Ladyjacks Set to Open 2007-08 Season
10/30/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Oct. 30, 2007
NACOGDOCHES - The Nacogdoches community got its first look at the 2007-08 Stephen F. Austin Ladyjack and Lumberjack basketball teams Tuesday night at the annual `Meet the Ladyjacks & Lumberjacks' in the Grand Ballroom of the Pattillo Student Center.
Ladyjack head coach Lee Ann Riley, entering her seventh season on the sideline, opened the program by introducing her squad. One thing was obvious, there were few familiar faces on stage with her. Coach Riley will be working with one of the youngest teams in the Southland Conference, which consists of six freshmen and only one senior.
"I'm not concerned about their age," said Riley, as she was introducing her squad. "These girls can play. I've seen it every day in practice. We're not going to change who we are because of our youth. We like to get out their run, and look for easy baskets. It will be the same with this team."
The Ladyjacks' lone senior is 5-6 guard Nikki Carr. A preseason first-team all-conference selection, Carr will be the team's igniter in 2007-08. She is the team's top returning scorer averaging just under 11 points per game as a junior. Carr also proved that she is a threat on the glass pulling down 5.2 boards per game.
Carr enters her final season looking to place her name in the Ladyjack record books. She needs only 199 more points to become the 23rd Ladyjack to score 1,000 points in her career. She is also on pace to become on of the school's all-time leaders in three-point field goals, assists and steals.
The Ladyjacks also return juniors Natashia Green and Jessica Gaines, along with sophomores Whitney Cormier. Green proved that she has the potential to be a big time scoring threat in this league, while Gaines is a long-range bomber who has the potential to make things very exciting for Ladyjack fans if she can find her stroke early in the season.
Cormier and Holloway were two of the better freshmen in the league in 2006-07. Cormier made a strong push for freshmen player of the year honors after averaging 7.7 points and 3.5 rebounds during her rookie season.
Although a little less heralded, but no less important, was point guard Martina Holloway. A 5-5 product from Albuquerque Sandia High School, Holloway took over the starting point guard role midway through her rookie season and never looked back. Her pass first, pass second, and then pass some more attitude unintentionally pushed her out of the spotlight given to other players because she didn't produce the same type scoring numbers. But she had one of the better seasons of any guard in the league. Holloway finished second in the SLC in assists, by only a hundredth of an assist, during league games, and led the league in assist-to-turnover ratio. But having stated those numbers, Holloway will be asked to shoulder more of the scoring load this season.
"We really didn't get to see all of her abilities last year," said Riley. "Because she didn't really look for her shot. This year we need her to carry more of the offensive load. She has a good touch on the ball. We just need her to start looking to take more shots."
Along with the Ladyjacks' six freshmen, Riley will also be joined by two new faces on the sideline. Jaye Nayreau and Meredith Doyle are entering their first season as assistants with the Ladyjack program.
SFA opens its season with an exhibition game Thursday against St. Mary's. The game is slated to begin at 6 p.m. in the William R. Johnson Coliseum. The Ladyjacks open the regular season Sunday, Nov. 11, in New Orleans, La., against the Lady Privateers.
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