Hot hoopsters looking out for number one

Coming off a 1998-99 season filled with pleasant surprises, the women's basketball team swings back into action tonight at the Santa Cruz Tournament in California. Though their opponents in this weekend's tournament may be unfamiliar, the Yeowomen's extraordinary talent and drive are known quantities. With two of last year's NCAC scoring leaders in their ranks and five promising newcomers shoring up both offense and defense, prospects for Oberlin roundball have never looked better.

The Yeowomen finished last year's campaign with 15 wins overall, more than any other women's basketball squad in Oberlin history. They defied preseason naysayers by making their way from a seventh-place coaches' poll prediction to an NCAC semifinal berth against eventual conference champion Ohio Wesleyan. In that game, Oberlin took the Bishops to overtime at Wesleyan's Ricky Arena, where the home team was 12-1, and did not relent until the last buzzer sounded and the Yeowomen were one basket short of victory.

Oberlin's current roster seems capable of making history repeat itself - and then some. This year's squad boasts returning offensive star Nzinga Broussard. The sophomore guard led the Yeowomen in scoring last year and was second in the conference with a 16.9 points-per-game average. Rejoining Broussard will be sophomore forward Raegan Johnson, a familiar power in the post who was second on the team in scoring last season. Other notable returnees include senior point guard Chamia Peterson, a four year veteran of OC basketball, and sisters Heather and Rachael Barbee, both juniors, natives of Oberlin, impressive rebounders and all-around team leaders. Heather is currently slated to start at center.

Oberlin's newcomers are looking just as promising to Head Coach Ann Gilbert. "Five or six [first-years] is a pretty average number," Gilbert said, noting that on a team with five first-years, each of these new players will see considerable action on the court. Gilbert is entering her sixth year coaching women's basketball at her alma mater.

Heather Barbee agrees, saying this new crop of Yeowomen is a definite asset. "I think everybody contributes a lot to the team," she said.

Gilbert had several comments regarding the team's strong points going into this season. "One of the strengths we have as a team [is] we play a very up-tempo style of basketball," she said. According to Gilbert, this allows the Yeowomen to set the pace of a game, forcing their opponents to adjust their play in order to keep up.

Confidence is clearly another team strength. Asked whether the Yeowomen feel intimidated by the heightened expectations surrounding the upcoming season, Gilbert was distinctly optimistic. "I really don't think our players feel the pressure," she said. "You have to take each game as it comes."

Johnson shared Gilbert's positive view concerning the upcoming season. "We have more depth, more players that can contribute," she said. "We're all excited for it to start." Oberlin is ranked third in the preseason NCAC coaches' poll; if the team rises two rankings as it did last year, then Oberlin could be looking at its first conference championship.

Gilbert isn't worried that this year's Yeowomen will have trouble racking up points. Instead she feels they should be focusing on keeping the other team from doing the same. "The area of emphasis we've been stressing so far is improving our defense," she said. Attention will be paid to rebounding, with particular emphasis on boxing out, a defensive technique used to reduce opponents' scoring opportunities and achieve greater margins of victory.

In a scrimmage against Notre Dame of Ohio last Saturday, Oberlin played solid basketball during four consecutive 20-minute periods. "We looked pretty good for it to be our first time to play," Johnson said. The scrimmage provided a perfect opportunity for coach Gilbert and her players to assess the group dynamic. "We got a chance to see how well we're working together as a team," Heather Barbee added.

This impressive debut should set the stage for success at Santa Cruz. When asked about the opening tournament, Gilbert noted the possibility of "first-game jitters" and took a pragmatic stance. "We'll go into it hoping we can at least break even," she said. Last year OC did begin the season 1-1 at a similar tourney in Chicago. However, the Yeowomen have been studying the tape of those two games with the intention of learning from their mistakes and going 2-0 in California.

Women's basketball will return to Oberlin on Tuesday, Nov. 23 when the Yeowomen compete against former NCAC rival Case Western at 8 p.m. So come on out to Philips and give a cheer for the home team. You'll be glad you did.