Kiwi basketball prodigy Charlisse Leger-Walker has issued another resounding statement of her class, after leading her American college side Washington State to the Pac-12 conference title.
The 21-year-old poured in a game-high 23 points for the Cougars in a 65-61 win over Californian powerhouse UCLA, earning the award for the conference's most outstanding player.
The Tall Ferns guard's exploits helped Washington State break an 82-year conference title drought, while sending another reminder why she's the most highly touted NZ hoops prospect since Steven Adams.
The Hamiltonian was a menace at both ends of the court, sinking 5/7 three-point attempts (7/11 field goals, 4/5 free throws) to go with seven rebounds, three assists, a block and a steal.
She also made a couple of critical late plays, including a pair of lay-ups and a clutch defensive rebound to close out the contest.
"We just believed in ourselves so much coming into this game," Leger-Walker said in her post-match interview.
"This team is legit. We've proved ourselves day-in and day-out and we just played so hard today.
"I'm so proud of everyone."
Leger-Walker averaged 19 points per game for her seventh-seed Cougars, as they overcame California, second-seed Utah - when she hit the game-winning three-pointer - and third-seed Colorado on their way to the final.
Her total of 76 points is the highest in women's Pac-12 tournament history, as media voted her the overall best player on the court and a part of the All-Pac 12 team for the third time in her career.
It capped a historic run for the Cougars, who were the lowest-seeded team to ever appear in the championship game.
The win also secures the Cougars' place in the women's NCAA tournament - more popularly referred to as 'March Madness' - which begins March 13 (NZ time).
Leger-Walker is widely expected to become the second New Zealander to play in the WNBA, following in the footsteps of Megan Compain back in 1997. She'll likely declare for the WNBA draft after the upcoming NCAA finals.
