Junior Shaunna Ambrose |
Senior Jennifer Roueche |
Sophomore Michelle Manfredi |
The Niagara University women’s basketball program and 12th-year head coach Bill Agronin have been spoiled and indulged.
For the last 10 years, the Purple Eagles have had a leader as in its point guard. First, Sheryl Klick, then Katie Murphy and lastly Eva Cunningham. Now, with the 32nd version of the women’s basketball team full of talent, Agronin is searching for that next leader.
“The biggest difference is that in the last 10 years we have had a pretty accomplished point guard. Right now we are searching for a point guard, searching for a leader on the court. We have a lot of firepower and a lot of pieces of the pie. We just don’t have that one main ingredient, who is going to run the show,” Agronin said.
With 12 letterwinners, including four returning starters, and three rookies on the roster, Agronin is confident that leadership will rise to the top because he knows leaders are created by action, not position.
Here’s a look at the Purple Eagle personnel for the upcoming season.
BACKCOURT
When something works, why change. Niagara, the MAAC’s leading three-point shooting team, will again be perimeter dominated in 2005-06.
“The style that we play is really predicated on an outside game,” Agronin said. “We are a perimeter-shooting team. We cause a lot of other teams problems because they have to guard our perimeter players. We usually have four people on the court who are capable of shooting three’s and we will this year, too.”
Niagara’s best shooter and biggest offensive weapon, Eva Cunningham, has made the transition to the bench this season, opening the door for Niagara’s newest point guard. Competing for the spot will be two veterans and a rookie.
Senior Danie Mosca understands the Niagara system and has seen time in the position on-and-off through her three seasons behind Cunningham.
The 5-foot-9 Mosca is one of the Purple Eagles’ best perimeter defenders, but isn’t afraid to use her offense as a weapon.
In 26 games and six starts last year, Mosca averaged 7.5 minutes per game and less than a point and a rebound a game.
“Danie is quick, handles the ball well and she can shoot,” Agronin said. “She is going to add a great deal to this team this year.”
Sophomore Cathy Rutter saw limited action last season, but in 24 games she averaged 5.3 minutes outing.
A traditional point guard, Rutter excels in passing and can hit the open shot.
“Cathy played behind Eva last year and she didn’t get a lot of opportunities, but we are hoping she will step up this year,” Agronin said. “We need her leadership on the court.
Also making a strong bid for the starting spot is freshman Erika Harris.
An offensive-minded point guard, Harris is a solid guard who can play the one or two positions. She sees the court well, and will look to become an outside-scoring threat.
Harris played 11 games as a senior at Gahanna High School before being injured. She averaged 7.9 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.0 steals per game while shooting 44 percent from the field and 87 percent from the free-throw line before the injury.
“Erica is an offensive point guard. She can distribute the ball, is very quick, has a good cross-over dribble, can shoot a jump shot,” Agronin said.
Niagara has some depth in the wing positions, returning juniors Shaunna Ambrose, Chantelle Wilson and Jessi Tomasin, and sophomores Michelle Manfredi and Ashley Cornett.
Ambrose, a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Player of the Year candidate, was a second-team All-MAAC pick last season. She was second on the team in scoring (15.8), assists (3.1) and steals (1.6). She also shot 42.4 percent from the field, 40 percent from three-point range and 83.8 percent from the free-throw line.
An explosive player, Ambrose can drive strong to the basket, sink three-pointers and is an aggressive rebounder.
“Shaunna is a very good offensive player. She can score and take the ball to the basket. She’s fearless,” Agronin said.
Wilson was effective coming off the bench last season. She was fourth on the team in scoring (6.3) and was third on the squad in three-pointers (45) while shooting a team-best 45.5 percent.
“Chantelle has gotten better,” Agronin said. “Her defense has picked up. She has always been a decent outside shooter and now is starting to take the ball to the basket better. Last year, she gave us some good minutes and we are going to need her a little bit more.”
After having a solid start to her sophomore campaign, junior Jessi Tomasin was sidelined with a season-ending injury.
The 5-8 guard averaged 5.8 points and was shooting 36.7 percent from three-point range before the injury.
“She is a deadly three-point shooter with great range and a quick release,” Agronin said. “I think against certain defenses she is going to help us a great deal.”
An all-purpose player, Manfredi worked herself into the starting lineup early last season. She finished her rookie year averaging 4.5 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.2 assists.
