Tiffany Gooden
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Tiffany Gooden (born October 23, 1975) is an American former professional
basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appro ...
player in the ABL. When her pro career ended, Gooden embarked on a new career as an attorney. Gooden currently practices law as a partner in the firm of Hall & Gooden LLP in her hometown of
Fort Wayne Fort Wayne is a city in Allen County, Indiana, United States, and its county seat. Located in northeastern Indiana, the city is west of the Ohio border and south of the Michigan border. The city's population was 263,886 at the 2020 United S ...
, Indiana. Her efforts played a key role in bringing the Indiana high school girls' basketball championships to Fort Wayne after the 2009 season. Gooden's relative athletic greatness has been recognized by both of her hometown newspapers.
The News-Sentinel ''The News-Sentinel'' was a daily newspaper based in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The afternoon ''News-Sentinel'' was politically independent. The papers suspended publication in November 2020, after the beginning of COVID-19 pandemic. Early history ' ...
recently named Gooden 41st among the Top 50 athletes of northeast Indiana.
The Journal Gazette ''The Journal Gazette'' is the morning newspaper in Fort Wayne, Indiana. It publishes six days a week, and contends for circulation and advertising in a 15-county area. History ''The Journal Gazette'' traces its origins to 1863 when ''The Fort ...
presents the Tiffany Gooden award annually to the most outstanding high school basketball player in Fort Wayne's
Summit Athletic Conference The Summit Athletic Conference, or SAC, is a high school athletic conference consisting of ten high schools located in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Three of the schools are private; one being a Lutheran academy, and the other two being Catholic preparato ...
.


Early life

Even as a young woman, the basketball prospects of Tiffany Gooden were apparent to those who knew her. As middle-schooler and into her high school years, Gooden was named an AAU All-American five consecutive years. During her AAU career, Gooden played for four teams that won national titles.


High school career

Gooden attended R. Nelson Snider High School in
Fort Wayne, Indiana Fort Wayne is a city in Allen County, Indiana, United States, and its county seat. Located in northeastern Indiana, the city is west of the Ohio border and south of the Michigan border. The city's population was 263,886 at the 2020 census ...
. Gooden was a prolific scorer throughout her high school career. She is still ranked 13th best all-time among all Indiana high school girls' basketball players with 2,198 points scored. As a sophomore, Gooden finished 8th in the state in scoring points per game. As a junior, she improved to 4th in the state, averaging 29.9 points per game. She also finished 4th in her senior year, averaging an identical 29.9 points per game. In tribute to her great impact on the basketball floor, Gooden received several postseason awards at the end of her senior year. The ultimate recognition came when it was announced that Gooden was winner of the 1994
Naismith Award Naismith Award is a basketball award named after James Naismith, and awarded by the Atlanta Tipoff Club. Naismith Awards include: * Naismith College Player of the Year (men's and women's; NCAA Division I basketball) * Naismith College Coach of th ...
, a prestigious honor given annually by the Atlanta Tipoff Club to the high school girls basketball player of the year. Gooden was also named to the 1994 ''Parade'' All-American team as the National Player of the Year. After graduating, Gooden wore the #1 jersey as recipient of the 1994 Indiana Miss Basketball award. She led the Indiana All-stars in a pair of games against cross-border rivals from Kentucky. Gooden played a significant role in the Indiana sweep of the two-game series. In the process, she scored 31 points as Indiana won the first game in Kentucky, and she scored 24 points in the following victory in Indianapolis. Her two-game total of 55 points still stands as the best two-game efforts in the history of the series. In 2000, it was announced that Gooden was one of 12 players named to the IHSAA's "''First Silver Era''" team, celebrating the first 25 years of Indiana high school girls' basketball.


Awards and accomplishments

*Career accomplishments **currently 13th best all-time leading scorer, Indiana girls' basketball **member, IHSAA's "''The First Silver Era''" team, celebrating the first 25 years of Indiana high school girls basketball **1st best all-time scoring (55 pts), Indiana/Kentucky All-star series **participant, 1995 National Olympic Festival *1993/94 - Senior **1994 winner,
Naismith Award Naismith Award is a basketball award named after James Naismith, and awarded by the Atlanta Tipoff Club. Naismith Awards include: * Naismith College Player of the Year (men's and women's; NCAA Division I basketball) * Naismith College Coach of th ...
- honoring the nation's high school basketball player of the year **1st team and National Player of the Year, ''Parade'' All-American **1994
Indiana Miss Basketball Each year the Indiana Miss Basketball award is given to the person chosen as the best high school girls basketball player in the U.S. state of Indiana. Award winners Schools with multiple winners See also *Indiana Mr. Basketball award Refere ...
**1994 Outstanding Senior, Indiana AAU **4th in state in scoring average (29.9 ppg) *1992/93 - Junior **4th in state in scoring average (29.9 ppg) *1991/92 - Sophomore **8th in state in scoring average


College career

As a freshman, Gooden was named the 1995
Big Ten Freshman of the Year Coaches and media of the Big Ten Conference award the following individual honors at the end of each football season. In addition, the ''Chicago Tribune'' awards the Chicago Tribune Silver Football to the most valuable football player of the confer ...
. Her sophomore season, Gooden made the All Big-10 Team as a 2nd team selection. But injuries slowed Gooden's progress in college, and she finished her career with 1,024 points.


Awards and accomplishments

*1997/98 - Senior **Academic All Big-10 team *1996/97 - Junior **Academic All Big-10 team *1995/96 - Sophomore **All Big-10, 2nd team **Academic All Big-10 team **Led Iowa in scoring, with 481 points (14.1 ppg) **Led Iowa in 3-point field goal percentage (24-66, .364) *1994/95 - Freshman **Big-10 Freshman Player of the Year **Led Iowa in 3-point field goal percentage (27-87, .310)


Professional career

After her college career, Gooden participated in the 1998 ABL Draft. She was selected in the 2nd round, the 18th pick overall, by the
Colorado Xplosion The Colorado Xplosion was the first women's professional basketball franchise in Colorado, an American Basketball League (ABL) team based in Denver. Playing from 1996 through 1998, the team produced many memorable moments for Colorado sports fa ...
. Gooden's career lasted 13 games before the team and league folded and ceased playing games.


Post-playing career

Gooden's success continued after her playing days were over. In addition to her selection to the Big 10 athletic teams, Gooden was a 3-time member of the Academic All Big-10 team, being named in 1996, 1997, and again in 1998. Gooden completed her undergraduate studies with a degree in Communication Studies. In 1998, she was one of the recipients of an NCAA Post-Graduate scholarship, which she applied toward her enrollment in Iowa's law school. She graduated from law school and returned to her home town to become a practicing attorney.


Tiffany Gooden Award

In recognition of her outstanding contributions to her community both on and off the basketball court, Gooden was honored by a local newspaper. Each year,
The Journal Gazette ''The Journal Gazette'' is the morning newspaper in Fort Wayne, Indiana. It publishes six days a week, and contends for circulation and advertising in a 15-county area. History ''The Journal Gazette'' traces its origins to 1863 when ''The Fort ...
awards the Tiffany Gooden Award to the most outstanding basketball player in the SAC. The award has been given since 1994, when Gooden was named the first award winner.


Tiffany Gooden Award Winners


Winners by school


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gooden, Tiffany 1975 births Living people Basketball players from Fort Wayne, Indiana Colorado Xplosion players Forwards (basketball) Indiana lawyers Iowa Hawkeyes women's basketball players Parade High School All-Americans (girls' basketball) University of Iowa College of Law alumni