Penn State's Kelly Mazzante has been one of the greatest players in the history of women's college basketball. But she's a senior, and next year the Lady Lions are going to need another stellar guard. Enter Amber Bland, a 5-9 shooting guard from Boardman (Ohio) High School.

"Amber is going to fill a giant void that will be left in our graduating class," Portland said after Bland signed her Letter of Intent in November. "Amber is one of the nation's finest guards and can do it all on both ends of the court. She can shoot with range and play great defense. We knew we were looking for a great guard, and we got one."

Bland, who lists her strengths as court awareness, tempo and energy, chose Penn State over Michigan State and Georgia Tech.

Why the Lady Lions? "It was the team, staff, the facilities and the education," Bland told the Macon Centre Daily. "It was just all phenomenal." She also was impressed after seeing how Coach Portland ran her practices. "It was really good to see," she said. "When something went bad, I got to see her reaction. It wasn't like she was trying to be nice because a recruit was there. She really showed how she is."

Bland's high school career came to an end last month, as Boardman fell in the Division I district final to arch-rival North Canton Hoover, 56-54, in overtime. Bland gave a supreme effort in the game, pouring in 34 points‹including 17 of Boardman's final 19 points. The Spartans finished 21-2 for the season, with both losses coming to Hoover (which now has defeated Boardman in three straight district finals).

For the season, Bland averaged 31 points, nine rebounds and six steals per game. She was named Division I co-player of the year (along with Marscilla Packer of Pickerington and Cincinnati Mount Notre Dame's Mel Thomas) on the Associated Press Division I girls All-Ohio high school basketball team.

Bland averaged 28 points per game as a junior, which helped lead to a Top 40 ranking by both All-Star Girls Report and Blue Star, two popular recruiting services. Her list of honors includes an invitation to the USA Youth Development Festival North Team, adidas Top Ten Camp Underclass All-Star (2002), adidas Top Ten Camp Upperclass All-Star (2003), Street & Smith All-America honorable mention (2003), and more. She played in the 16U AAU Nationals in Cocoa Beach, Fla., last year as a member of the Queen City Jaguars. And this week, she's been selected to play in the third annual adidas/EA Sports Superstar Girls' Game that will be played at the University of Tennessee.

An outstanding athlete, Bland won the Ohio state high jump championship as a freshman. She plans to major in dermatology at Penn State.

Article written by Gball Associate Editor Jim Catalano.

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