Women's Basketball Practice Opens Sunday
10/3/2015 2:26:00 PM | Women's Basketball
With the goal of meshing a group of returning letter-winners with a host of talented newcomers into a blend that will produce a winning combination, Sam Houston Head Coach Brenda Nichols and her staff begin preseason practice for the 2015-16 women's basketball campaign this weekend.
Seven veterans return from last year's squad that battled for a Southland tournament berth down to the final weekend during a season handicapped by several injuries. The group includes senior guard Shernise Robertson who led the league in scoring last year with 22.1 points a game in conference play.
Back on the floor this year is 6-3 senior post player Angela Beadle, an All-Southland Conference selection in 2014 who took a medical red-shirt in 2015. Added to the mix of five new freshman recruits, an outstanding junior college transfer and a red-shirt freshman.
“Everyone is very excited to get practice underway,” Nichols said. “We've had great success with our fall individual work. The new players and the old are blending well. They're focused on becoming a team.”
Robertson, who transferred to Sam Houston from Tyler Junior College, scored in double figures in all but three games. She totaled 531 points, almost a third of Sam Houston's scoring last season.
“We look to have good depth at every position this year, which will be great for Shernise,” Nichols said. “She can relax and play her game.”
Nichols believes the Bearkats' inside game will be a plus for Sam Houston this year. Beadle was second in the Southland in 2014 with 300 rebounds. She ranks as the program's sixth all-time rebounding leader with 677 career boards.
Saundra Guillory, a 6-1 sophomore, and Shadijah Moore, a 6-2 senior, led the Kats in rebounding last season. Jasmine McCants, a 6-0 transfer tom Alabama Southern Community College and freshmen 5-10 Lydia Baxter and 6-1 Ashleigh Cooper also bring talent to the team.
“For the first time in a while, we're going to have a real post presence inside,” Nichols said. “Angela is back. Shadijah and Saundra did a good job for us last year. Jasmine is a junior college kid who can rebound and we think Lydia and Ashleigh will have fun inside too.”
Joining Robinson in the backcourt as returning players are 5-7 senior Jasmin Anderson, 5-6 junior Morghen Day, 5-5 senior Amanda Barnes and 5-8 sophomore Angela Delaney.
Newcomers in the back court include 5-5 Berniezha Tidwell, 5-8 Kamry Orr and 5-8 Laurynn McGowen.
“Our depth is going to be a big factor for us,” Nichols said. “We can substitute at every position and will not be missing any way with the other player takes the floor.”
The Sam Houston women face another challenging non-conference schedule in 2015-16. The Bearkats travel to TCU on November 13 and Arkansas on November 15 to open the schedule. The Kats will open their regular season home schedule with the annual “Pack the House” game on Friday November 20 at 11 a.m. at Bernard G. Johnson Coliseum.
Other non-conference opponents include Rice, Kansas State and Texas.
