Rita Easterling
Personal information
Born (1953-04-22) April 22, 1953
Duncan, Oklahoma, U.S.
Listed height5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)
Career information
CollegeUNLV (1977–1978)
WBL draft1978: 1st round
Selected by the Chicago Hustle
PositionShooting guard
Career history
As player:
1978–1979Chicago Hustle
1979Washington Metros
1979–1981Chicago Hustle
As coach:
1982–1983Mississippi College (assistant)
1983–1985Clarke College
1985–1994Northeast Louisiana (assistant)
Career highlights and awards
As player:
Career WBL statistics
Points851 (10.5 ppg)
Games81

Janice Fincher (born April 22, 1953) is an American former basketball player. After playing college basketball for the UNLV Lady Rebels, she played professionally in the Women's Professional Basketball League, the first women's pro league in the United States.[1][2]

Playing career

College career

Fincher played college basketball for the UNLV Lady Rebels during the 1977–1978 season.

Professional career

In 1978, Fincher was drafted in the first round of the Women's Professional Basketball League by the Chicago Hustle. She averaged 16.6 points, 4.8 rebounds and 5.0 assists during her first season and was selected to the 1979 WBL All-Star Game.[3]

She quickly became Chicago's most popular player and when head coach Doug Bruno did not start her in the opening game of the 1979–80 season, he had to change his home phonenumber due to angry calls from Fincher's fans.[4] Shortly later, she was traded to the Washington Metros for two third-round draft picks and an undisclosed amount of cash. The trade turned out to be a very unpopular move with Chicago's fans, with many turning in their season tickets afterwards.[5] Due to the uproar, the Hustle tried to get the trade voided but could not do so before the Metros folded with Fincher going into a dispersal draft with the other Metros players. Despite having a chance to select her with the 4th pick, the team traded the pick to the Iowa Cornets for Denise Sharps, and Fincher was then selected with the fifth pick by the St. Louis Streak. The Hustle however, then traded Adrian Mitchell to the Streak for "Future considerations" which turned out to be Fincher,[6] and she returned to Chicago before the end of the month.[7]

Fincher remained with the Hustle until the WBL folded following the 1980–81 season.

Coaching career

Fincher served as an assistant coach at Mississippi College in 1982–1983 before being hired as the head coach of Clarke College in Newton, Mississippi.[8] In 1985, she became an assistant coach at Northeast Louisiana State College.[9]

References

  1. ↑ Michael Davis (12 February 1981). "She's No. 10 in your program and a '10' in your heart". The Shreveport Journal. Chicago Sun-Times. p. 2C. Retrieved 30 October 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Open access icon
  2. ↑ Mike Kiley (1 April 1979). "Hustle fans cheer Fincher's playing form, and more". Chicago Tribune. p. 3 (Section 4). Retrieved 30 October 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Open access icon
  3. ↑ Lacy J. Banks (27 November 1979). "Learns WBL 'cold business'". Des Moines Tribune. Chicago Sun-Times. p. 15. Retrieved 30 October 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Open access icon
  4. ↑ Bill Jauss (24 November 1979). "'Breena's Bombers' hit their target for Hustle". Chicago Tribune. p. 3 (Section 2). Retrieved 30 October 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Open access icon
  5. ↑ Bill Jauss (19 December 1979). "'Mistaken' Hustle puts in claim for Fincher". Chicago Tribune. p. 3 (Section 5). Retrieved 30 October 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Open access icon
  6. ↑ Bill Jauss (22 December 1979). "Where's Janie now?". Chicago Tribune. p. 3 (Section 2). Retrieved 30 October 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Open access icon
  7. ↑ Mike Conklin (27 December 1979). "Hustle regains Fincher, may lose general manager". Chicago Tribune. p. 3 (Section 4). Retrieved 30 October 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Open access icon
  8. ↑ "Clarke teams begin play under new coaches". The Newton Record. 2 November 1983. p. 6A. Retrieved 31 October 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Open access icon
  9. ↑ Filip Bondy (3 February 1986). "The blonde and the beautiful". New York Daily News. p. 48. Retrieved 30 October 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Open access icon
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