Bearkat WBB Preview: Newcomers
11/9/2021 5:50:00 AM | Women's Basketball
HUNTSVILLE – The Sam Houston women's basketball team tips off in its first game of the 2021-2022 season on Thursday when they take on Wiley College at Johnson Coliseum.
Coach Ravon Justice returns four of five starters this year, but also brought in an impactful group of eight newcomers, one from the high school ranks, and seven transfers. They look to fill in and replace the production that left the team while also taking this year's team to new heights in the WAC.
Jordyn Weaver | Fr | 5-10 | F | San Antonio, Texas / Wagner HS
The lone true freshman on the roster this season, Weaver is the younger sister of Bearkat defensive back Tobias Weaver. At Wagner HSÂ she averaged 17.5 points, 11 rebounds and 3 steals per game for her career. She was an all-District 26-5A member in 2019-2020. Weaver is a strongly built guard who can use her physicality to her advantage and shoots the ball well.
Ky'Lie Scott | So | 5-9 | G | Denton, Texas / Denton HS / Little Rock
Scott joins the Bearkats after spending two seasons with Little Rock. Last season she started 15 games and averaged 9.3 points per game to go with 2.7 rebounds. She shot well from deep with a clip of 38.1% from three. Scott put up a season-high 23 points versus ULM. She attended Denton High School and was the Denton All-Area Offensive Player of the Year. Scott figures to be in the mix at the guard spot and provide offense and a good jump shot as she has experience at this level.
Mikayla Woods | So | 5-6 | G | Pflugerville, Texas / Hendrickson HS / UTSA
Woods is another guard that was added from the transfer portal from UTSA who gave the Kats a firsthand look at what she could do as a true freshman in 2019-20 when she put up a 32-point, 11-rebound double-double against Sam Houston. She started 18 games for the Roadrunners that year and was named to the C-USA All-Freshman team that season. She led the team with 15 ppg. Also posted 5.8 rpg and 2.4 assists per game and followed that up with an average of 12.0 points and 6.2 rebounds in 19 games a year ago. Prior to UTSA, she was a member of the 2,000-point club at Hendrickson HS.
Shuntorri Rodgers | So | 5-11 | G | Minden, La. / Minden HS / Western Texas College
Rodgers played two seasons at Western Texas College, averaging 11.5 ppg and 5.2 rpg for her career. She is a guard that has size at 5-11 and handles the basketball well. She was a 2021 member of the WCJAC All-Conference team.
Raanee Smith | So | 6-2 | G/F | Philadelphia, Pa. / Friends' Central School / Colorado
Smith spent two years at Colorado where she appeared in 16 total games for her career. She is a high character leader on the team who rebounds and defends well in the post. In high school in Philadelphia, Smith averaged a double-double as a senior and was a two-time All-Friends League first team member.
Devyn Wilson | Jr | 5-11 | F | Smyrna, GA. / Norcross HS / George Mason
Wilson is another forward joining the Bearkats who knows how to rebound the basketball. At George Mason, she grabbed 33 rebounds and put up 32 points in her junior year. Wilson brings experience to the roster and adds depth inside. She is a tough dependable player that looks to have a big season with the Bearkats.
Braylyn Dollar | Jr | 6-0 | F | Lubbock Texas / Monterey HS / West Texas A&M
Dollar is an addition to the front court for the Bearkats. She comes to Huntsville by way of one of the top Division II programs in the country at West Texas A&M. In her career with the Lady Buffs, she averaged 6.9 ppg and 5.0 rpg. As a forward she can step out to the three-point line and knock shots down. The inside out offensive game paired with her rebounding skill will make Dollar hard to keep off the court.
LeAndra Echi | RSr | 5-8| G | Beacon, N.Y. / Vermont Academy / Northwest Florida State College/ Indiana State
Echi comes to Sam Houston from Indiana State. In the 2019-2020 season she averaged 8.1 ppg and 7.6 rpg before suffering a season-ending leg injury. In the 2020-2021 season Echi played in five games scoring three points and two rebounds. She made her way to Indiana State from Northwest Florida State where she garnered a second team all-conference nomination while averaging 6 ppg, 6.4 rpg and 5.9 apg. She figures to be a defensive presence for the Kats as well as a good rebounder at the guard position which can often lead to transition buckets.
