 Women's Basketball |
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November 16, 2007 FAYETTEVILLE, NC- The Methodist women’s basketball team had its fair share of highs and lows last season on their way to a 13-13 record. Head coach DeeDee Jarman was disappointed with the season’s outcome finishing fifth in the USA South and falling in the quarterfinals of the Conference Tournament. “This season we want to finish above .500.” she said. “We are not settling for mediocrity.” After last season, Jarman has challenged each player to become a scorer. She recognizes, “We can’t always rely on one or two people to get the job done. We need a well-rounded effort on both offense and defense.” Jarman returns three starters, but the Monarchs will have a lot to replace in the paint. Three players graduated in May including senior forward Stacy Williams. She led the team in scoring last season with 15.7 points per game to go along with almost six rebounds a game. Williams teamed with fellow graduate Antionett Holliday under the basket. Holliday averaged 8.3 points per game with 7.5 rebounds per game. This season Jarman likes the versatility of the post players. “We’ll be different in the post without one go-to player, but the post play distribution will be spread between a number of players,” Jarman said. Looking to step in will be senior Chelsale Hester. Hester saw action in almost every game last season and hopes to transition her experience into a more dominant role this season. “Chelsale has been more confident as a player and will be essential to produce points,” commented Jarman. Also returning to the team is junior Ann Forsberg. Forsberg sat out last season after playing her freshman year where she averaged more than six points a game and can be dangerous behind the arc. Jarman thinks, “Ann is one of the most versatile post players because she can do damage both inside and out.” Junior Kristen Whitehurst is a former USA South Rookie of the Year in 2006 and can be a major presence under the basket. Junior Amanda Underwood can play guard or forward and split a starting role with senior Courtney Bissette last season. The guard position returns a wealth of experience starting at the point with junior Zan Messer and sophomore Michaela Myers. “We have two experienced point guards with very diverse playing styles,” Jarman said. Messer directs traffic while Myers provides the power. Senior Ashley Harris has continued to develop during her career and will be a dynamic scoring threat. Harris and Bissette can both be dangerous from outside as they continue to become more consistent. Jarman and her assistant Cheryl McNair have added four newcomers to the program and are excited about what each player adds to the team. Jarman has noticed, “This team really enjoys being around each other. The team camaraderie is good right now.” Junior Dezzire Gilliard is a transfer student who looks to make an immediate impact. Traditionally a guard, Gilliard will start the season as a high post player. Her athleticism and quickness make her a dynamic addition to the team. “She’s an exciting player to watch,” added Jarman. Freshman Dawn Sanderson adds height in the post for the Monarchs. “Dawn works extremely hard and has the potential to become an impact player as she continues to develop,” Jarman said. Freshmen Kayla Thompson and Adriana Wilson will improve the depth at the guard position this season. Thompson is a lefty with lots of potential. Jarman knows, “Once she becomes comfortable with the system, she will develop into the right fit for us.” Wilson is a strong rebounder with a nice shot to make for a versatile guard. Jarman has been training her team since Oct. 15 to raise the bar. “We’ve been at the same level for the past couple of years, but we’re raising the bar in practice every day. We want high intensity all the time,” she said. The USA South Athletic Conference coaches have confidence in the Lady Monarchs, picking them to finish third this season. Jarman knows the conference will be another tight race with some potential sleepers. New to the USA South this season, Meredith and Mary Baldwin are great additions for the conference and should boost the competition. Methodist opens their season at Emory & Henry this weekend in their Tip-Off Tournament. “I have never been a coach to pad our non-conference schedule. I feel playing tough non-conference teams prepares us for a tough USA South schedule,” noted Jarman. Friday’s meeting against Oglethorpe will be a first in the program’s history, but Jarman expects an exciting game to start the regular season. Saturday pits the Lady Monarchs against the host Emory & Henry in a competitive game. Jarman will use this weekend to evaluate the team’s response to competition and hopes it will translate into success throughout the season. Methodist will open
its home schedule on Saturday, Nov. 24 hosting
the Methodist Cross Creek InnKeeper Turkey
Shootout. The Lady Monarchs will face Piedmont
at 8 pm in the second game of the doubleheader. |
