|
|
|
The word “luck” has been defined as a poor man’s excuse for a rich man’s hard work. It is that same word, “luck,” that is used to define “serendipity” which is characterized as the pure luck in discovering things that you were not looking for. And so it is was with Coach Martha Gore-Algernon who was confronted with having to fill an abyss formed from the loss of seven players and one assistant coach after last season. Added to Gore-Algernon’s hard work and eight new players as well as a highly touted new assistant coach was a measure of good fortune and perhaps some “luck." “This, in many ways, is as fresh a start as I’ve had,” said Coach Gore-Algernon, who enters her 10th campaign as the Rams’ head coach. “I’m not sure we’ve had as many as eight new faces on any team. Combined with the six returning players already on the team and a very talented new assistant coach, it’s going to be a very exciting year.” After a disheartening 75-67 loss to Spring Hill College and a disappointing end to the 2003-04 season, the Rams’ coach was faced with having to recruit seven new players and replace assistant coach Phil Headley. It was then that some “serendipitous” events began to unfold. Two years ago, Gore-Algernon was in a similar position, as she had to rebuild a Sweet Sixteen squad and find a new assistant coach. Ironically, it was former Oklahoma City star point guard Mike Berry who served as an assistant coach during their women’s string of national titles that topped her list. While unsuccessful in bringing Berry to Mobile two years ago, his name once again found itself atop Gore-Algernon’s list. Fortunately for her, the second time was a charm. “Mike is going to bring a lot of excitement and a lot of experience,” an excited Rams coach said. “He’s been successful at various levels; both as a coach and as a player. He has some great connections both internationally as well as here in the states. Down the road those connections are going to be a positive for us.” And while those connections are already starting to reap benefits as future recruits are already being contacted, it was a new contact out of Syracuse, New York that helped Coach Gore-Algernon with the here and now. “I received a call from a gentleman in Syracuse who gave me the name of a coach who is at one of the top preparatory schools for women’s basketball in the country,” Coach Gore-Algernon recounted. “It most immediately resulted in us getting Sandra Kostandinovic from Serbia.” With one assistant coach and one star player signed, Gore-Algernon was well on her way to recruiting a talented team. PARTY OF EIGHT Eight new players join the roster and all but one, Kelli Manning, are freshmen. “Kelli will bring instant experience and instant toughness to the post play,” said Coach Gore-Algernon. A former standout at Faith Academy, Manning chose to play for NCAA Division I Campbell University in North Carolina. However, after two years, she will return home and bring an instant presence to the paint. She played in 12 games last season for the Lady Camels of Campbell, leading the team in field goal percentage at 57.1 percent. While at Faith she averaged 17.9 points and 8.4 rebounds per contest en route to earning AISA “Player of the Year” in 2002. “She will give us tremendous depth with the three post players we already have coming back,” Coach Gore-Algernon said. “She has the ability to put up Crystal Coston type numbers.” Those numbers should make her a candidate for GCAC Newcomer of the Year as well as All-Conference. Sandra Kostandinovic hails from Serbia by way of North Carolina. Coming from Patterson Prep, the prolific-scoring shooting guard had the opportunity to play against and with many of the top NCAA D-I would-be freshmen players in the country. Having to split playing time with her NCAA Division I bound teammates, Kostandinovic averaged nine points, three rebounds, two assists and two steals a game in 16 minutes of action. Her experience extended past playing for the No.-1 ranked prep school in North Carolina as she also played with the Serbian Junior National Team. “She’s a scorer with great shooting form and good hands,” Coach Gore-Algernon said. “She’s going to do a lot of things for us and I’m excited to have her. She has the potential to come in here and be the GCAC Freshman of the Year.” Lakita Ford, a guard from College Park, Georgia, “does a good job of taking care of the ball,” according to Coach Gore-Algernon. A graduate of West Lake High School, Ford averaged 14 points, four assists and three steals a game in high school. It is the latter stat that earned her Defensive Player of the Year honors. She also played for the AAU Atlanta Lady Warriors. “She will give us some minutes,” Coach Gore-Algernon said. “It all depends on how quickly she’s able to adapt to the college game.” Two more freshmen
guards join the Rams line-up,
Courtney Craft from Bay St.
