Westside and Elsik HS alums play key roles in Texas A&M National Championship

Westside High School graduate Sydney Colson scored 10 points, dished out five assists, collected three steals and went 6-for-6 from the charity stripe. In hitting a perfect 6-of-6 from the free throw line, Colson is just the 12th athlete in Women's Final Four history to finish a game shooting 100 percent from the free throw line (minimum six made).

Colson recorded 13 steals over the final three games of the Tournament, including eight in the Final Four

"Sydney Colson responded by playing the game the correct way, like a point guard should. That's why she'll be in the WNBA," said Texas A&M head coach Gary Blair in the post-game press conference.

Colson averaged eight points per game and led the Aggies with 221 assists on the year.

Speaking to the media, Colson said, "I think it's so huge, just because it's finally like, you know, we've had track and field win championships, equestrian, and those are big sports, but a lot of people have been waiting for women's basketball to really do something big.

"We've won Big 12 tournaments, and that was all exciting and everything. But analysts, people around the nation, people have been believing in us and saying that they think we can be contenders for the national championship and we can make it to the Final Four.

"And in the past two years we had underachieved tremendously. And I think this team was sick of it. We got together this summer, decided to have voluntary workouts, getting together, conditioning, working on our one-on-one games, and I think it prepared us for what we were going to go through this season with the ups and downs we've had, everybody being resilient, working hard and believing in one another. We were able to fight and battle through it. And I think it's huge not only for our team but for the Aggie community.

"I was telling them I wish we could see some snapshots of what was going on in College Station, just to see how proud of us they are, because I know they really are."

Colson was rated the 29th overall prospect and No. 8 point guard in the Class of 2007 by the All-Star Girls Basketball Report. The McDonald's High School All-American nominee was named the 2005 Houston Chronicle Girls Preseason Player of the Year after coming off a 29-4 sophomore campaign. Colson earned All-Greater Houston honors averaging 16.2 points and 4.2 assists per game as a junior. She played AAU summer basketball for the Houston Insiders coached by James Daniels, and the West Coast Elite, a California-based club team formerly coached by Kevin Morrison.
 
Colson, born August 6, 1989, is the daughter of Simmie and Stephanie Colson.

Elsik High School graduate Adaora Elonu scored nine points, grabbed seven rebounds, dished out an assist, blocked a shot and tallied a steal in the victory.

Elonu, a junior forward, averaged 8.4 points per game and 5.9 rebounds per game this season for the Aggies.

At Elsik, Elonu was rated the No. 49 overall prospect and the sixth-best power forward in the Class of 2008 by the All-Star Girls Basketball Report. She was named District MVP, first team All-Region, and first team All-State by the TABC and TGCA as a senior. Elonu led Elsik to the state quarterfinals in 2008, and she was a Greater Houston All-Star and MVP and Greater Houston Second Team pick. The four-time first team All-District selection was selected as second team all-state and second team all-region as a junior.

Elonu, born April 28, 1990, is the daughter of Dozie and Amaka. She is the younger sister of former Texas A&M men's basketball center Chinemelu Elonu, who was drafted by Los Angeles Lakers. Elonu is an allied health major at Texas A&M and plans to attend medical school after graduation.

See Sydney Colson's Athlete Tracker page