Women to rely on experience

n The Golden Eagles return five of their top six scorers from last year.

Photo courtesy of JBU Sports Information John Brown University sophomore Baily Cameron and the Golden Eagles open their season at 6 p.m. Nov. 1 against Benedictine (Kan.) at Bill George Arena.
Photo courtesy of JBU Sports Information John Brown University sophomore Baily Cameron and the Golden Eagles open their season at 6 p.m. Nov. 1 against Benedictine (Kan.) at Bill George Arena.

John Brown University women's basketball coach Jeff Soderquist felt last year's Golden Eagles team was close to doing some special things on the court.

The Golden Eagles went 18-14 overall and 10-8 in Sooner Athletic Conference play with a relatively young team, and the results could have easily have been better.

John Brown University women’s basketball

2016-17 schedule

Date^Opponent^Time

Nov. 1^Benedictine (Kan.)^6 p.m.

Nov. 7^Ecclesia^7 p.m.

Nov. 11^Lindenwood-Belleville (Ill.)#^8 p.m.

Nov. 12^Ozarks (Mo.)#^3 p.m.

Nov. 15^at Philander Smith^5 p.m.

Nov. 18^vs. Indiana Wesleyan%^5:30 p.m.

Nov. 19^vs. Ozarks (Mo.)%^3 p.m.

Nov. 25^vs. TBA$^TBA

Nov. 26^vs. TBA$^TBA

Dec. 1^Oklahoma City*^6 p.m.

Dec. 3^at St. Gregory’s (Okla.)*^3 p.m.

Dec. 5^Crowley’s Ridge^7 p.m.

Dec. 8^Ecclesia^6 p.m.

Jan. 5^Southwestern Christian (Okla.)*^6 p.m.

Jan. 7^at Wayland Baptist (Texas)*^1 p.m.

Jan. 12^at Southwestern Assemblies of God (Texas)*^6 p.m.

Jan. 14^at Texas Wesleyan*^1 p.m.

Jan. 19^at Science and Arts (Okla.)*^6 p.m.

Jan. 21^St. Gregory’s (Okla.)*^3 p.m.

Jan. 26^Bacone (Okla.)*^6 p.m.

Jan. 28^at Mid-America Christian (Okla.)*^3 p.m.

Feb. 2^Southwestern Assemblies of God (Texas)*^6 p.m.

Feb. 4^Wayland Baptist (Texas)*^1 p.m.

Feb. 9^at Oklahoma City*^6 p.m.

Feb. 11^Mid-America Christian (Okla.)*^3 p.m.

Feb. 16^at Bacone (Okla.)*^6 p.m.

Feb. 18^Science and Arts (Okla.)*^3 p.m.

Feb. 23^Texas Wesleyan*^6 p.m.

Feb. 25^at Southwestern Christian*^3 p.m.

* Sooner Athletic Conference game

# JBU Quality Inn Classic

% Ozarks (Mo.) Classic in Point Lookout, Mo.

$ Rotary Classic in Jackson, Tenn.

Seven of JBU's 14 losses came by single digits, including one in double overtime at Mid-America Christian and another in overtime at St. Gregory's.

"Very easily we could have had 21 to 22 wins," Soderquist said. "We talk about what are the things that can get us over the hump?"

With four returning starters back in the 2016-17 season, JBU will begin the task of trying to figure that out at 6 p.m. Tuesday when it opens the season at Bill George Arena against Benedictine (Kan.).

Of JBU's four returning starters, three of them -- Baily Cameron, Kodee Powell and Jana Schammel -- were first-year players for the Golden Eagles last year. And the fourth, Kimmy Deines, played some as a freshman in 2014-15 but saw significantly more minutes last year.

With junior guard Courtney Fine added to the mix, JBU returns five of its top six scorers from last year with graduated senior Brooke Barker's 12.8 points per game being the only loss.

"Now they've had a year under them," Soderquist said. "I think they're so much farther along where last year we had only one returning starter in Brooke (Barker). It's kind of the opposite of last year."

Soderquist said a big point of emphasis during the offseason has been toughness.

"We need to have mental toughness," he said. "Before it even gets physical, it all starts mentally. I think you've got to be mentally tough."