Louis, Mississippi and Daphne
High School product, Laura Davis. Craft’s journey to Mobile was somewhat atypical, as top talent is usually spotted by the would-be suitor, a.k.a, college coach. “Her coach contacted me somewhat late in the recruiting year and we had her come here to try out,” Coach Gore-Algernon recalled. “Within five minutes, I knew I wanted her. She comes from a quality program at Hancock High School, that won a state title this year. They lost in the championship game her junior year and had the fire to come back last year and win. She was very, very instrumental in that win.” Coach Gore-Algernon continued to reflect on the rarity of having another diamond in the rough fall into her lap. “She’s a true point guard that can run the show,” Coach Gore-Algernon said. “She’s very knowledgeable of the game. She loves to win. Those are some of the qualities that you look for from that position, and to have that from a freshman is more the exception than it is the rule.” Finally there’s Daphne standout, Laura Davis. While the Daphne High School star will have to battle for time with Kostandinovic, Coach Gore-Algernon expects immediate minutes and impact from the local star. “She’s a shooting guard who we want to get more physical and more aggressive,” Coach Gore-Algernon said. “However, she shoots and distributes the ball well. And while she will have to adjust to the pace of the college game, I think she’s going to do well.” Davis averaged 16 points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals a game last season for Daphne. She scored over 1,000 points in her career and served as co-captain of the Alabama Southern All-Star Team. Additionally, she was named to the Mobile Register Sweet Sixteen as well as being an All-State Academic selection. Rounding out the freshman class are two post players, Christyl Mitchell and Patsy Slater. A graduate of West Orange High School in Winter Garden, Florida, Mitchell led her high school team in rebounds and was named to both the All-Conference Team and All-Star Team last season. “She’s a very physical player who loves the game,” Coach Gore-Algernon said. “She was a two-sport athlete doubling as a very good lacrosse player, but she loves basketball and she’s made the decision to focus on the sport. She’s a very good athlete whose endurance allows her to go for days.” A graduate of Madison Central High School in Madison, Mississippi, Slater averaged 13 points, nine rebounds, two assists and two blocks a game. Those numbers earned All-County honors. “She needs to get stronger and more physical,” Coach Gore-Algernon said. “She’s a great individual that’s going to work hard and be a great addition to our team.” LORDS OF THE KEY – THE THREE TOWERS NCAA Division I transfer Kelli Manning will join three talented returning post players, Kinga Rybarczyk of Poznan, Poland, Rheonda Leary of Baton Rouge, Louisiana and two-time All-American Crystal Coston of Thomasville, Alabama. Rybarczyk is coming off a solid sophomore season that saw her improve her numbers all around. While averaging 9.1 points per contest (up from 7.27 in her freshman campaign) and 5.9 rebounds per game (better than her 5.4 in her previous season) Rybarczyk showed flashes of brilliance but never dominated games back-to-back. “She has really come into her own this past year, off the court, more so than on,” Coach Gore-Algernon said. “But that will carry over into her on-the-court performance this year. She’s going to make a greater impact this year as I expect her to contribute more than she has in the past. She will be much more consistent game-to-game than last season.” Despite her quiet demeanor, Leary possesses incredible athletic ability as well as a soft touch around the basket. While putting up modest numbers in her freshman season, she not only had the opportunity to practice against two talented post players but started to come into her own down the stretch. “She gave us progressively more minutes last year and wants to play more this year,” Coach Gore-Algernon said. “I look forward to giving her that opportunity. She’s going to be another great contributor in the post.” Averaging 14.8 points and 9.8 rebounds per game in a freshman season that culminated in All-American honors, Crystal “Tuff” Coston had anything but a sophomore slump as she increased her output to 15.5 points per contest while nearly doubling her assists. Once again, Coston garnered All-American honors. “What do you say? She’s a two-time All-American and All-Conference selection,” Coach Gore-Algernon said. “She was disappointed with the way our season turned out last year but she’s ready to take on a leadership role as she enters her junior year. The last two years she frayed away but now is the time for her to step up. We need her