Coach Ravon Justice returns four of five starters this year, but also brought in an impactful group of eight newcomers, one from the high school ranks, and seven transfers. They look to fill in and replace the production that left the team while also taking this year's team to new heights in the WAC.
Jordyn Weaver | Fr | 5-10 | F | San Antonio, Texas / Wagner HS
The lone true freshman on the roster this season, Weaver is the younger sister of Bearkat defensive back Tobias Weaver. At Wagner HSÂ she averaged 17.5 points, 11 rebounds and 3 steals per game for her career. She was an all-District 26-5A member in 2019-2020. Weaver is a strongly built guard who can use her physicality to her advantage and shoots the ball well.
Ky'Lie Scott | So | 5-9 | G | Denton, Texas / Denton HS / Little Rock
Scott joins the Bearkats after spending two seasons with Little Rock. Last season she started 15 games and averaged 9.3 points per game to go with 2.7 rebounds. She shot well from deep with a clip of 38.1% from three. Scott put up a season-high 23 points versus ULM. She attended Denton High School and was the Denton All-Area Offensive Player of the Year. Scott figures to be in the mix at the guard spot and provide offense and a good jump shot as she has experience at this level.
Mikayla Woods | So | 5-6 | G | Pflugerville, Texas / Hendrickson HS / UTSA
Woods is another guard that was added from the transfer portal from UTSA who gave the Kats a firsthand look at what she could do as a true freshman in 2019-20 when she put up a 32-point, 11-rebound double-double against Sam Houston. She started 18 games for the Roadrunners that year and was named to the C-USA All-Freshman team that season. She led the team with 15 ppg. Also posted 5.8 rpg and 2.4 assists per game and followed that up with an average of 12.0 points and 6.2 rebounds in 19 games a year ago. Prior to UTSA, she was a member of the 2,000-point club at Hendrickson HS.
Shuntorri Rodgers | So | 5-11 | G | Minden, La. / Minden HS / Western Texas College
Rodgers played two seasons at Western Texas College, averaging 11.5 ppg and 5.2 rpg for her career. She is a guard that has size at 5-11 and handles the basketball well. She was a 2021 member of the WCJAC All-Conference team.
Raanee Smith | So | 6-2 | G/F | Philadelphia, Pa. / Friends' Central School / Colorado
Smith spent two years at Colorado where she appeared in 16 total games for her career. She is a high character leader on the team who rebounds and defends well in the post. In high school in Philadelphia, Smith averaged a double-double as a senior and was a two-time All-Friends League first team member.
Devyn Wilson | Jr | 5-11 | F | Smyrna, GA. / Norcross HS / George Mason
Wilson is another forward joining the Bearkats who knows how to rebound the basketball. At George Mason, she grabbed 33 rebounds and put up 32 points in her junior year. Wilson brings experience to the roster and adds depth inside. She is a tough dependable player that looks to have a big season with the Bearkats.
Braylyn Dollar | Jr | 6-0 | F | Lubbock Texas / Monterey HS / West Texas A&M
Dollar is an addition to the front court for the Bearkats. She comes to Huntsville by way of one of the top Division II programs in the country at West Texas A&M. In her career with the Lady Buffs, she averaged 6.9 ppg and 5.0 rpg. As a forward she can step out to the three-point line and knock shots down. The inside out offensive game paired with her rebounding skill will make Dollar hard to keep off the court.
LeAndra Echi | RSr | 5-8| G | Beacon, N.Y. / Vermont Academy / Northwest Florida State College/ Indiana State
Echi comes to Sam Houston from Indiana State. In the 2019-2020 season she averaged 8.1 ppg and 7.6 rpg before suffering a season-ending leg injury. In the 2020-2021 season Echi played in five games scoring three points and two rebounds. She made her way to Indiana State from Northwest Florida State where she garnered a second team all-conference nomination while averaging 6 ppg, 6.4 rpg and 5.9 apg. She figures to be a defensive presence for the Kats as well as a good rebounder at the guard position which can often lead to transition buckets.
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