Size, experience strengths at NEO

November 02, 2008 12:26 am

— From staff reports
sports@joplinglobe.com
MIAMI, Okla. — Experience and size appear strengths of the Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College women’s basketball team this season.
Coach Jim Rowland starts finding out the positives and negatives Monday night as the Lady Norse play host to Crowder.
The 6 p.m. contest will find the Lady Norse in their renovated NEO Fieldhouse.
The Lady Norse just recently returned to practicing in the NEO Fieldhouse after a flood on July 4, 2007, closed the facility and forced the shift of games to the Student Activity Center.
“We’ve had some good practice sessions on the new court,” Rowland said. “It feels good to be back home.
“Not only are we getting to play in the Fieldhouse in our opener but the game is against one of our old rivals in Crowder College,” Rowland said. “Playing in the NEO Fieldhouse will be a new experience for all 13 players, too.”
Rowland, 70-25 in three seasons at NEO, has four starters from a 23-8 edition that finished third in the Eastern Division of the Bi-State Athletic Conference with a 5-3 record. NEO lost 98-80 to Arkansas-Fort Smith in a semifinal of the Region II Tournament at Shawnee.
“Our strength entering the season is the experience we have in the post positions,” Rowland said. “We have 6-foot and 5-10 sophomores returning with a 6-5 freshman from Serbia and two other 6-0 freshmen.”
Post veterans are 5-10 Nolisha Markham, who averaged 10.2 points and 6.8 rebounds in 2007-08, and 6-0 Skye Rees (9.5 ppg, 4.9 rpg).
Newcomers expected to see playing time in the post are 5-11 Phyleice Beaver, 6-5 Jelena Cerina and 6-0 Alizandra Odell. Odell didn’t play last season after signing with Pittsburg State.
“The bulk of our scoring should come from our inside game,” Rowland said. “These players have the ability to shoot the ball.”
Plus, Rowland said, NEO has 6-5 Andrea Moreno who’s scheduled to join the team in the second half of the campaign.
Rowland said that Kashei Hopkins, a 5-7 freshman, has the inside track on running the NEO offense.
“She’s showing she can come out and run this team,” Rowland said. “She has the speed and quickness to go with sound ball-handling skills.”
Carla McKinney, a 5-4 freshman, has been sharing time with Hopkins.
Preseason NJCAA All-American Megan Fraley, 5-7, is the shooting guard after averaging 14.5 points and 6.5 rebounds.
Fraley shot almost 50 percent from the field and paced the team in assists (a total of 91) and steals (54).
Freshmen Kayla Cady (5-7), a member of the volleyball team, and Brittany Woodard (5-8) provide depth at shooting guard.
Kali Bassett, 5-8, returns at the three-guard spot. She averaged 5.1 points and sank 49-of-163 treys.
Challenging for playing time at three-guard are 5-9 frosh Krishenda Doss and Ashley Mekeel. Mekeel has been slowed by a hip injury.
“Even though most of our guards are interchangeable, we still lack a lot of experience on the perimeter,” Rowland said.
“Defensively, we’re going to mix-and-match a little more than we have in the past,” Rowland said. “We also plan to play more 2-3 zone.”