for UCLA. and her mother, Sabrina Hunter, never do. In the four years Blue has starred at UCLA UCLA University of California at Los Angeles UCLA University Center for Learning Assistance (Illinois State University) UCLA University of Carrollton, TX and Lower Addison, TX , Hunter has missed only one game at Pauley Pavilion Edwin W. Pauley Pavilion, informally and commonly known as Pauley Pavilion, is an indoor arena located on the campus of UCLA in Los Angeles, California. It is home to the UCLA Bruins men's and women's basketball teams. The men's and women's volleyball teams also play here. . And you'd better believe Blue noticed the night her mom wasn't there at tip-off. ``Right away,'' Blue said. ``I looked up and couldn't find her. So I started getting worried because I knew she was supposed to be there. I think I scored zero points in the first half.'' Snow in the Grapevine was the culprit on that night two years ago. The portion of Interstate 5 that connects the San Joaquin Valley Noun 1. San Joaquin Valley - a vast valley in central California known for its rich farmland Calif., California, Golden State, CA - a state in the western United States on the Pacific; the 3rd largest state; known for earthquakes to the Los Angeles Basin The Los Angeles Basin is the coastal sediment-filled plain located between the peninsular and transverse ranges in southern California in the United States containing the central part of the city of Los Angeles as well as its southern and southeastern suburbs (both in Los Angeles was closed. Hunter was stuck at home in Bakersfield, with no way to let her daughter know what was going on. Barring any other unforeseen circumstances, Hunter will be at the HP Pavilion HP Pavilion may refer to:
San Jose (sănəzā`, săn hōzā`), city (1990 pop. 782,248), seat of Santa Clara co., W central Calif.; founded 1777, inc. 1850. this morning, cheering on her daughter, as the Bruins face off against Cal in the first round of the Pacific-10 Conference The Pacific-10 Conference (Pac-10) is a college athletic conference which operates in the western United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division I. Membership Full members Tournament. Regardless of when UCLA's season ends - this week or in the NCAA Tournament NCAA Tournament can mean: Men's Sports
She's sixth all-time on the school's scoring list and second in assists, having recently passed the great Ann Meyers Ann Elizabeth Meyers (born March 26, 1955 in San Diego, California) is a distinguished figure in the history of women's basketball and sports journalism. A standout player in high school, college, the Olympic Games, international tournaments, and the professional levels, she is one . The biggest assist of her career belongs to her mom. ``I think it was because of (my family) I made it,'' Blue said. ``They put the utmost faith in me, they pushed me and kept encouraging me to do better. ``My mom is my best friend in the world. Just having her there, supporting me is the most important thing to me.'' Sabrina Hunter is always at Nikki's games. Not because Nikki is living a dream Hunter had to abandon after one year of junior college. Not because Nikki is a star, or because UCLA is about as far from 4th and P streets in a gang-infested neighborhood in central Bakersfield as you can get. ``Just because. I'm there for her. For support,'' Hunter said. ``Whatever my kids are in, I'm there. It doesn't matter what it is, I'm there. ``In our neighborhood, sometimes it's the drug dealer who makes a kid feel important, or a gang. But in our family, we make you feel like you're something even if its just a hopscotch tournament. We're always going to be there.'' Sabrina Toney (her maiden name maiden name n. A woman's family name before she is married. Used of a surname that is replaced by a woman when she marries. Also called birth name. ) was once a basketball star, too. She was an All-Central Section player at Bakersfield High in the early 1980s. She scored 43 points in a game one night at Porterville Junior College in 1982-83. Sabrina wanted to keep playing after junior college, but it was a different time back then. And when she met a young man named James Blue, everything changed. They got engaged, but it didn't last. So she moved in with her mom, got a job as a bus driver from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. and a post office worker at night. Later, Hunter, her sister and a friend opened a barbecue restaurant on South Chester Avenue in Bakersfield where she works nights. She didn't make a lot of money, but she made enough to raise Nikki and her younger brother, Andre Hunter. They lived in a rough part of town. At nights, they'd hear gunshots and lay on the floor until it stopped. The park across the street was safe, but not after dark. ``Everybody in Bakersfield thinks its a bad neighborhood,'' Blue said. ``It's not the worst neighborhood, but it's definitely the 'hood. You have the 'hood and the ghetto. We're from the `hood. ``But we never lacked anything because my mom always worked so hard.'' One summer, Blue invited her friend and UCLA teammate Noelle Quinn to come visit her in Bakersfield. ``I went to see her family and it wasn't a great area. ... but it made me realize how far she had come from that area and how much she tries to give back,'' Quinn said. ``I really admire that.'' Blue goes home to Bakersfield every chance she gets. Being able to do that was part of the reason she chose UCLA over perennial national title contender Connecticut out of West High in Bakersfield five years ago. Pretty soon though, she'll likely have to move away as she begins a professional basketball career. According to a WNBA WNBA Women's National Basketball Association WNBA World Ninepin Bowling Association WNBA Wannabe Nasty Boys Association WNBA Women's National Book Association, Inc. WNBA Warszawski Nurt Basketu Amatorskiego scout who was watching her play earlier this season, Blue will be one of the top point guards in this year's draft class. Sabrina Hunter is already stockpiling her vacation days for next year. ``I'll be there, wherever she goes next year,'' she says. ``I'm already saving up.'' Ramona Shelburne, (818) 713-3617 ramona.shelburne(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): 2 photos, box Photo: (1) Senior guard Nikki Blue is only the fifth woman to earn first-team all-Pac honors four years straight at UCLA. Edna T. Simpson/Daily News (2) Sabrina Hunter, the mother of UCLA's Nikki Blue, has missed one of her daughter's game in four years. Tom Mendoza/Staff Photographer Box: PAC-10 WOMEN'S TOURNAMENT |
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