“Michelle could be our next 1,000-point plus scorer here,” Agronin said. “She can handle the ball for a big girl. She can take the ball to the basket. She is an excellent defender, probably our best perimeter defender. She has a lot of skills, she’s smart and she understands the game of basketball.”
Cornett has gotten strong and worked on her game this past summer after averaging less than a point, rebound and assist per game as a rookie.
With a strong guard corps, rookie Kayleigh Scannell will have to make the most of her time on the court.
The 5-9 Scannell spent the 2004-05 season as a starter for the New Hampton School Huskies. She led the New England Prep School Athletic Conference in scoring, averaging 16.7 points per game and helping the Huskies to the 2005 championship. Scannell was named an All-New England All-Star, MVP of the NEPSAC Tournament and a 2005 Boston Globe Prep All-Scholastic pick.
“Kayleigh is a decent shooter who can play the two or three position,” Agronin said. “She handles the ball fairly well and she is strong. She will take the ball to the basket. She will push our guards for playing time.”
FRONTCOURT
Niagara made strides last season in the frontcourt and the experience of five returners and a newcomer will add to the Purple Eagles' dominate perimeter game.
“Our opponents are going to have to guard our post players,” Agronin said. “Last year, they could slough off of Jenny (Roueche) and not really worry too much, but I think this year Jenny will be a force inside. They will have to respect her and that is just going to cause them to have more problems with our perimeter game. In this game though, if you don’t shoot the ball, you’re not going to win, so you have to shoot the ball.
The most improved player of last season, the 6-2 Roueche has worked even harder in the off-season on her offensive game to complement her defensive game.
As a junior, Roueche led the team in rebounds (6.2) and blocks (65) while averaging 3.2 points per game. She set the Niagara and MAAC single-season records and enters the season 44 blocks short of the Purple Eagle career blocks mark.
“Her strength is defense. She is one of the leading shot blockers in the league,” Agronin said. “She has become a better rebounder and she’s gotten stronger. Her offense has improved, so I’d say she is far above where she was last year.”
Junior Toni Smalley started all 29 games last year and was third in scoring (8.7) and fourth in rebounding (4.1).
A small forward at 5-11, Smalley has developed more post moves, but also gives Niagara versatility with a mid-range jump shot.
“Toni is fearless. She has developed a pretty decent outside shot and goes in and rebounds,” Agronin said. “She will play as hard as she can. She has developed the confidence to take the shots and she is going to help us this year.”
A pair of sophomores, Sara Prybyl and Sarah Wilson, turned in solid rookie seasons.
Prybyl played in 27 games, averaging 7.7 minutes, 2.3 points and 1.6 rebounds per game.
“Sara runs the court extremely well and has gotten better offensively. She has developed a very good outside shot, a 15-foot jump shot, and she’s pretty solid with it,” Agronin said. “Sara plays much better defense than she did last year. She is going to give us some good minutes.”
Wilson averaged 2.3 points, 2.3 rebounds and 7.4 minutes per game. She was also third on the team in blocks with 16.
“Sarah is the enigma on this team. She could be one of the better post players in this league,” Agronin said. “She has strength, shooting touch and good moves. As she gets physically tougher, she is going to give us some minutes.”
Jessica Turner looks to have a healthy senior season. The 5-11 forward played in only nine games late in the season. She averaged 2.1 minutes per game and under a point and rebound an outing.
“Jess is a strong girl, rebounds pretty well and is a smart girl,” Agronin said. “She can defend, which is her biggest strength.”
Rookie Kristina Walton will bring some hoops to the frontcourt. The 5-10 forward is very athletic and excels at rebounding.
At Regina (Ohio) High School, Walton was a first team all-state selection as a senior. She averaged 11.7 points, 11.3 rebounds and 2.6 assists while helping the Royals to a 25-3 record and a state championship in 2004-05.
“Kristina Walton is an athlete, plain and simple. She gives you things you really can’t coach,” Agronin said. “She is a very good rebounder. She is quick, the most athletic kid on the team. Her jumping ability is going to give her a chance to get some minutes this year.”
With one ingredient for the pie still to be added, Agronin is excited about this season’s possibilities.
“If all those things come together and we stay healthy, this could be a very good year,” Agronin said. “This could be a year that equals the last three that we had. But if we don’t find the leadership, we could struggle because the league is so strong.”
