Bearkats look for improvement in 2007-08
9/18/2007 1:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
With a balanced combination of six talented newcomers and six returning letter winners, head coach Brenda Nichols looks for improvement in her second season at the helm of the Sam Houston State women's basketball program.
Three starters return from last year's squad.
Lydia Gonzales, a 6-0 junior post player, is the Bearkats' top returning scorer and rebounder. Becoming eligible at semester break after transfering from Arkansas-Little Rock, Gonzales averaged 8.2 points and 5.1 rebounds. She scored in double figures six times including a season high of 25 in a victory at McNeese State.
Ratysha Alexander, a 5-4 junior guard, has scored 208 points and totaled 98 assists in her two seasons as a Bearkat.
Whitney Smith, a 5-11 sophomore forward, averaged 7.1 points, scoring in double figures eight times as a true freshman.
Brittney Harris, the only three-year senior letter winner on the 2007-08 squad, also returns. The veteran 5-10 forward who has scored 377 points in her career was the Bearkats' leading scorer through the first seven games last season when her year ended with a knee injury.
Other returning letter winners include 5-4 guard Brittany Brooks and 5-9 forward LaToya Bennett.
"We'll be counting on our returning players to provide solid leadership for the newcomers on the team," Nichols said. "This is good solid group of players who have demonstrated their willingness to work hard."
Nichols, who was hired in August, 2006, is excited about her first recruiting class at Sam Houston State.
"We have brought in some young ladies we believe can provide immediate help," Nichols said. "We've helped ourselves both on the perimeter and under the basket."
Newcomers for the Bearkats are transfers 5-6 Leasa Ailshie, 5-6 Katie Sanders, and 6-0 Kristin Ford and freshmen 5-5 Ausha Hartley, 6-0 Jameisha Todd, and 6-0 Deltrice Daniel.
Ailshie is a transfer point guard from Connors State College in Oklahoma . The 5-foot-6 guard averaged 8.5 assists per game and seven times record double digits in assists, including a season-high 17.
Ford averaged 12.1 points and 10.2 rebounds for Paris Junior College last season, earning second team All-Conference honors after leading the team to a 17-13 overall record.
Sanders was a four-time All-District selection during her career at Orangefield. She was a Texas Girls Coaches Association All-State player as a sophomore, junior, and senior.
Hartley was a four-year starter and two-time All-District selection at Houston Westside High School where she averaged 13.7 points, 5.4 assists, 6.2 steals, and 6.1 rebounds as a senior in 2006-07.
Daniel is a 6-0 forward from Clear Lake High School. She averaged 13.6 points, 10.1 rebounds, 2.5 blocks, and shot 52 percent from beyond the arc as a senior in 2006-07. She was a two-time first team All-District and Academic All-District selection. She also was selected to the Academic All-State team.
Todd was a three-year starter for Columbia (GA) Hardaway High School, playing center, power forward, and wing. She was team captain of Hardaway's 27-4 squad this year that reached the Georgia state championships final four, the school's best record in history.
Once again, Sam Houston State will play a challenging non-conference schedule that includes encounters with Texas, Arkansas, Auburn, Oklahoma State, Southern Mississippi, South Alabama, and Tulsa.
"We're excited about the coming season and look to be improved," Nichols said.
