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CSU Pueblo women’s basketball team narrowly missed the playoffs last year and is looking to build momentum heading into next season.
While it’s still several months away, the coaching staff and team have been putting in a lot of work over the offseason to return to the playoffs.
Last season, the team finished 13-15 overall with a respectable 7-7 home record. Even though they didn’t make the playoffs, they gained a lot of work and experience last season that should carry over to this year.
More: Pueblo High School Football Schedule
“I think it was a learning year, even for me,” said head coach Tommie Johnson. “We were trying to put some things together for our team, with a new identity. Those girls gave me everything they had, we competed, and it came down to the last weekend in terms of making the playoffs; it just took us a while to figure out who we were.”
Last season was the first without some of the Lady ThunderWolves big names on the court like Aisha Little, Landri Hudson, Tomia Johnson, and others. As a result, other players emerged and are now coming into their own.
In addition to those who played last season and gained on-court experience, the ThunderWolves are welcoming several transfers and some freshmen who will help balance the team with youth and experience.
“I want to start with Kjani Anitielu. I think she'll be a really good freshman. She's a good gift for us,” Johnson said. “Then we have Gabby Louther, former Pueblo West standout, coming in from UC San Diego. She's a tough kid, a Pueblo kid. Then obviously we got Kate Gallery. She's proven in this league, and she can score. Second-team all-league last year at Regis. The two other transfers that we anticipate making a high impact, obviously, Shelomi Sanders, have been a Godsend. Just the epitome of hard work. She has high energy with a great attitude. Then last but not least, as a transfer, we have Karys Washington, a transfer from Wichita State. She's just a big-time athlete. She can score, she can defend, she can rebound.”
With the team filled with new faces, the challenge for the team entering the season will be gelling together as a unit. Something that Johnson says will happen sooner than most people will imagine.
“The returners, we know they're bought in, but they're going to have to embrace some of the new players,” Johnson said. “We will have to all learn together and teach each other and then embrace whatever roles we have. I think as long as we do that, I really see us gelling together quick.”
More: New girls volleyball coach at Rye excited to hit the ground running
Another challenge that presents itself early on for this team is the schedule. They have tough matchups in the preseason before entering a tough league schedule. Johnson says that he believes his team is tough enough to make it through that first half of the schedule, and by the holidays he hopes to be in a good rhythm.
With the season only a few months away, Johnson is excited to get back on the court and get the team back to being a playoff contender.
“We are really getting back to playing fast,” Johnson said. “Our two point guards, I think, have a chance to be special here: Jaz Salon, she's a transfer from Eastern New Mexico, and it's Talia Strode. I think those two are going to be really exciting to watch.”
This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: New faces, familiar Goals for CSU Pueblo women's basketball
Continue reading...
While it’s still several months away, the coaching staff and team have been putting in a lot of work over the offseason to return to the playoffs.
Last season, the team finished 13-15 overall with a respectable 7-7 home record. Even though they didn’t make the playoffs, they gained a lot of work and experience last season that should carry over to this year.
More: Pueblo High School Football Schedule
“I think it was a learning year, even for me,” said head coach Tommie Johnson. “We were trying to put some things together for our team, with a new identity. Those girls gave me everything they had, we competed, and it came down to the last weekend in terms of making the playoffs; it just took us a while to figure out who we were.”
Last season was the first without some of the Lady ThunderWolves big names on the court like Aisha Little, Landri Hudson, Tomia Johnson, and others. As a result, other players emerged and are now coming into their own.
In addition to those who played last season and gained on-court experience, the ThunderWolves are welcoming several transfers and some freshmen who will help balance the team with youth and experience.
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“I want to start with Kjani Anitielu. I think she'll be a really good freshman. She's a good gift for us,” Johnson said. “Then we have Gabby Louther, former Pueblo West standout, coming in from UC San Diego. She's a tough kid, a Pueblo kid. Then obviously we got Kate Gallery. She's proven in this league, and she can score. Second-team all-league last year at Regis. The two other transfers that we anticipate making a high impact, obviously, Shelomi Sanders, have been a Godsend. Just the epitome of hard work. She has high energy with a great attitude. Then last but not least, as a transfer, we have Karys Washington, a transfer from Wichita State. She's just a big-time athlete. She can score, she can defend, she can rebound.”
With the team filled with new faces, the challenge for the team entering the season will be gelling together as a unit. Something that Johnson says will happen sooner than most people will imagine.
You must be registered for see images attach
“The returners, we know they're bought in, but they're going to have to embrace some of the new players,” Johnson said. “We will have to all learn together and teach each other and then embrace whatever roles we have. I think as long as we do that, I really see us gelling together quick.”
More: New girls volleyball coach at Rye excited to hit the ground running
Another challenge that presents itself early on for this team is the schedule. They have tough matchups in the preseason before entering a tough league schedule. Johnson says that he believes his team is tough enough to make it through that first half of the schedule, and by the holidays he hopes to be in a good rhythm.
With the season only a few months away, Johnson is excited to get back on the court and get the team back to being a playoff contender.
“We are really getting back to playing fast,” Johnson said. “Our two point guards, I think, have a chance to be special here: Jaz Salon, she's a transfer from Eastern New Mexico, and it's Talia Strode. I think those two are going to be really exciting to watch.”
This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: New faces, familiar Goals for CSU Pueblo women's basketball
Continue reading...