vocal leadership because she’s that focal point that the rest of the team will rally around. I think she’s ready for that.” THREE BEHIND THE ARC Leading the triumvirate of returning guards is the lone senior on the young Rams squad, Jessica Barber. “I’m looking for a banner year from her,” Coach Gore-Algernon said. “I want her to go out on top. If she did over the summer what she needed to, she’s going to have an outstanding year.” While increasing her scoring output in 2003-04, averaging 6.2 points per game, Barber struggled in her pseudo-quarterback role, dishing out only 63 assists (down from 130 in her freshman season and 90 last year) while turning the ball over 105 times. “I’m looking for an all-around contribution from her; defensively, leading the offensive attack under control, getting us into our sets and hitting the open shots when she has them,” said Coach Gore-Algernon. Having to back up Barber at the point, Erica Martens will move back into more familiar territory in 2004-05 at the two spot. “She brings excitement to the court and can make things happen,” Coach Gore-Algernon commented. “With Courtney Craft coming in, she’ll see more time at her more natural position, which is at the two spot. Without having the responsibility of handling the point, I think she’ll really blossom this year and develop.” After red-shirting her freshman year, due to sustaining an early-season knee injury, A’frica Boykin will join fellow Daphne High product Laura Davis in a fight for playing time at the shooting guard or wing positions. “After red-shirting last year and having the opportunity to sit with me on the bench and learn about the coach’s perspective, I believe she learned a lot,” Coach Gore-Algernon said. “She gained a great understanding of what constitutes good versus poor decisions. She’s a very scrappy and will get down and do the dirty work.” NO PAIN, NO GAIN To prepare for one of the tougher conferences in the country, the Rams will once again take on an ambitious pre-conference schedule that includes their Nov. 5 season opener against NAIA top-25 ranked Campbellsville University at home. They will then hit the road to take on the Senators of Auburn University-Montgomery on the 13th and the Vikings of Berry College on the 19th. Before coming home on the Dec. 10 for another showdown with Senators, Mobile must take on NCAA Division I opponent Nicholls State University on the 30th of November. Toss in a Dec. 14 away game against Freed-Hardeman University and a Dec. 20 match-up against Georgetown University in for good measure and the Rams seem to have signed up for arguably one of the toughest pre-conference schedules in the country. “We always look to play a challenging pre-conference schedule,” Coach Gore-Algernon noted. “I don’t think you prepare for a tough conference schedule by playing a soft schedule. I like to know where we’re at right off the bat. I don’t mind taking some early lumps if it means we’ll be the last team standing in the end.” WHEN EXPERIENCE MEETS YOUTH With an All-American cast returning and a crop of talented freshmen looking to shake things up, the 2004-05 Rams will not only bring a fresh new look when it’s time to tip-off, but also during the days, weeks and months spent practicing. “Working with this many freshmen is very exciting because they’re very competitive,” Coach Gore-Algernon pointed out. “That’s going to raise the competition level in practice immediately. We have some talented new faces coming in that will challenge for playing time and starting roles and that, in turn, will lead to a more intense atmosphere.” The 2004-05 will be a season of many “firsts” for the veteran coach. It’s her first time working with an assistant who brings national championship experience and contacts with him. It’s the first time eight new faces in one season have graced the hard wood floor of Pharr Gymnasium. It’s also the first time that four top-notch post players have found themselves wearing the white and maroon. And maybe, just maybe, it’s going to be the first time the Mobile women’s basketball program will enter into uncharted territory by advancing past the second round of the national tournament. “We’re going to have a high intensity, defensively tenacious, and exciting team to watch,” the Rams coach said with a youthful exuberance. “Everyone coming back is ready to get this show started, and for me that’s going to be a lot of fun. I think we can play both a half court game as well as push it opportunistically. With such a depth of talent, we’re going to be able to spread the floor and move the ball around extremely well.” “There’s no doubt in my mind that we can make the national tournament.” 2003 Women's Basketball Outlook Head
Coach: Martha Gore-Algernon/ 442-2260/ goremartha@hotmail.com |
