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women's basketball
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2007-08 outlook
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2007-08 Outlook
Gannon Attempts to
Defend GLIAC Championship
With Balanced Attack
Every coach has a five-year
plan when they take over a new program, but very few go according to plan.
For sixth-year head coach Cleve Wright, the five-year plan couldn’t have
ended better. The Lady Knights won their first-ever Great Lakes Intercollegiate
Athletic Conference (GLIAC) championship, knocked off the defending national
champion in the first round of the NCAA Division II Tournament, and posted
the second-highest single-season victory total in school history.
“I had a five-year plan when I came to Gannon,” noted Wright. “The five-year
plan came to fruition. We’ve been in the top 25 nationally in academics three
years in a row, won the GLIAC, and advanced to the NCAA Tournament second
round.
“If you put a five-year plan together, it would include all of those things.
That was my five-year plan when I interviewed here and we did it. But now,
we have to build on that and use the past success as steps to get to the
next level. Obviously, we still have some steps that I know our players would
love to take.”
Preseason camps are always about addressing your weaknesses and playing to
a team’s strengths. Wright believes the 2007-08 edition of the Lady Knights
might be the strongest to date under his guidance. He refers to a Doctor
Seuss quote when relating to this year’s team.
“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer
yourself in any direction you choose.”
“It can’t be said any better,” said Wright. “We can steer ourselves as a
team in any direction we choose. I believe the talent has improved every
year that I’ve been here, but talent is not enough. You have to do all the
little things that don’t show up in the box score, but help teams win.
“I don’t want our team to take anything for granted. For example, the national
rankings don’t mean anything. They are someone else’s opinion. The rankings
won’t win games for us.”
Gannon has received its share of preseason accolades after returning eight
letterwinners from last year’s 25-6 squad. The Lady Knights were ranked 15th
in the Women’s Division II Bulletin Preseason Top 25 and 20th in the USA
Today ESPN Division II Preseason Coaches Poll.
“I was happy for the team last year, especially for Christina Jackson and
Casey England, who were part of our first recruiting class,” noted Wright.
“But teams change from year to year. We still need to prove ourselves. Last
year’s success will not get us any victories this season.”
GUARDS
This is how deep Gannon feels
its team is this season. The Lady Knights lost a 1,000-point scorer in England
and junior Carrie Nolan to a season-ending injury during the preseason, but
the squad still feels confident about its guards.
Tiffany Crocker and Abby Bunstine arguably form the best point guard tandem
in the GLIAC. Both players have one year of starting experience.
Crocker stepped in for an injured Bunstine last season and started every
game as a true freshman. She responded by ranking third among GLIAC players
in assists per game (4.52) and fourth in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.46).
The sophomore improved throughout the season, scoring a season-high 14 points
in the GLIAC title game against Hillsdale.
Bunstine started 20 games as a true freshman in 2005-06, but was forced to
sit out last season due to a preseason injury. She averaged 8.8 points, 3.3
assists, and 2.7 rebounds as a freshman. The highlight of her first campaign
came when she was named MVP of the Avalon Classic after scoring 36 points
in two games.
Freshman Amanda Dacek is also expected to be a serious contender for playing
time at the point. Dacek was a four-time all-conference selection at Berea
(Ohio) High School, being named conference MVP as a senior.
“We have a tremendous trio at point guard,” said Wright. “Crocker is a phenomenal
leader who is very smart with her game. Bunstine is a fierce competitor who
comes in with passion and desire. And Dacek has a variety of tools that fit
into our scheme.”
The wing position will still be solid despite the loss of Nolan. Ashley Lowdermilk,
an All-GLIAC Preseason selection, will start at one of the wings. One of
two seniors on the team, Lowdermilk enters the 2007-08 season fifth all-time
at Gannon in career three-pointers (132) and 20th in scoring (877).
Lowdermilk was phenomenal down the stretch last season. She averaged 16 points,
4.6 rebounds, and 2.6 three-pointers in five post-season games. As a result,
she was named to the GLIAC All-Tournament team and the All-GLIAC second team.
“Ashley is a pure scorer who can put points on the board in several different
ways,” said Wright. “She is at her best when assuming the scoring role.”
Kristina Freeman also returns on the wing. The sophomore sensation was a
serious GLIAC Freshman of the Year candidate last season after averaging
6.9 points and 2.7 rebounds off the bench. She added 39 assists, 29 steals,
and 20 blocks.
“Freeman has a lot of potential to be effective on both ends of the floor,”
said Wright. “Freeman is a pretzel. I’ve seen her twist her body in every
way possible on the court. She has great body control and is deceptively
quick to the basket.”
