Alabama's Lane Bassham Wins Another SEC Championship
2/26/2004 12:00:00 AM | Swimming & Diving
Alabama senior Lane Bassham continued her season-long domination of the one and three-meter diving events in day two of the Southeastern Conference swimming and diving championships being held in Gabrielsen Natatorium on the Georgia campus.
Bassham won her second SEC titles in as many days when she came from behind in the finals of the three-meter diving competition, scoring 529.55 points. The win kept the Moultrie, Ga. native's season long winning streak alive. She has not lost on either the one or three-meter board this season.
"It was an amazing final," Bassham said. "Everything was crammed into the afternoon, but it's all about conditioning. Whoever's in the best shape is going to do fine. If you're not, you're going to die. "
Her win also kept the Alabama women in fifth place overall with 125 points. The Tide men have 117 points and sit in seventh place.
"Lane did a great job again tonight," head coach Eric McIlquham said. "She once again came from behind over the last two dives of the night to win the title. She's tough - she's very tough. To go undefeated through her senior year, she has been just awesome. Hopefully we can keep that streak going through nationals."
Sophomore Crystal Rasmussen scored 448.85 points off the three-meter to take 12th place. Freshman Nicole Weatherman took 14th in the 500 freestyle, posting a 4:55.12.
The Tide women finished off the night with a sixth place finish in the 400 freestyle relay when freshman Melina Bassino, junior Arlene Semeco combined with sophomores Anna Grant and Kathryn Hallquist to touch at 3:24.27.
Senior Ben Worby scored in the 100 breaststroke, posting a 55.96 to take 10th place. Fellow senior and Tuscaloosa native Adam Hall shaved a second off his career best time to also score in the 100 breaststroke, posting a 56.79 to take 15th place.
Junior Chris Flamion touched at 48.91 in the 100 butterfly, taking 10th place overall while sophomore JT Jones was a hundredth of a second behind him in 11th place. Senior James Willcox took 16th in the 500 freestyle, posting a 4:28.89.
Three members of the Tide's diving contingent scored off the one-meter board. Junior Stewart Smith scored 284.05 points to take 10th while freshman Jesse Maple took 13th and junior Aaron Ashworth took 16th with 268.80 and 261.85 points respectively.
The Tide men finished off the night with a fourth place finish in the 400 freestyle relay, when junior Troy Davidson, sophomore Darren Erasmus, freshman Igor Erhartic and senior Brendan Ashby touched at 2:57.73.
Competition continues through Saturday.
