Jessica Gaspar
Jessica Gaspar (born December 7, 1976) is an American former professional basketball player. After graduating from University of North Carolina in 1999, she went overseas and played professional basketball in Iceland.
Personal information | |
---|---|
Born | December 7, 1976 |
Nationality | American |
Listed height | 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m) |
Listed weight | 143 lb (65 kg) |
Career information | |
High school | Dartmouth (Dartmouth, Massachusetts) |
College | North Carolina (1995–1999) |
Playing career | 1999–2002 |
Position | Point guard |
Career history | |
2000–2001 | KFÍ |
2001–2002 | Grindavík |
Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Early life
Gasper attended Dartmouth High School where she played basketball[1][2] and was a four-time Eastern Athletic League All-Star. She averaged 26.4 points during her senior season. During the post-season, she averaged 31.2 points per game.[3][4]
College career
Gaspar played with the North Carolina Tar Heels from 1995–1999, winning the ACC twice and advancing to the NCAA tournament three times (1997–1999). During the second round of the 1997 NCAA tournament, as the Tar Heels where eliminating Michigan State, Gaspar tore her ACL in her left knee while driving to the basket.[5][6]
Iceland
Gaspar joined KFÍ in the Icelandic Úrvalsdeild kvenna for the 2000–01 season.[7] She broke the Úrvalsdeild single game assist record on November 24, 2000, when she had 17 assists against Grindavík[8] and led the team to a 10-6 record, good for third place,[9] and first ever playoff appearance. Despite averaging 19.5 points and 13.5 rebounds, KFÍ got swept by Keflavík in the semi-finals. Gaspar led the league in scoring (24.1 ppg), assists (5.3 apg) and steals (5.1 spg)[10] while coming second in rebounds (10,0). For her efforts she was voted the Foreign player of the year.[11][12]
Gaspar joined UMFG for the 2001–02 season[13][14] and won the Icelandic Cup with them after defeating Keflavík in the finals, 82-58.[15] After averaging 21.5 points in the first 11 league games,[16] she sustained a partial tear in the anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee in January, the same ACL she had surgically repaired at the end of her sophomore season at UNC in 1997, and missed the rest of the season.[17][18] Despite the injury, she led the league in rebounds (13.7), set a league record for steals per game (7.2)[19] and was once again voted the Foreign player of the year.[12]
Titles, awards and achievements
Titles
- ACC champion: 1997, 1998
- Icelandic Basketball Cup: 2002
Awards
- Úrvalsdeild Foreign Player of the Year: 2001, 2002
Achievements
- Úrvalsdeild scoring champion: 2001
- Úrvalsdeild assists leader: 2001
- Úrvalsdeild rebounding leader: 2002
- Úrvalsdeild steals leader: 2001, 2002
External links
References
- Todd Archer (19 February 1995). "Gaspar used to tough foes, tough crowds". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
- Howard Ulman (19 February 1995). "Women stars face dim future in basketball". Fort Worth Star Telegram. pp. 1C, 11C. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
- "The 1995 Boston Globe All-Scholastic girls' basketball team". The Boston Globe. 2 April 1995. p. 64. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
- Barry McGurn (14 March 1995). "Haverhill's right at home in Garden - again". The Boston Globe. p. 66. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
- Tim Layden (11 January 2008). "SI Flashback: The Fast Lane". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on 15 January 2008. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
- Kevin Brewer (20 March 1997). "Injury leaves UNC's Gaspar a friendly ghost". The News and Observer. pp. 1C–2C. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
- "Spennandi" (in Icelandic). 30 October 2000. Retrieved 21 August 2017.
- "Þrír sigrar á 20 tímum". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 27 November 2000. Retrieved 21 August 2017.
- "1. deild kvenna". Archived from the original on 28 September 2011. Retrieved 17 April 2011.
- "KKÍ.is". Archived from the original on 19 August 2011. Retrieved 17 April 2011.
- "Kristín og Ólafur leikmenn ársins". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). 21 April 2001. Retrieved 21 August 2017.
- "KKÍ.is". Archived from the original on 28 September 2011. Retrieved 17 April 2011.
- "Gaspar í Grindavík". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 24 July 2001. Retrieved 21 August 2017.
- "Frábær leikur Jessicu". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 15 November 2001. Retrieved 21 August 2017.
- "Leikur". Archived from the original on 28 September 2011. Retrieved 17 April 2011.
- "Tölfræði". Archived from the original on 28 September 2011. Retrieved 17 April 2011.
- "Gaspar farin frá Grindavík". www.mbl.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 2021-06-12.
- writer, MICK COLAGEO, Standard-Times staff. "A legend comes home". southcoasttoday.com. Retrieved 2021-06-12.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - "KKÍ.is". Archived from the original on 28 September 2011. Retrieved 17 April 2011.