As the Women’s Basketball team reigned victorious in one of its final games of the regular season – easily beating the Mississippi University for Women Owls 99-61 – it became evident that a new generation of players is being prepared to carry the legacy of success. Early momentum for the team created a big gap during the game on Feb. 15, and allowed some fresh faces to emerge and show flashes of what’s to come in the near future.
Photo by Vanessa Jones
Aleyna Sherman, a freshman point guard with crafty handles and a pass-first mentality, came off the bench with the spark of a seasoned player. In six minutes, she was able to swiftly dish out four assists and score four points. She attributed her performance to hard work in the off-season and the leadership of her elder teammates.
“I plan to continue to practice every day in the gym like our senior point guard, Jordyn Grimes does, and I want to follow in her footsteps to get my defense better, as well as my speed and my passing abilities,” Sherman said.
The influence from the upperclassmen is obvious, and there is a system in place to ensure that younger players are being given opportunities to mirror the work ethic of players in the respective positions. The older players make conscious efforts to build relationships with the younger players to instill trust and to secure a bright future for the team.
Emily Wilson, a junior forward coming off a blazing 27-point performance against the Owls, believes that in order for the younger players to gain confidence on the court, she and other players must recognize their styles and leaders on the court.
“We’ve had amazing senior leadership since my freshman year here, and I know that I must now step into that role and help to continue building our program around that next season,” Wilson said. “My leadership style is about bringing energy to the court and I want to keep pushing our younger players to be one percent better every day.”
Last week, as the Gorloks participated in Senior Day ceremonies during their final regular-season game, they cruised to a 102-79 victory against Lyon College, cementing their undefeated record and moving on to a long playoff run in hopes of conquering the national championship and becoming the queens of March Madness.
In order to reach such a plateau, there must be significant contributions made by the younger players, as they will not only be helping the team’s glory, but they will be witnessing the necessary steps to continue the march toward the top.
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