|
2006-2007 SOUTHWEST
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Experienced, quicker, and more athletic. These are the words to describe
the 2006-2007 Lady Saluqis. “With five returning players, two
red-shirts, two transfers, and six freshmen we have a great nucleus for
this year and I am very excited,” said Head Coach Andrea Martre.
A mixture of youth and experience will provide the Lady Saluqis with an
abundance of options at each spot on the floor. The backcourt is in
great shape with red-shirts Ashley Shields and Kenya Moore and returnees
Gina High, Jasmine Massey, Tameka Wooten.
Shields returns to the court after sitting out the 2005-06 season as a
red-shirt after transferring to Southwest from Northwest Mississippi
Community College. A former standout at Melrose High School, Shields is
the second all-time leading prep scorer in Memphis and Shelby County
history and former Miss Basketball in the state of Tennessee. Moore, who
was the Lady Saluqis’ second leading scorer as a freshman in 2004-05 and
made the TJCCAA/Region VII All-Tournament Team, missed last season due
to an ACL injury.
High, Massey, and Wooten all saw significant playing time as freshmen
last season. High was the team’s second leading scorer with a 10.1
average and was among conference leaders with 4.7 assists per game.
Massey averaged 8.3 points per game and led the Lady Saluqis with 66
three-point field goals. Wooten also carried an 8.3 scoring average and
was one of the team leaders with 103 assists and a .767 free throw
percentage. They will be joined by freshmen Daumonique Lenhardt (Bolton
High School), Ashley Williams (Cordova High School), and Tiffany Simpson
(Conway, AR).
“This group will bring a lot of flexibility,” said Martre. “The guard
spot is extremely competitive with several of the players being
interchangeable. We can go to the bench without losing much.”
Returning in the frontcourt are Michelle Malone and Brittany Smith, who
were key players for the Lady Saluqis last season. Malone averaged 7.6
points and 4.3 rebounds as a freshman and was also among team leaders
with 19 blocked shots and a .744 free throw percentage. Smith played in
15 games last season, averaging 6.3 points and 5.4 rebounds.
“The frontcourt will have to pick up where Imesia Jackson left off,”
said Martre. “The talent is there and so is the challenge.”
Frontcourt newcomers include sophomore transfers Britany Sublet (Mineral
Area College) and Carol Martin (Walters State Community College), who
both bring rebounding and scoring ability, and freshmen Keona Brooks
(West Memphis High School), Starkitsha Luellen (Melrose High School),
and Jessica Parks (Middleton High School).
“We will be much faster than last year,” said Martre. “The addition of
team speed will help us run and push the ball a lot more. The team speed
and depth at all positions will be a big part of our defensive schemes
as well. We can go big and bang with the big teams or we can go small
and speed up the game with quick teams.”
This year’s non-conference schedule features Coahoma, Arkansas Baptist
and Shorter. Southwest will also compete in two tournaments – the
Georgia Perimeter Classic in Atlanta and the Lady Saluqis Classic which
includes Mineral Area (MO) and Northwest-Shoals (AL).
The TJCCAA will return to an Eastern and Western Division schedule in
2006-2007. Southwest will play Eastern Division schools Roane State,
Walters State, Chattanooga State, Motlow State, Cleveland State, and
Hiwassee once each and Western Division opponents Jackson State,
Volunteer State, Saint Catharine, Columbia State, and Dyersburg State
twice. The 2007 TJCCAA/NJCAA Region VII Tournament will be held March
6-11 at Volunteer State in Gallatin, Tennessee.
|
