The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

SO far so good for 23-year-old Waltiea Rolle.

While her DSK Karlin team continues to struggle in the Czech Republic ZBL Women’s Basketball League, Rolle has been racking up the numbers in a few of the individual categories.

Rolle has been named the third best player in the ZBL league for the week, according to Eurobasket.com.

The results for Player of the Week or top performers are based on efficiency calculation, individual game results, importance of the game, and if player records double/double or triple/double. The decision is made by a number of scouts and journalists.

Rolle, a six-foot, six-inch center out of the University of North Carolina, is averaging 17.5 points per game for third place in the standings. However, she tops the list in rebounds with 11.0 rebounds per game and her 1.0 blocks per game has her listed at No. 5. She trailed Morgan Johnson, an American center for Kara Trutnov, who received the Eurobasket.com Player of the Week award after she posted a double-double of 16 points and 10 rebounds in their 69-66 win over Strakonice and Serbian Natasa Ivancevic of SSMGH Brno with her double-double as well of 19 points and 10 rebounds in their 92-62 loss to Sokol HK.

DSK Karlin is currently 0-3 for 10th place out of a field of 12 teams in the ZBL standings that is led by USK Praha and Valosun Brno, both at 3-0, for first and second plsce. BLK Praha is also undefeated at 2-0 for third place.

In their first game on September 21, in which DSK Karlin fell 74-62 to Lokomotiva, Rolle had 15 points and nine rebounds in 25 minutes. In their second game on September 25, Rolle didn’t suit up in the team’s 94-45 loss. And in their third game on September 28, Rolle played 32 minutes and produced her best game so far with her first double-double with 24 points and 13 rebounds.

Opting to go to Europe to begin her professional career before she becomes a member of the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) next year, Rolle is being managed by Xcel Management Group International, LLC, who have launched a Fan Page on Facebook dubbed Waltiea Rolle ‘Rise of a Legend’ where Bahamians can show their support, leaving an encouraging message for her before every game.

Rolle, who was the first Bahamian to be drafted in the WNBA by the Minnesota Lynx with the 36th pick in the third round this year, is scheduled to return to the court on Wednesday when DSK Karlin takes on the league leading USK Praha.

The Lynx, led by Maya Moore, Seimone Augustus and Monica Wright, won the Western Conference title and will now play the Eastern Conference champions Atlanta Dream for the WNBA crown, starting on October 6. The Dream is led by Angel McCoughtry, Tiffany Hayes and Armintie Herrington.