Blue Streaks’ junior earns scholarship to Division I hoops program

Kiersten Green, Manheim Township’s dynamic junior guard, has given a verbal commitment to accept a full scholarship offer from Division I Cleveland State University.

The Vikings compete in the Horizon League, along with Butler, Detroit, Green Bay, Loyola, Milwaukee, Illinois-Chicago, Valparaiso, Wright State and Youngstown State.

Green is the second L-L League player to accept a Division I scholarship before the 2009-10 basketball season tips off. Lebanon Catholic senior Hailey Carangelo signed with St. Francis.

Green burst onto the L-L League scene as a freshman, playing major minutes and averaging a team-best 10.8 points per game with 14 3-pointers in the 2007-08 season, when Township went 7-15 overall and did not advance to the postseason.

Last season was a different story for the Blue Streaks, who won the Section 1 championship with a 14-2 record and went 18-5 overall after falling to Lancaster Mennonite in the L-L League championship game and to rival Hempfield in the first round of the District 3 Quad-A playoffs.

Green averaged 17.1 points per game and drilled 26 3-pointers for the Streaks, who made their first appearance in the league finals since 1997, and won their first Section 1 championship since the 1994-95 season.

Green, an ultra quick guard who can run the point, come off picks for jumpers, and create her own shot, particularly in traffic, will begin her junior season with 631 points and 40 3-pointers for the Streaks, who will return four starters from last year’s team, and will very likely be the preseason favorite to defend their section crown under coach Lance Wagner.

Cleveland State, which is 4-3 so far this season, is coached by Kate Peterson-Abiad. The Vikings went 19-13 overall last season, falling to Milwaukee in the Horizon League semifinals.