Redshirt freshman Julie Kleber and true freshman Amanda Blaskowski are also
expected to see plenty of playing time on the wing.
Kleber was forced to redshirt last season after suffering a season-ending
injury in the season-opening GLIAC/GLVC Classic in Ashland, Ohio. She brings
a strong and physical style of play to the perimeter. She earned all-conference,
all-section, and team MVP honors as a senior at Suffern (N.Y.) High School.
In addition, she was a Section I Fab 50 selection after netting 12.8 points
per game.
Blaskowski averaged 17 points, 6.4 rebounds, 4.6 steals, and 4.6 assists
in 27 games as a senior at Cheboygan High School. The 5-foot-8 guard shot
48.2 percent (178-359) from the field and 72.9 percent (78-107) from the
free throw line. She was accorded All-State first-team accolades by the Detroit
Free Press and the Detroit News. She landed a spot on the Associated Press
All-State honorable-mention team.
POST
PLAYERS
Everyone surrounding the
Gannon program, as well as those throughout the entire Great Lakes region,
knows the No. 1 question regarding Gannon’s post players. How do the Lady
Knights replace All-American Christina Jackson?
Currently playing professionally in Europe, Jackson finished her career as
one of only two players (female or male) in school history to record 1,000
points, 1,000 rebounds, 200 steals, and 100 blocks. With Nolan also playing
in the post last season, the Lady Knights need to replace two starters inside.
However, Gannon has a pretty good answer with four returning letterwinners
and one incoming freshman.
All four returning letterwinners have a legitimate shot at starting the season
opener. Senior Katie Kibby, junior Allison Rothlisberger and redshirt sophomore
Kim Vargas are the three returnees from last year’s squad.
Kibby saw action in every game last season, averaging 3.9 points and 3.2
rebounds off the bench. One of the GLIAC’s tallest players and best shot
blockers, Kibby has played in 87 career games with 19 starts.
Rothlisberger showed her toughness last season by battling through numerous
injuries. The junior still managed to play in 30 games, starting 13. She
provided 3.4 points and 2.9 rebounds per game while shooting 50.6 percent
(44-87) from the field.
“Rothlisberger has come back healthy and is back at full force,” noted Wright.
“She did a good job last season playing on one and one-half wheels. She runs
the floor well, has good leaping ability and great timing on defense.”
Kim Vargas could possibly have a break-out season after the departure of
Jackson. The Sterling, Va., native is one of Gannon’s most versatile players
with the ability to work inside the paint or around the arc. She averaged
4.3 points and 2.8 rebounds in 25 games as a freshman during the 2006-07
season.
Gannon will also get added strength under the glass with the return of Brittany
Tabron. The redshirt sophomore was one of three Lady Knights forced to sit
out last season due to an injury. Tabron led Gannon in field goal percentage
(.512) as a freshman while producing 5.8 points and 2.7 rebounds per game.
Freshman Shanna Thompson rounds out Gannon group of five post players. She
was an All-Ohio honorable-mention selection as a senior at Shaker Heights
High School. Thompson was a two-time all-conference selection while averaging
double digits in scoring.
THE
SCHEDULE
The 2007-08 schedule includes
13 home games and 14 road affairs. The Lady Knights begin the season with
three consecutive road games before opening Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic
Conference (GLIAC) play Thursday, November 30 against Northern Michigan at
the Hammermill Center. In all, seven of Gannon’s 11 games during the months
of November and December will be away from the Hammermill Center.
The Lady Knights’ 2007-08 opponents won 54 percent (335-287) of their games
last season. Four of those opponents played in the 2007 NCAA Division II
Tournament: Bellarmine (Ky.), Stonehill (Mass.), Ferris State, and Grand
Valley State.
Gannon’s non-conference slate includes two tough road tournaments. The Knights
open the regular season November 16-17 at the Wheeling Jesuit Tournament.
The event includes Gannon, Wheeling Jesuit (17-11), West Liberty State (21-10),
and Wayne State (10-18).
The squad will head south after final exams to participate in Barry (Fla.)
University’s Cruzin Classic. The event is located in Miami Shores, Florida.
Gannon, Barry (14-14), Bellarmine (19-11), and Stonehill (22-9) are scheduled
to play in the tournament. Bellarmine and Stonehill both played in the NCAA
Tournament last season.
The 2007-08 non-conference opponents combined to win 59 percent (170-119)
of their games last season.
Gannon University~University Square ~ Erie, PA 16541-0001
Toll
Free: 1-800-GANNON-U
Sports Press Box E-mail
updated
11/15/07 by: drt
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