Sports

SCC opens season this weekend

By Brad Cameron/Gate City Sports Editor

Published: Friday, October 31, 2008 1:11 PM CDT

The Southeastern Community College women's basketball program opens the season this weekend at the Loren Walker Arena on the West Burlington Campus.

Jerry Jerome begins his second season as head coach. He led the BlackHawks to an 11-19 record in his first year as head coach.

Jerome returns, but none of the players from his first season are back.

“We have no returning lettermen,” Jerome said. “We brought in nine freshmen, and we only have one sophomore, Cobi Wires, who transferred from Mineral Area College.”

Wires, a 5-5 guard from Quincy, Ill., averaged 5.1 points in 25 games last season with the NJCAA Division I program. She was second on her team and fifth in Region 16 in assists, averaging 3.1 per game.

Unfortunately, a knee injury will keep her from playing at the start of the season.

“She had an MRI on her knee earlier this week,” Jerome said. “We're expecting the worst, but hoping for the best. Hopefully, we will have her back.”

SCC will open with a three-guard offense. Gabbie Binion, 5-7 from Davenport Assumption, will start at point guard. Kelsey Whitaker, a 5-7 walk on from Keokuk, starts at one wing, while Lindsey Jameson, 5-8 from Kindred, N.D., starts on the other wing.

Alexys Hatcher and Bebe Frost, both 5-9, also will see time at guard or forward positions off the bench to start the season.

“Having Cobi down takes away a little bit of our speed and quickness, but we have some other kids who can get up and down,” Jerome said.

Jerome believes SCC will be improved in the post this season. Amanda Winters, a graduate of Clark County High School, will start in the post along with Brittany Brown, a 6-2 center from Milwaukee. Tiffany Williams, a 6-5 center from Edmond, Okla., and Alicea Mason, a 5-11 forward from Jefferson City, Mo., also will play inside.

“Last year we were small in the post with Candace (McGee), Lene (Lox) and Sabrin (Hassan),” Jerome said. “The post players we have are doing real well, and we feel we are able to match-up with teams inside.”

All nine players will see action this weekend.

“The pace of the game at the junior college level means you have to play kids, so we're preparing to play all nine Saturday and Sunday,” Jerome said.

The players have had to learn a new system. Jerome calls it a work in progress, but he has liked what he has seen from his team early on.

“They work real hard,” Jerome said. “I like the desire the players have, they all want to win. They are highly competitive, so hopefully that translates on the court.”

Offensively, Jerome believes he has a better shooting team than a year ago. Defensively, the BlackHawks will play a combination of defenses.

“We're going to try man-to-man,” Jerome said. “We did last year, but with Cobi being down and with our numbers we will have to play zone like we did last year.”

The zone worked well for the BlackHawks last season.

“I thought the end of last year our zone was pretty good,” Jerome said. “It took a while to get it, but it slowed the pace of the game down for us. It was more manageable for us in the second half of last season.”

SCC opens in the Fun City Classic at 5 p.m. Saturday against Florissant Valley and 3 p.m. Sunday against State Fair.

“I think we're ready,” Jerome said. “We have had some injuries and a few situations that have come up, but we're really focused on what we have to do this weekend.”