Raising the Bar

"I can’t imagine a season not ending at nationals," said senior forward Stephanie Anderson reflecting on the impact that reaching the national tournament last year has had on the 2007-08 Westmont women’s basketball team.  "It provides more of a motivation."

"The biggest thing we took from participating in nationals was seeing that we can compete," offered senior shooting guard Kara Reynolds.  "Being a program that expects to be there has a lot to do with winning and getting there.  We saw that we need to get stronger so we are working harder in the weight room and taking care of little things because we know we can compete."

The raised expectation level is a common theme among players and coaches alike.

"Our team is hungry after tasting nationals," said head coach Kirsten McKnight.  "Our players don’t just want to get back to nationals; they want to succeed at nationals. This group tasted success last year, saw the level that teams play at nationals, and they want to play at that level."

"Coach put together an extensive workout program (for the summer)," said Reynolds, "I think it is about ten different workouts per week between track, basketball and weights.  Most of the team, including myself, hit the gym twice a day this summer getting stronger both on the court and in the weight room."

The Warriors will return most of last year’s roster, losing only Dani Russell and starting forward Jenn Tolle.  Russell saw only 18 minutes of play due to an injury which ended her collegiate career after only four games last season.  Three newcomers will augment the lineup and are expected to help bring greater balance to Westmont’s offense.

"We have great players at the point position, at the wing position and at the post," said McKnight. "That becomes hard for opponents to defend.  If they try and shut down our inside game, we can step up and attack them from the perimeter.  If they stop up the perimeter, we can attack them inside.

"Last year our backcourt was very young," continued McKnight.  "With a year of experience, they are really going to help out our posts.  Depending on what our opponent is doing on any given night, we should be able to put together a game plan that will take advantage of the other team’s weaknesses."

But as excited as McKnight is about an upgrade in the offense, she is convinced the strength of her team will be on the defensive end of the court.

"We are going to be a defensively focused team like we were last year," said McKnight. "We know that defense is going to lead to our success and we are committed to it.  We want the foundation of our play to be our defense and our pressure."

The energy and expectations of the 2007-08 Warrior squad finds a focus in this year’s team theme of "One Up."

"’One Up’ has four meanings," explained Anderson. "The first is being one up on yourself every day - getting better individually. The second is being one up as a team.  That means working together, being able to develop team cohesiveness each day, learning each other’s moves so that we reduce turnovers and get rebounds, being unified, getting chemistry which will move us toward our goal of winning a national tournament.  The third is being one up on opponents – working harder than they do so that when we come to play we are more prepared than they are and we are going to win.  The last and most important is one up for God. We want to play for him and glorify him and remember that we are only here because he has given us our gifts, talents and opportunities to play."

The Players

"We have a great veteran class coming back with good shooters, good defenders, good post players," said Reynolds, "and we have three newcomers who are eager to please and eager to work hard and are great defenders."

Four team captains help to provide leadership both on and off the court to this year’s team – Anderson, Reynolds, senior Brittney Crawford and junior Ali Mooty.

Point Guards

Sophomore Amber Stevens (5-5) returns to the point guard position after a stellar freshman season in which she averaged 9.3 points, 5.0 assists and 4.3 rebounds per game.  Stevens also set a Westmont single season record with 117 steals.  Her average of 3.90 steals per game was best in the Golden State Athletic Conference and third best in the NAIA.

"Amber had an incredible freshman year last year," said McKnight. "Amber gained so much experience last year and saw how she could change a game with her defense. Her confidence coming into this year will make her that much more aggressive and help her to determine what is happening on the floor and to control the game as the point guard.  I think she can control the game on both the offensive and defensive end of the court."

Also playing at point guard will be junior Lindsey Chessum who averaged 3.2 points per game last season.  Chessum scored 11 points against both Fresno Pacific and Hope International and led the team in free throw percentage (.848).

"Lindsey was our utility guard last year," reported McKnight. "She started 16 games at the number two position but also has the ability to play the point guard.  Lindsey worked so hard this summer and came back very fit.  She is our strongest person in the weight room.  She can be a scoring option from the point guard for us."

Shooting Guards

Sophomore Jessica Case brings a scoring average of 9.4 points per game to the shooting guard position and a team leading three-point shooting percentage of .315 (29 of 92).  The 12-game starter scored in double figures eleven times last year, including a season high 18 against Fresno Pacific.

