Mid-South Community College’s Lady Greyhounds expect to overcome collegiate inexperience with good talent and leadership from its returning players when the 2013-14 begins on Nov. 1.
“I’m really excited and believe we have made significant progress,” said Kim Ezell, who is entering her third year as the Lady Greyhounds coach. “We will definitely be better than last year. I feel like we have some good talent; it’s just a matter of keeping it headed in the right direction.”
The Lady Greyhounds return a small number of sophomores (three) but anticipate the veterans will mix well with the rookies for a competitive team.
“We only have a few sophomores, but I think they will be great contributors to our team,” Ezell said. “We’re expecting good things. We can come at least eight strong initially, and I expect the other young players to step up their games as the season progresses.”
“Freshmen are generally not accustomed to the experience of college-level basketball, but hopefully it won’t be a big shock to them. It’s a whole new ballgame going from playing eight minutes a quarter to 20 minutes a half, but I think we have prepared them well, especially when it comes to conditioning. We just need to keep them focused and help them understand and adapt to the speed and level of play.”
Rachel Hughes (Bartlett, Tenn.), Whitney Ball (Lepanto), and Arica Wallace (Hernando, Miss.) will provide experience and leadership.
“Rachel will play the four spot and sometimes the five,” Ezell said. “She’s really stepped up her jump shot and is able to shoot that long-range jumper. She also handles the ball well.”
“Whitney is coming back as a two-guard, and she’s a good three-point shooter. She led the team last year and really turned it up against NorthArk in the championship game. We’re expecting her to be significant offensive threat from the outside. I think she’s going to make a tremendous difference in our program this year.”
“Arica is my hustler, a go getter. She gets all the rebounds and does whatever we need her to do. She was slowed by illness last season, but I expect her to be ready to go this year.”
Key newcomers include Kierra Adams (West Memphis), Sasha Giles (North Little Rock), Raquel Williams (Jonesboro), Erin Clark (Millington), Elexa Guy (Wooddale High School, Memphis), Marquietta Sargent (Pine Bluff), Shamia Worsham (Newport High School), Tyrena Friar (Newport High School), and Victoria Broady (Pine Bluff).
“I think Kierra is going to make a tremendous impact in our post game,” Ezell said. “She was a great player at West Memphis High School, a Division I prospect, so we expect her to elevate our program. She’s a five, and she’s left-handed, so we think she can really help us.”
Adams, a 2012 graduate of WMHS, earned All-State honors in basketball and volleyball. As a senior, she averaged 16 points and 9 rebounds per game.
Giles, an All-State performer at North Little Rock, will give the Lady Greyhounds a solid point guard.
“Sasha is going to be a great asset for us,” Ezell said. “She can dribble; she can drive; she can see the floor. She communicates really well with her teammates, and she’s really innovative.”
Williams, who played inside for the Lady Hurricanes, will move outside for the Lady Greyhounds.
“We’ve moved her out to the wing side because she can handle the ball and shoot,” Ezell said. “It has been a transition for her, but it’s going to be a great advantage for us because she can play the guard spot and post up her defender when the person guarding her is undersized.”
Clark will play the two-guard position for MSCC, and “she is one of our top-notch student athletes,” Ezell said. “She’s a hard worker and should help us out a lot.”
Guy brings high school and AAU experience to her guard role with the Lady Greyhounds.
“She’s been a great AAU ballplayer,” Ezell said. “She’s a good three-point shooter, and she’s a solid role player who can step up when you need her.”
Sergeant, a 5’11” forward, helped Pine Bluff reach the state tournament quarterfinals last year. She earned All-Conference honors.
“She hustles, rebounds, and does her job,” Ezell said. “She’s going to be a good asset for us this year and will be even better next year.”
Broady, who has been battling injury, will miss the first weekend of action but should return by the second week of November. “I expect her to get a lot done and help us out,” Ezell said.
Friar is “a great rebounder and has great athletic ability. She leaps out of the gym and has a long wing span. I expect her to give us some good minutes.”
Worsham is a walk-on member of the team. “She is a great team player, and I expect her to contribute at the two spot,” Ezell said.
Also new to the Lady Greyhounds is assistant coach Jessica Green, who comes to MSCC after playing basketball at Christian Brothers University and coaching AAU ball for four years. In four seasons at CBU, the three-point specialist earned Academic All-Conference three years while completing a bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry.
Green also served as team captain as a junior and senior, and finished her collegiate career with the third most three-pointers and third highest three-point percentage in CBU history.
“She’s been building relationships and rapport with the players and helping us a lot,” Ezell said. “She has been assisting with putting in plays and running practices, and she’s been a great help off the court as well. She is monitoring our student-athletes progress in the classroom, and she is also working as a tutor.”
The Lady Greyhounds are hoping to eclipse last year’s school-record six victories.
“I am really excited,” Ezell said. “Our post game is stronger than last year, and we have a really good, steady point guard that we really haven’t had. I also feel better about our depth. We will definitely be better than last year.”
The Lady Greyhounds open the season at home on Friday, Nov. 1, at 2 p.m. against St. Louis Community College in the first round of the Greyhound Tipoff Classic. MSCC’s women will play the Memphis Tigers Club team on Saturday at 4 p.m. at the College’s Wellness Center on the South Campus. No admission will be charged for the tourney games.
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