AREA SPORTS NOTEBOOK: Former Warrior testing NBA draft waters

By SCOTT JACKSON, Courier sports writer

Eventually, the NBA season will come to a end. When that happens, every team will turn its full attention to June 28 and the 2006 NBA Draft.

One player you probably will not see at that draft will be Akbar Abdul-Ahad, the starting guard on the 2004-05 Indian Hills basketball team. After playing all 27 games in his first year at Idaho State this past season — leading the Big Sky Conference in assist-to-turnover ratio — Abdul-Ahad plans on being back next year as a senior leader of the 2006-07 Bengals’ squad.

Still, that hasn’t stopped Abdul-Ahad from declaring for this year’s NBA Draft. That declaration, however, is Abdul-Ahad’s opportunity to begin clearing a path for the former Warrior to play at the pro level.

Abdul-Ahad looking to make name for himself against elite competition

Akbar Abdul-Ahad has already made plans to be in an Idaho State jersey next season for his senior year with the Bengals. Still, Abdul-Ahad has eyes on his playing career after his days at Idaho State are done.

For that reason, The former Warrior starting guard and Minneapolis native has declared for this year’s NBA Draft. Abdul-Ahad, however, doesn’t plan on staying in the draft pool but instead is looking to test himself against players who by next year may be starring on the NBA hardwood.

“I’m going in to play against the best talent out there,” Abdul-Ahad said. “I plan on coming back next season, but I want to have everyone’s attention first. I don’t want to get in (to the pros) through the back door. I want people to pay attention to me my senior year.”

By declaring for the draft, Abdul-Ahad will be able to compete in a number of different camps in front of numerous pro scouts before having to withdraw by the June 18 deadline. Abdul-Ahad is working out this week in Chicago with a camp hosted by Michael Jordan and Jordan’s training staff.

From there, Abdul-Ahad will head to Los Angeles to compete in against more draft prospects. All roads will eventually lead to the NBA’s Pre-Draft Camp, held in Orlando from June 6-10.

“Some guys are afraid of what people will say about them (in these camps). I want people to judge how good I am,” Abdul-Ahad said. “I want to show people the way I can play, all my strengths and all my weaknesses. I have plenty of confidence, and that’s what I can offer any team in the future.

“It will either help you or humble you, but it’s always a learning experience.”

When Abdul-Ahad returns to Idaho State, he’ll have a familiar face to Warrior fans coaching his team. The former Warrior will be coached next year by Joe O’Brien, the former three-time national championship head coach at Southeastern, IHCC’s biggest rival.

“He’s always bringing up that we’re rivals,” Abdul-Ahad joked of O’Brien. “We respect each other, and he understands that I’m willing to always get better. He’s a great guy. He’s got a lot of energy.”

Former Warrior Cook receives final honors from Drake softball

Former Indian Hills softball star Shanna Cook didn’t let her intercollegiate career end without a bang.

Cook finished off a senior season in which the former Warrior was named a first-team all-Missouri Valley third basemen by leading the Drake Bulldogs to a deep run in the MVC Tournament.

Cook fueled Drake’s offense in four postseason games, staring in an elimination game against Southern Illinois and conference pitcher of the year Cassidy Scoggins. Cook nailed a pair of two two-run homers, keeping the Bulldogs’ season going with a 4-1 win over the Salukies.

Cook’s feat — which also tied an MVC Tournament record and gave Drake a school-record second postseason win — made the Sioux City native only the second Bulldog player to hit two homers in a game. Cook joined Olympian Dani Tyler, who accomplished that feat for Drake in 1994.

For her final season, Cook led Drake with a .310 batting average, 53 hits and 32 RBI, stats that ranked Cook seventh in MVC for hits and RBI. Cook also finishes fifth on Drake’s all-time home run list for a season (7) and for a career (9).

Cook earned first-team Louisville Slugger/NFCA and NJCAA Division I All-American status as well as All-Academic honors during her two years at Indian Hills. The MVP of IHCC’s 2004 team still owns a number of Warrior records including career hits (180), single-season hits (120) and career stolen bases (66).

Cook’s IHCC and Drake teammate, Cassie Heller, represented the City of Bridges proudly in her first season in Des Moines. The Ottumwa native finished a stellar season in the pitching circle by closing out Drake’s final win of the year, earning her fifth save in the Bulldogs’ MVC Tourney win over Southern Illinois.

Swanson, Kirkwood finish season at JUCO DII National Tournament

Another grad of Ottumwa that finished an intercollegiate season with a deep postseason run was Sabrina Swanson. Swanson completed her freshman year at Kirkwood by leading the Eagles on a dramatic run to the NJCAA Division II National Softball Tournament.

The Eagles advanced to nationals by earning a somewhat surprising Region XI Tournament title in Fort Dodge. Seeded fourth to being the tournament, Kirkwood ran through four straight victories at Harlan Rogers Park capped by a 10-0 blowout of second-seeded Muscatine in the regional championship game.

Kirkwood lost two tough games at the national tournament in Bloomington, Ill., but not without Swanson leaving a mark. In a wild 10-8, opening-game loss to Blackhawk College, Swanson led the Eagles, scoring the team’s first national tourney run on a second-inning solo homer as well as adding a third-inning RBI single that helped Kirkwood build an early 4-0 lead.

Courier sports writer Scott Jackson can be reached at stjackson@mchsi.com.