"Jessica comes back as our second leading scorer," said McKnight. "She has a knack for putting the ball in the basket.  She has matured so much in her mentality on the court from her freshman year.  I’m looking forward to seeing her step up and not only take the opportunities that come to her but also use her ability to create opportunities for both herself and her teammates.

Reynolds missed the first eight games of the season in 2006-07 due to injury, but averaged 10.1 minutes in 22 games upon her return.  Reynolds averaged nearly a steal per game despite her limited playing time.

"Kara Reynolds has been like a steady workhorse for our team," said McKnight. "She goes and goes and goes, has a great attitude and doesn’t stop.  She is super competitive and is strong.  She’s playing with a lot of confidence and a lot of urgency as a senior.  Kara provides a strong defensive presence.  She is always getting her hands on the ball for deflections and steals.  She creates havoc on the defensive end of the court and makes things happen."

Hoping to make her debut in a Warrior uniform is sophomore Kerri Reyes.

"Kerri is coming off a knee injury but we are hopeful for her return.  She can shoot the lights out and that would really help us.  Kerri has a winner’s mentality and is so tough.  She’s gone through two ACL surgeries in the last year and one-half and is anxious to get out there and play."

Small Forward

Anderson started all 30 games at small forward for the Warriors last year.  She averaged 8.2 points and 3.0 rebounds per game.  She also gave opponents fits with 50 steals. 

"Stephanie has been our defensive stopper," asserted McKnight. "She is so solid and consistent in her defense.  Stephanie is one of our captains and a great leader.  She is respected by her teammates and leads the way on the court."

The Warriors will be looking to junior Annie Johnson to provide scoring opportunities from the small forward position.  Johnson averaged 4.0 points and 2.1 points per contest, playing in all 30 games last season.

"Annie will be our utility player this year," announced McKnight. "With her height and versatility she can play at the two, three or four spots.  She will play both in the post and on the perimeter.  She has been shooting the ball great and I am excited about the attacking mentality she has brought back with her this year."

Two newcomers, junior Taylor Abercrombie and freshman Elizabeth Evancoe, will also make important contributions from the number three position.  Abercrombie is a transfer from Bakersfield Junior College and was an All-League selection at Centennial High School.  Evancoe comes to the Warriors from Orange Lutheran High School where she earned All-Trinity League honors and was named to the Orange County Register All-Senior Team.

"Elizabeth is the consummate Warrior," said McKnight, "and stands for everything our program is about – being a great person, having an incredible work ethic, having a great attitude and giving it everything every time she plays.  I am pleased with how she has learned our system quickly and been able to contribute right away.  She’s been doing a great job hitting shots.

"Taylor will be another utility player for us," continued McKnight, "a little bit inside and a little bit outside.  She has a great mid-range game.  She isn’t afraid of contact and getting under the basket on rebounds."

"Elizabeth is a great shooter from the perimeter," said Reynolds, "and Taylor is one of the hardest workers I’ve seen defensively as well as a good shooter."

Forward

Returning to the number four position is Mooty, an All-American selection last season.

"Ali can do it all," proclaimed McKnight. "She put our team on her back last year and made us win.  The great thing about Ali is that it is never about her – it’s always about the team. She will do whatever it takes for our team to win.  If that means she passes the ball every time she catches it because she is double or triple-teamed, then she is going to get her teammates open shots.  If that means scoring because the opponents are playing her one-on-one, she is more than capable of doing that.  With her success as a sophomore last year, it’s only going to get better.  Her enthusiasm and joy on the court is contagious.  She brings joy to everyone who plays with her and everyone who watches her."

Mooty will begin the season on the bench as she recovers from a foot injury, but the Warriors are anxious for her return before getting too far into the season.  Mooty averaged 18.2 points and 9.0 rebounds per game last season, both of which were school single-season records.  She scored in double-figures in 29 of 30 games and recorded 11 double-doubles.  Mooty scored 20 or more on nine occasions including a season high 32 against Hope International.  With a .506 percentage shoot from the field, Mooty also had 50 assists and 49 rebounds.

A healthy Kendra Yancey returns for her sophomore year after suffering from debilitating migraines as a freshman.  Over the summer, Yancey was diagnosed with gluten intolerance and a change of diet has sent the headaches packing.

