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Sophomore Rachel Huxhold is one of several |
The College of Wooster women's basketball team has positive momentum on its side heading into the 2013-14 season, as it closed out last year by winning three of its last six games on its way to a much-improved record, and now returns three seniors, including top-scorer Karley Walker, as well as Maura Hall and Suvi Puripattarapan, which gives reason to think the Fighting Scots can continue moving in the right direction.
"We are going to be a very balanced team this year," said fourth-year head coach Ashley Reid. "The game is much more guard oriented nowadays, and we are lucky to have a lot of depth at those positions. We are working hard to be quicker, so that we can score more in transition. I think we're going to see our scoring spread out pretty evenly among several players."
Walker is a good bet to lead that group, as she has natural scoring ability, especially as a 3-point shooter, where she has made 104 shots during her career, including a career-high 40 a season ago. The 5-7 guard scored in double-figures 13 times last year on her way to ranking 13th in the North Coast Athletic Conference with 9.8 points per game, while adding 3.2 rebounds and 3.1 assists.
"Karley has improved her fitness, she's a team captain, she's a leader…we are expecting a lot out of her," admits Reid. "We are going to do some different things with her this year, though. She used to bring the ball up the court a lot, almost like a sidekick to the point guard, but we want her to be moving without the ball in her hands. Finding ways to get into scoring positions where she can get the shots she wants."
Hall has a contrasting style to Walker, as she makes the majority of her plays around the basket, especially as a rebounder, where she was fifth in the conference with 7.0 boards per game last season. She is also second among returning players with 8.1 points, nearly half which came from the free-throw line (100-of-202 points).
Puripattarapan is competing with Rachel Huxhold for the starting point guard duties, but as she proved last season, she can have an impact on the game while coming off the bench as well. Playing about 21 minutes per game last season, the speedy 5-2 slasher chipped in 4.6 points and 3.2 rebounds, as well as the ninth-most steals in the league (1.6 per game).
Huxhold was named the starter at the point guard position as a freshman last season, and showed solid ball-handling while running the Scots' offense. As her rookie campaign progressed, she flashed her scoring potential as well, with a 15-point outing, as well as eight and seven points, all coming during the final nine games of the season.
The Scots return two more guards that saw significant playing time last season, sophomores Sydney Grier and Lindy Howard, who are both looking to carve out bigger roles with the team. Grier started 11 games as a freshman, and asserted herself as a 3-point specialist, as 24 of her 37 field goals came from behind the arc. Howard was a key role player during the first half of last year, and peaked with 13 points and five rebounds in just 15 minutes during a mid-December game, but an injury cost her most of the stretch-run.
As deep as Wooster is at the guard position, there is little question who will be featured in the front court, as just sophomores Lauren Hancher and Nisa Usman return to give the Scots a youthful look in the post.
Hancher, an all-conference soccer player, needed some time to settle in last year after missing most of basketball's offseason practices while finishing up her soccer season, but once she got going, she became a focal point on both ends of the court. The physical 5-7 forward scored in double-figures eight times, and averaged 8.9 points per game during the last 18 games of the season, and had three or more rebounds eight times during that span.
Usman played primarily as the backup to all-conference standout Jessica Wingen last year, where she showed a knack for rebounding. She averaged 4.8 rebounds in games which she played at least 10 minutes, which is certain to increase as an expected starter.
Along with its eight returners, Wooster has brought in six newcomers who are vying for playing time.
"The best way I can describe this freshmen class is that they are all hard-working kids, who are very coachable and want to get better," said Reid. "Overall the attitude among the players on the team is different this year. Everyone is having fun, practice is fun, and we have our mind set on getting to the NCAC Tournament."