Third-year coach sees SWCC on rise

Taking an 11-point lead on a nationally-ranked team in the final game of the season hopefully serves as a springboard to better things in 2015-16 for the Southwestern Community College women’s basketball team.

Addae Houston was encouraged at the end of his second season at the helm last March, when his underdog Spartans bolted to a 22-11 lead over sixth-ranked NIACC eight minutes into the regional opener in Mason City.

NIACC closed the half on a 38-4 run, eventually posting an 89-56 win that ended the Spartans’ season at 4-26.

“We ran out of ammunition,” Houston said. “We were taking it to them in the first 10 minutes of the game, playing the best offense against pressure that we’ve shown since I started coaching here. He was sending in waves of five — some of their players didn’t come ready to play and he was subbing and we were going with six in our rotation. We ran out of gas.”

Gone from that team are Jill Vanderhoof, Jordan Williamson (softball at Simpson), Brinee Stewart and Peyton Russell (track and field at Waldorf).

Houston has four returning sophomores and a crop of new recruits with enough athleticism to continue taking the program forward from the bottom of the league two years ago to a seventh-place finish (3-11) last year, finishing ahead of Ellsworth and Iowa Lakes.

He’s already seen some good signs in the preseason, despite some injury setbacks in training camp.

“At the Grand View jamboree, we were playing the Grand View varsity and we beat them, scoring 51 points with a running clock,” Houston said. “Last year we averaged 53 points a game, on a regular clock. Now we just have to play like that consistently.”

The Spartans start the season Saturday at Leavenworth, Kan., against St. Mary College JV. After traveling to Lamoni Monday to take on the Graceland JV, the Spartans’ home opener is Wednesday against Grand View JV at 5:30 p.m.

Among the hobbled players are sophomore shooting guard Cambry Schluter, coming off a stress fracture in a leg in September, and just recently resuming practice; freshman guard Demir Alford of Des Moines Roosevelt, needing two more weeks to recover from a slight meniscus tear in a knee; and Missouri all-state recruit Chelsi Sams, a versatile 5-8 freshman, diagnosed with a “stress reaction,” which is a precursor to a stress fracture.

“It’s exciting to get the season started, I just wish we were starting healthier,” said Houston, assisted again by Leonard Erickson. “We hope we can be at full strength when we start conference play in January, because I think we can play with a lot of teams in our league. And, if we bring our best game, I hope we can compete with the top teams.”

Returnees

Bringing experience inside are 5-11 sophomores Olivia Reifert and LaStella Slack.

“Reifert was our leading rebounder at 9.7 per game, mostly offensive rebounds,” Houston said. “We’re hoping she can finish around the basket more than last year and add to her point total. Slack was our second leading rebounder. Her back to the basket game is a lot better and finishing around the rim. We’re hoping she can be somebody we can go to in close to the bucket.”

Sams can help as a post player capable of playing away from the basket and hit perimeter shots. Also providing depth at post is former Southwest Valley player Alexis Bronner.

More speed

Houston said this group of perimeter players is the quickest in his three years with the program.

That quickness starts with 5-3 freshman Maleika Carter of Des Moines Roosevelt. Her sister, Julanie, could be a leading scorer with good 3-point shooting range.

“Maleika is so quick, and she can handle the ball really well,” Houston said. “She understands what I want on the offensive end. Julanie is a scorer, she’s a little taller at 5-7. She has good shooting range.”

Returning sophomore Sabrina Fountain will get some time at both point guard and wing.

“Hopefully she’s primarily at the two spot at the wing, but we know we will need her some at the point because one of our point guards from last year (Sa’Lisa Bruce) didn’t come back this year,” Houston said.

A key addition to this year’s team is sophomore Khadijah Wilson, a transfer from Rend Lake, Ill.

“She’s a wing, and a taller wing at 5-10,” Houston said. “She can match up defensively with multiple positions because of her size. She can get out and run and she’s a rebounder.”

Alford will help at the wing when healthy, too. Schluter showed her ability to come off the bench and hit 3-pointers a year ago. A guard who recently joined the squad is 5-5 freshman Lauren Stephens of Stanton.

Reifert is the leading returning scorer at 6.3 points per game, and Fountain averaged 6.2. Vanderhoof, now a student at Iowa State, was the leader at 8.1 points.