"I am excited for Kendra to be healthy and be able to contribute," said McKnight. "She is a physical player and plays her heart out every time she steps on the floor.  She likes to bump and rebound and defend."

"Kendra’s only 5-10, but has some of the best post moves and is our communicator on the team," said Reynolds. "She gets us going verbally and really works hard."

New to the Warriors is freshman Angel Blanco from Modesto.  The league MVP at Grace M. Davis High School and three-time All-League selection, Blanco recorded 16 points and 10.3 rebounds per game in her senior year.

"Angel will be a rebounder for us," said McKnight. "She has great leaping ability but also great instincts to track the ball and get boards.  That is something our team needs.  Her athleticism, willingness and her ability to defend are really going to help."

Post

Two veterans, Crawford and sophomore Alisha Heglund, will take care of duties at the post position.  Heglund averaged 8.5 points and 2.9 rebounds last season while posting the team’s second best field goal percentage (.502).  More than half of Heglund’s rebounds came on the offensive end of the court.  Crawford, hampered by injuries last year, averaged ten minutes per contest in 22 games for the Warriors. 

"Brittney is very strong and has a great combination of strength and finesse," said McKnight. "She is shorter than some people in the post, but has a great ability to make moves to get her shot off.  She is a leader by nature who works hard and knows what she is talking about.  Having her back healthy is a great addition.

"Alisha provides a strong presence inside and has an ability to score," continued McKnight. "Last year, she had the opportunity to see what the post players at nationals were like which was a big learning experience for her.  She has worked really hard on her strength this summer and is ready to come in and compete with confidence against anybody in the post."

The Schedule

After two exhibition games against NCAA Division I opponents Pepperdine and UC Santa Barbara, the Warriors open the 2007-08 campaign at the Dominican Tournament the second weekend in November.  The Warriors begin Golden State Athletic Conference play in Riverside on November 20 against California Baptist and travel to Azusa Pacific one week later.  The Warriors home opener will be held on December 1 against San Diego Christian

"We start out on the road and we have to find a way to be successful away from our home court," said McKnight.  "We have really big games early on in our season with the exhibitions games against Division I teams. At the Dominican Tournament we have to start aggressively and then come back and play two conference games on the road around Thanksgiving.  Those games are against two teams ranked ahead of us in the pre-season pool.  Both are opportunities to show that we have a great year ahead of us."

Westmont was picked to finish sixth in conference in the GSAC coaches’ preseason poll. But after a fourth place finish last year, the Warriors have greater ambitions for themselves than what is indicated by the coaches.

"At our retreat, we set our goals to win GSAC by either conference or the tournament and to go to nationals and win some games," said Anderson.  "With the talent we have and leadership on the floor, I think those are very attainable goals."

"The sky is the limit for this team," agreed McKnight.  "If we can stay confident and stay healthy, we can accomplish a lot this year.  Conference is as strong or stronger than it has ever been. There are a lot of transfers into our conference from big time Division I programs.  Vanguard and Point Loma are the favorites in the coaches’ minds.  Point Loma returns all but one player from last year’s team and Vanguard reloaded with a lot of transfers.  Everyone has improved, but we feel like we have improved also.  We are excited about the core group which is coming back with experience in the national tournament, in tight games and in having to win games down the stretch in the GSAC to be able to get that tournament bid.  We know it will come down to a game here and a game there because the conference is so tight.  That is what makes this conference very exciting and a great thing to be a part of.  I love what that does for our program.  It forces us to be great every night.  There are no nights off."

After spending all of November on the road, the Warriors will spend nearly all of December at home.  For three consecutive days beginning December 17, the Warriors will host Trinity Western (B.C.), Taylor (Ind.) and Montana State-Northern to Murchison Gymnasium for non-conference games.  After a quick trip to Irvine on December 29 to take on Daemen (N.Y.), Westmont will host British Columbia on New Year’s Eve and Occidental on January 4.

GSAC play resumes on January 8 as the Warriors head to Fresno.  The rivalry games with Biola are scheduled for January 15 at Westmont and February 19 at Biola.  Azusa Pacific comes to town on February 5.

Post-season play is schedule to begin with the first round of the GSAC Tournament on March 5.  The National Tournament, which will be held again this year in Jackson, Tennessee runs March 19-25.