CSCC 2012-2013 WOMEN'S BASKETBALL PREVIEW
November 15, 2012
By BRYAN GRISHAM
CSCC Sports Information Director
A new season, time to turn the page. And there are
very few people happier than Cleveland State head coach Dan Lumpkin
as he embarks on his 16th season as the leader of the Lady Cougars.
The veteran coach will have nine new faces on his bench this season
as he tries to mesh the incoming tallent with the five returning
sophomores for the 2012/2013 season.
"Just getting
everyone on the practice floor has been a big thing," explained
Lumpkin. "Injuries and the Flu have hit us hard in the preseason.
We are excited about the possibilities for this team. Hopefully,
our size and flexibility will help us compete with the perrenial
powers in our conference. We are starting to come together as a
team which takes time, but our five returning players along with
the sophomore transfers have blended nicely with our freshman and
we really have
a good
mix."
Robyn Anthony and Hannah Brown will return to the
Cleveland State backcourt and will be counted on to shoulder a lot
of offensive load, Brown from behind the 3-point line and Anthony
slashing to the hoop. Freshman Jara Gasper from Loudon High School
will most likely start at one of the forward positions along with
last season's leading scorer, Chelsea Jones.
"Jara fought
through a quad injury and three days after she got back she got a
concussion and missed another week and a half," said Lumpkin. "It's
just because she goes so hard and that's what I love about her, she
plays so hard and I love her intensity level. That's why she
is starting, because she has earned it by going so hard in
practice. She is 100 percent everytime she steps on the court.
Hopefully that will be contagious. Once Chelsea got back from her
knee injury she became one of our most important players last
year. She is smart and she is our leader. We count
on Hannah and Robin for inside and outside scoring."
Former
Cleveland High School Lady Raider, Ciera Anderson is hopeful to be
healthy enough to be in the starting lineup after transferring from
North Alabama. Anderson is battling a knee injury which has limited
her time in practice.
"Ciera brings a whole new look to our team, her
athletic ability and presence inside will definitely help us," the
coach continued. "If they can stay healthy, I feel that our
starting five can really be competitive and they have great
potential to do well this year."
Mercedes Owens will come off the bench at the guard position
after transferring from Bryan College and is also a high school
teammate of Jones at Chattanooga Christian. Shea Nunn and Me'Lisa
Martinez will be two returnees who will be counted on to come off
the bench, rebound and can hit the occassional trey as well.
Martinez missed last season with a knee injury. Freshman Shadave
Taylor from Morgan County, Georgia will be the backup point
guard.
Freshman,
Diamond Freeman from Campbell High School in Marietta, Georgia will
be counted on heavily in the paint as the six-footer adjusts to the
college game. Carley Fetzer is another 5'11 freshman from Northwest
Whitfield in Dalton, Georgia that should be able to help in the
paint after she recovers from a broken foot. Jasmine Davis, came to
town along with Taylor from Morgan
County High school and will be getting back into the
swing of things after missing last year with an illness. Tre'Ketta
Bonds from Tyner Academy will also be in the mix in the
paint.
"We have a
lot more height this year than in years past," said Lumpkin.
"Diamond is a hard worker, Carly will see more time as she recovers
from the foot injury, Jasmine is very quick and has the speed to
help us in the press. Tre'Ketta is a good post defender and she has
the quickness to guard the guards, I wish everyone had her
intensity."
"Our sophomores are feeling the gravity and the seriousness of
the season starting and they are wanting to have a great season and
they are doing a good job of letting the freshmen know that it's
time to play. We're excited about the possibilities."