Conference favorites again are sixth-ranked Kirkwood and ninth-ranked NIACC. Houston expects DMACC and Iowa Central to also have solid teams. A new member of the conference, on a provisional basis this year, is Little Priest Tribal College of Winnebago, Neb.

New rules

New women’s college basketball rules adopted by the NCAA for this season also apply to the junior college level. Games will be played in four 10-minute quarters, rather than 20-minute halves with one-and-one bonus after seven fouls and two-shot fouls (double bonus) at 10 fouls.

In the new format, the double bonus will go into effect after the fifth foul of each quarter, with no one-and-one format anymore. In the four-quarter format, team fouls reset to zero at the start of each quarter. However, if a team reaches the bonus in the fourth quarter, that team would remain in the bonus during any additional overtime periods.

The NCAA panel also approved a rule that allows teams to advance the ball to the frontcourt following a timeout immediately after a made basket in the last 59.9 seconds of the fourth quarter and any overtime periods.

Teams will also be allowed to advance the ball to the frontcourt after securing the ball from a rebound or a change of possession, inbounded at the 28-foot mark on the side of the court.

The panel felt these changes would add more excitement to offensive possessions at the end of games if teams were no longer required to travel the length of the court after inbounding the ball.

“I think they’re looking to get a little more scoring into the game,” Houston said.

Roster

Sophomores — Khadijah Wilson, 5-10, Madison, Wis.; Cambry Schluter, 5-6, Hopkins, Mo.; Olivia Reifert, 5-11, Wilton; LaStella Slack, 5-11, Fort Madison; Sabrina Fountain, 5-7, Raytown, Mo.

Freshmen — Demir Alford, 5-6, Des Moines; Maleika Carter, 5-3, Des Moines; Julianie Carter, 5-7, Des Moines; Alexis Bronner, 5-10, Villisca; Chelsi Sams, 5-8, Dearborn, Mo.; Lauren Stephens, 5-5, Fr., Stanton.

Schedule

Nov. 7 — at St. Mary JV, Leavenworth, Kan., 5:30 p.m.

Nov. 9 — at Graceland JV, Lamoni, 5:30 p.m.

Nov. 11 — vs. Grand View JV, 5:30 p.m.

Nov. 14 — at Fort Scott CC, Fort Scott, Kan., 2 p.m.

Nov. 16 — vs. Simpson JV, 7 p.m.

Nov. 17 — at Grand View JV, Des Moines, 5:30 p.m.

Nov. 21 — at Little Priest Tribal College, Winnebago, Neb., 2 p.m.

Nov. 23 — vs. North Central CC, 5:30 p.m.

Dec. 1 — at North Central CC, Trenton, Mo., 5:30 p.m.

Dec. 4 — at ICCC Triton Classic, vs. Northeast Nebraska, 2 p.m.

Dec. 5 — at ICCC Triton Classic, vs. North Dakota Science, noon

Dec. 9 — at Marshalltown CC, 6 p.m.

Dec. 16 — vs. Fort Scott CC, 6 p.m.

Jan. 9 — at Des Moines Area CC, Boone, 1 p.m.

Jan. 13 — vs. North Iowa Area CC, 5:30 p.m.

Jan. 16 — vs. Kirkwood CC, 1 p.m.

Jan. 20 — at Ellsworth CC, Iowa Falls, 5:30 p.m.

Jan. 23 — vs. Iowa Lakes CC, 1 p.m.

Jan. 25 — vs. Graceland JV, 5:30 p.m.

Jan. 27 — at Iowa Central CC, Fort Dodge, 5:30 p.m.

Jan. 30 — at Southeastern CC, Keokuk, 2 p.m.

Feb. 2 — vs. Little Priest Tribal College, 5:30 p.m.

Feb. 6 — vs. Des Moines CC, 1 p.m.

Feb. 10 — at North Iowa Area CC, Mason City, 5:30 p.m.

Feb. 13 — at Kirkwood CC, Cedar Rapids, 1 p.m.

Feb. 15 — Wentworth Military Academy, 5:30 p.m.

Feb. 17 — Ellsworth CC, 5:30 p.m.

Feb. 20 — at Iowa Lakes CC, Esthervile, 1 p.m.

Feb. 24 — vs. Iowa Central CC, 5:30 p.m.

Feb. 27 — vs. Southeastern CC, 2 p.m.

March 1 — Region XI tournament, first round

March 3 — Region XI semifinals

March 5 — Region XI championship