Alan Hoskins
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
College Advancement
Women's Basketball Schedule
Going on the road in the rugged Jayhawk Conference is difficult enough but it should not be as intimidating for Kansas City Kansas Community College’s women’s basketball team in 2008-09.
Without a home practice facility because of installation of a much-needed new wood floor in the KCKCC Field House, Coach Valerie Stambersky has had to take her Lady Blue Devils to Saint Mary University in Leavenworth and other sites for conditioning, practices and scrimmage games.
“It’s been tough,” says Stambersky. “The last 10 weeks we’ve been traveling and it becomes very tiring mentally and physically so it’s nice to be able to settle into our own facility and focus on what we need to do to get ready for the season.”
The Lady Blue Devils finally got to begin practices on their new floor on Monday, just 12 days before they open the season in the Keith Lindsey Classic against Brown-Mackie Friday, Oct. 31, and Hesston Saturday, Nov. 1.
The extensive traveling, however, did provide Stambersky a more in-depth look at her squad. “Overall, it’s a group that can score,” she says. “It’s also a team that wants to play games and will find a way to be successful. We won our first three scrimmages and did not run one single offensive set correctly but were able to find ways to score. However, we must learn to pay attention to detail.”
Four veterans return from last year’s 14-17 team including two key starters – 5-11 forward Alexa McGrory from Ames, Iowa, who led the Blue Devils in both scoring (12.9) and rebounding (6.2) and point guard Ashleigh Gallio, an Australian native who led in assists (4.6) while averaging 4.5 points per game.
“We expect McGrory to provide leadership,” says Stambersky. “She’s able to score from two feet or 20, can attack off the dribble and is a good high low passer. Gallio has really improved. She stayed and worked all summer. She’s much stronger and more confident and will score more.”
Also returning are 5-8 Kelley Stauch of Tonganoxie and 5-10 Taryn Lane of Bonner Springs, both of whom averaged just under two points and two rebounds a game. “They’re both having great pre-season practices and scrimmages and will give us good minutes,” says Stambersky.
Additional experience will come from three transfers – 5-9 Cameron Roland of SM North from Cowley County, 5-5 Kristian Dodds of Sumner Academy from Coffeyville and 5-6 Jessi Hilliard, a Peabody grad who played at Colby. A fourth transfer, 5-11 Katie Dugan of Oak Park who originally signed with Avila, will not be eligible until the second semester.
“Roland does everything we ask, defend, pass, attack, score from the perimeter; a solid player who does not make a lot of mistakes,” says Stambersky. “Dodds can play both guard spots and is capable of scoring off the dribble while Hilliard is a natural athlete with a lot of potential who just needs to learn how good she can be.”
Backcourt and wing help will come from a quartet of freshmen – 5-10 Shannon Carlin of Tonganoxie, 5-9 Sarah Craft of Lawrence Free State, 5-7 Kelsey Stanbrough of Bonner Springs and 5-7 Brittney Miller of Toronto, Canada. “Carlin could be a key player for us because of her athleticism and ability to play the 2 or 3 position,” says Stambersky. “Craft is a very fundamentally sound player with good accuracy who is coming off knee surgery while Stanbrough has the offensive mentality to be a good three-pointer shooter. Miller is a very good passer and can do things offensively but needs to make the adjustment from basketball in Canada to the U.S.”
A fifth frosh and the Blue Devils’ only player standing over 6-foot, 6-2 Meagan Wilson of Tulsa, Okla., will not be eligible until the second semester when she’s expected to provide inside help.
While size is not a strength, Stambersky is optimistic that the size and athleticism of several of the guards will create problems. “It will be a challenge for other teams to match up against us,” she says. In her 10th season at KCKCC, Stambersky is again assisted by Alicia Roth.
The highlight of the non-conference season will be participation in the Surf ‘N Slam Tournament in San Diego, Calif., Dec. 29-30. The Lady Blue Devils will also play in the Des Moines Area Community College Classic Nov. 21-22 and the annual Jayhawk Shootout in Coffeyville Dec. 6-7.