Roper lassos spot on German hoop squad
By Etienne Emanuel

After spending two weeks in training camp for the Sacramento Monarchs of the Women's National Basketball Association, Christen Roper will travel to travel to Germany to play professional basketball in the town of Marburg.

The 6-foot-5-inch center, who played at Nordhoff High School, and was three-time all CIF-SS Frontier League MVP and led the Lady Rangers to a Frontier League title, as well as being named All-State and All-County Academic her senior year. She is taking a leave of absence from her final semester at the University of Hawaii to pursue her basketball career.

Roper's life is more than sports - she was also named to the All-WAC Academic Team. She also volunteered for several youth programs for island kids.

"I will still be continuing my education," said Roper. "All the foreign players on the team take language classes at a small university in Marburg."

The Marburg Marlins are one of the top women's teams in Division One of Germany's Federal Basketball League. The club won last year and went on to represent Germany in the European Cup.

Back in the states, Roper was one of the most intimidating defensive players ever at the University of Hawaii. She holds every shot blocking record at the school and in the Western Athletic Conference: most blocks per game, most blocks per season, most blocks in a career the list goes on. She was also named All-WAC twice.

In her junior year, she tied for 15th in the nation in blocked shots. She's also ninth best in the history of U.H. for field goal percentage (464). Roper also helped lead the Rainbow Wahine to the NCAA tournament three out of her four years at the University of Hawaii.

After playing in the Waikiki Beach and Paradise Classic Tournament, she was named MVP of the contest. Her four years at UH also earned her the title of WAC player of the week, meriting a spot on the All-WAC Tournament Team.

Roper turned down offers from San Diego State, Boise State, Wyoming, and Oregon to attend the University of Hawaii and become a Rainbow Wahine.

"When I was choosing schools, Hawaii seemed to offer the best package. All the schools I looked at were relatively the same regarding the academics, but the coaching staff and the players here are what impressed me and swayed my decision to come here."

Marburg is a city of approximately 80,000 people, and is 60 miles north of Frankfurt. It will be Roper's first time in Germany.

"I am so excited to get the opportunity to travel," she said. "It is something I've always wanted to do - but also (I want) to improve my skills and play against outstanding competition. I have played with several European players before and they have such a different style of play. It will really improve my game. And that is my main purpose for going to play over there: to improve. And hopefully come back and get picked up by one of the teams in the WNBA."

"We are very excited for her and just in general," said her mom, Debbie Roper. "We plan on going out there to visit her, do some sight-seeing and watch Christen play professional basketball in Germany. We couldn't be more proud."

© 2003 The Ojai Valley News

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