SANDRA ROSE passes along some shots of Queen Latifah hooping it up during her high school days:

Before she was crowned Queen, the rapper-slash-actress spent her early years as Dana Owens, power forward for the Irvington High girls’ basketball team in New Jersey. She must have had some mad skills, as she helped the Lady Knights win two state championships during her high school reign.

No wonder she was voted ‘Most Popular’ in her yearbook. Maybe the Queen can challenge White House hopeful Barack Obama to a little one-on-one. Winner rules the country.