By Anvil Welch
awelch@joplinglobe.com
Michael Basler, women’s basketball coach at University of Saint Mary, Leavenworth, Kan., wasn’t surprised by the successful season turned in by Nevada’s Lacy Leonard.
Basler is confident that Leonard, a 6-foot junior will be even more productive for the Spires next season.
“She made us an immediate threat to win each game,” Basler said Tuesday. “It didn’t surprise me that she made all-conference (first team in the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference). She missed newcomer of the year by one vote.
“We have the right pieces around her,” Basler said. “We expect to return four starters and six of our top eight players.”
Basler, completing his fourth season as head coach, believes that Leonard will improve in two areas that will key a run at the first winning season in history for Saint Mary. Saint Mary finished 11-17 overall this season and tied for eighth among 10 teams in the KCAC.
“First, she can make the team better by screening better and becoming more aggressive,” Basler said. “She also needs to learn to dribble the ball more.”
There wasn’t much Leonard didn’t accomplish on the court, Basler said.
Leonard led the league in scoring (17.3-point average) and 3-point field goal percentage (41.2 on 42-of-102).
Leonard shot 44.7 percent overall from the field on 183-of-409 and 75.2 from the foul line on 76-of-101. The free-throw percentage placed her eighth in the league.
Leonard added an average of 7.7 rebounds — sixth in the league — and placed ninth with 26 blocked shots. She also paced the team in steals with 37.
“I was hoping for a better overall field goal percentage,” Leonard said. “Other than that, I had a pretty good season.”
Leonard joined Saint Mary, an NAIA Division II school, after two seasons with Dave Ketterman at NJCAA Division II Cottey College in Nevada. She was an all-Southwest Conference performer for Brent Bartlett at Nevada High School.
Leonard, a member of the Dean’s List at Saint Mary, is majoring in elementary education and plans to eventually teach and coach.
Lacy, the daughter of Brent and Julie Leonard, pointed to three more juniors out of the prep Southwest Conference that are performing well. They are Hillary Adams of Nevada (William Jewell), Katie Burger of Carthage (Evangel) and Lindsy Murray of Neosho (College of the Ozarks).
Plus, Leonard said, sophomore Meghan Waggoner of Carthage has helped Johnson County Community College of Overland Park, Kan., reach the NJCAA Division II National Tournament at Peoria, Ill.
Sports
Nevada's Leonard leads KCAC in scoring
- Sports
-
-
Kickapoo girls race past Joplin
Annie Armstrong poured in 21 points to lead the Kickapoo girls to a 65-28 victory over Joplin on Thursday night in an Ozark Conference basketball game at Missouri Southern’s Young Gymnasium.
-
Cheever is ultimate blue-collar snowboarder
As a World Cup snowboardcross racer, Jonathan Cheever has taken his share of spills over the years.
-
District wrestling tournaments begin tonight
Neosho’s wrestling lineup will have a different look when the Class 3 district wrestling tournament begins at 6 p.m. today at Carthage.
-
Late board work carries Lions past Pittsburg State
Pittsburg State displayed its offensive rebounding muscle during Wednesday night’s game at Missouri Southern.
-
Pitching holds key for softball Lions
Pitching is the main question Missouri Southern must answer as the Lions open their softball season today in Abilene, Texas.
-
Quapaw completes 12-0 run through Lucky '7' Conference
Quapaw High School girls basketball coach Rod Graves expected the 2011-12 Wildcats to compile another successful season.
They haven’t been a disappointment. -
Hillsdale women stop OCC
Visiting Hillsdale Free Will Baptist handed Ozark Christian a 68-47 loss in women’s college basketball on Thursday night.
-
Tomlin, Steelers welcome Haley as new coordinator
Throughout the 16 minutes that followed him glowingly introducing former Kansas City Chiefs coach Todd Haley as his new offensive coordinator, Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin stood proudly in the corner of the second-floor media room at the team’s facility.
-
Rangers, Cruz strike $16M, 2-year deal
Two-time defending AL champion Texas has avoided arbitration with another of its core players, agreeing Thursday to a $16 million, two-year contract with AL championship series MVP Nelson Cruz.
-
Auburn’s Ward adapts game after injury at Texas
Auburn’s Varez Ward can’t take to the air quite like he used to. The onetime Texas starter is still trying to regain strength and explosiveness more than two years after rupturing his right quadriceps tendon while dunking during pre-game warmups.
- More Sports Headlines
-
Denver's Largest-Ever Drug Bust Nets Dozens
Marines: No Punishment for Nazi-like Flag
Vets Look to Translate Military Skills Into Jobs
Expert: Removing LA School's Staff 'Appropriate'
Raw Video: School Bus Burst Into Flames
LA School Reopens Amid Sex Abuse Scandal
$25B Settlement Reached Over Foreclosure Abuses
Pentagon: Allow Women Closer to Front Lines
Obama Gives Education Waivers to 10 States
Giffords Aide to Run for Her Seat
LA School in Sex Abuse Scandal Reopens
Winter Slamming North Asia, Parts of Europe
Syrian Forces Renew Bombardment of Homs
States, Banks Reach Foreclosure-abuse Settlement
Raw Video: Italy's Mount Etna Bursts Into Life
Greeks March; Angry Despite Debt Deal
Raw Video: U.S. Pullout Celebration
Raw Video: Annual Empire State Building Run-Up
Man Killed in Courthouse Shootout
Air Force Airlines: Leaders Get Polished Service
