Young FSCC women's team hopes to live up to expectations

FORT SCOTT -- The irony of this year's Jayhawk Conference pre-season coaches poll wasn't lost on Fort Scott Community College head coach Diana Couch.

Last year, the Greyhounds had only one freshman but were picked to finish in last place in the Jayhawk Conference-Eastern Division. However, they finished seventh with a 14-18 record, 5-13 in the division.

This year they've been picked to finish fifth even though there's only one returning sophomore, Kendra Mattox (5' 10", Erie, Kan.).

"Even at the (pre-season) press conference, I joked with the coaches that 'You might have got something backwards here'," Couch said Thursday afternoon. "Last year, I had nine sophomores, one freshman and you picked us 10th. This year, I have the opposite and we were picked fifth and I hope that we can live up to their expectations.

"Some of the coaches in the conference recruited our athletes so they know our potential. And I think that's what they're basing (the prediction) on. They've seen our potential and they know where they can go."

Couch also feels that last year's team helped this group earn some respect because they were able to finish higher than most expected.

"They have a lot to live up to from last year's team and we remind them of that," she said. "They're not to take that fifth-place ranking for granted at all because that was earned by (last year's) team that established a reputation for our program. Now it's up to them to live up to it."

Mattox is the only returning player from last year's team. Stacy Carter (6' 1", Muskogee, Okla.) is the team's only other sophomore, transferring in from Grayson County Community College (Texas). Mattox is being counted on as a leader based on her understanding of what Couch wants from her players.

"Kendra needs to lead from the point of view that she knows my expectations," Couch says. "So she kind of works with the team on keeping them on track by saying, 'I know what coach wants,' before they step out on the floor.

"Stacy is actually a third-year player, so she's got a little bit more maturity she's bringing in; more off-the-floor type of things. As far as the learning pace, Staci is just like a freshman to us, because she's just come into the program."

A freshman-loaded team will often struggle in pre-season as players who were most often the go-to player come to realize that they're not expected to be the star anymore.

"(Wednesday) night, we had a turning point in our final scrimmage," Couch noted. "We're hoping to build on that and that was just the fact that they started trusting in our philosophy. They struggled a lot with some 'me, me, me' from high school, (and) learning the way to play defense.

"You're taking kids that were the star on their team. The ball is given to them and they think they're supposed to score when they need to learn in our program that it's not about them; it's about everybody on the team being a contributor."

Fort Scott High School graduate Jolee Sharp (5' 10", Fr.) is one of those young players. She, Brittany Crow (5' 4", Fr., Verdigris, Okla.) and Christina Hammer (5' 8", Fr., Westville, Okla.) are in contention for the starting position at shooting guard. Sharp is Fort Scott High School's all-time leading scorer and the first girl in school history to score 1,000 points. Crow has been the leading 3-point shooter in Oklahoma last year. Hammer has the best ball-handling skills and can also play some small forward.

"Jolee is still able to get to the basket and do some things," Couch says. "Where she's struggling at this level, and it's something she'll work on, is her ball handling. At the two, she handles the ball a lot more. As soon as she gets her hands in, she'll be able to be more of an offensive threat. Brittany is still making the adjustments from high school to college."

Danielle Wiese (5' 9", Fr., Belton, Mo.) was brought in as a small forward, but it appears that she will begin the season as the Greyhounds' starting point guard. Marisha Henderson (5' 5", Fr., Kansas City, Kan.) and Jodi Young (5' 4", Fr., Shawnee Mission) will be looking to get more time at the position as they mature.

"Point guard is the position that's up for grabs right now," Couch says. "I brought a couple of young ladies that aren't quite there yet. Danielle has been playing the point for us for about a week and is actually growing into that role very well. Marisha and Jodi are struggling with the understanding of what to do yet. So until they grow into those spots, I think we're going to keep Danielle where she's at."

Wiese will still also be used some at the small forward spot. Ashlie Baker (5' 9", Fr., Tulsa-East Central) will likely see more time there when Wiese is at the point.

"Ashlie helped her team to the state tournament twice," Couch noted. "We've kind of nicknamed her 'Hurricane,'" because we give her the ball and she can go and tear some stuff up."

Power forwards will be Kerenza Singletary (5' 9", Fr., Shawnee Mission) and Mattox, who has the edge for the starting spot. The posts will be Carter and Briana Bonaparte (6' 1", Fr., Baltimore).

"Both (posts) need to learn the inside game," Couch says. "They're more outside post players. We don't have a true post and we don't have a true point, so that's similar to last year's team. We're developing much into like last year's team, but we have more athleticism at each position."

Couch naturally assumes that the Greyhounds' defense will develop faster, which is fine with her as she would like her team to be known for its defense.

"We have been focusing on defense," Couch says. "We figured that would be the first thing to focus on with this young group. If we can defend, we can work on our offense and it will start coming to us. We want to be known for our defense. Offensively, every one of them are skilled; we just have to hone their skills. Right now, the main thing we have to be able to do is defend the ball so we can grow in the other parts of the game."

Just about every player on the roster can shoot the 3-pointer. This will expand the offensive game quite a bit, Couch says.

Looking at the conference, Independence was picked to re-establish itself as the team to beat after a few years down toward the middle of the pack. Johnson County, a national Division II power, was picked second followed by Cowley and Coffeyville, which also has just one returning sophomore. Defending champion Labette was picked eighth as it found itself in a situation where it had to replace its head coach late in the year.

"I think they picked us pretty accurately," Couch says. "Allen County (picked 10th) has only seven players but I told the girls, 'We were that 10th-place pick last year, so you never know what can happen. We don't need to underestimate anyone.

"I think it's going to be like it is every other year. Whoever plays the best that night, not necessarily who's ranked higher or has the better record, will win. At conference time, anyone can steal a game from anyone. But this year, there is so much going on with coaching changes and sophomores graduating that this year is probably the most open I've seen the conference for movement and we need to take advantage of that."

The Greyhounds' season begins Tuesday night with a 5:30 p.m. tip-off against Crowder College. This will be just one of three home games before the holiday break. The others will be Dec. 4, against Johnson County and Dec. 10, against Cottey College.

Notes: Katie Reihmann will be Couch's new assistant this season, replacing Katasha Bledsoe. Reihmann played at Upper Iowa University and Des Moines Area Community College and has coached at Southwestern Community College in Iowa.

"She has been tremendous to our individual growth at positions," Couch says. "She's been keeping everything on track. She will be an asset on our bench in helping the team to get better this year."... The Greyhounds will also travel to Hutchinson at the end of next week. They will face Pratt Friday at 1:30 p.m, and Hutchinson Saturday, at 5:30 p.m.