Soderquist referenced a five-game losing streak the Golden Eagles went through last year. JBU was scoring plenty of points but not getting a lot of stops defensively during that stretch.

"I think that's one of the things is we've got to be able to handle certain situations," he said. "We needed key stops at certain times that we didn't get."

The Golden Eagles only have one senior on the roster in Powell, who averaged 9.9 points per game a year ago after transferring in from NorthArk Community College in Harrison.

Powell (5-4) will be the team's starting point guard and she led JBU with 131 assists a year ago. She also hit a team high 72 of 214 (33.6 percent) from behind the 3-point line. She was All-Sooner Athletic Conference honorable mention.

"Again, we're still young and (Powell's) our only senior," Soderquist said. "We've still got a lot of experience in there. They all looked up to Brooke last year, and I think Kodee this year needs to take that role on and off the floor.

"The good thing about her is last year we pushed the ball a lot more. She's so talented at hitting people (with passes). She sees the floor very well."

Cameron, a 5-10 sophomore forward and former Siloam Springs standout, wound up leading the Golden Eagles in scoring and rebounding at 12.9 points and 7.1 boards per game.

Cameron was named the Sooner Athletic Conference's Freshman of the Year and was named NAIA Division I Women's Basketball All-America honorable mention.

"Baily Cameron, she had a lot of honors and a lot of success," Soderquist said. "The good news about that is we get her back, and the hard news is she's got to back all that up. She's got to bring her game to another level. She's got to step up."

Soderquist said Cameron has developed a nice drive to the basket in her offensive repertoire, along with her strong post game and 3-point shooting. Cameron hit 155 of 292 (53.1 percent) of field goals and 34 of 84 (40.5 percent) from behind the 3-point line.

Schammel, a 5-7 junior guard, finished third on the team in scoring at 10.2 points per game and connected on 57 of 143 (39.9 percent) of 3-pointers attempted. She was also third on the team with 80 assists.

"Jana has a chance to be one of the best 3-point shooters in our conference," Soderquist said. "She's got a really good shot. We just need a little more consistency."

Deines was fifth on the team in scoring at 8.3 points per game and 101 assists and a team-high 57 steals. She hit 32 of 115 (27.8 percent) from the outside.

"Kimmy has improved her outside shot," Soderquist said. "She had more than three assists per game and led the team in steals. She's worked on her game this year, working around the basket and finishing her 3-point shot."

Fine, a 5-7 junior, actually led JBU percentage-wise from behind the 3-point line, hitting 35 of 82 (42.7 percent) and averaging 5.2 points per game.

"She's going to really help us," Soderquist said.

Sophomore Lauren Pelegreen is also a good 3-point shooter and a good defender. She played in 16 games last year.

Sophomore Preslea Reece of McDonald County, Mo., had a great spring and fall after playing in all 32 games last year as a freshman.

Reece, 6-1, is JBU's tallest player and just one of several strong post players on the team, Soderquist said.

"This is one of the most athletic group of post players I've ever had," Soderquist said. "They're all athletic."

JBU has seven newcomers to the team this year, including two transfers who have traveled a great distance to get to JBU.

Luize Skrastine, a 6-foot junior forward, comes to JBU from Riga, Latvia by way of Western Nebraska Junior College.

"Luize has a high ceiling," Soderquist said. "If she figures it out she's got a chance to be really good."

Rosa Orpo, a 5-10 junior forward, hails from Espoo, Finland, but actually began her career at Carl Albert College in Poteau, Okla., before the school shut down its athletics program.

"They both can shoot 3s, drive and run," Soderquist said of Skrastina and Orpo.

The Golden Eagles are excited about freshmen forwards Ally Teague (6-0) of Berryville and K.J. Roh of Lincoln, Neb., both who are athletic players but need time to develop.

Freshman guard Sara Williams (5-7) of McKinney, Texas, helped the Texas Home Educators' Sports Association (THESA) team to three straight National Christian Homeschool Championships in her high school career. She's one of several players JBU has recruited from THESA, including Pelegreen and former guards Anna Parish and Melody Williams.

Freshman guard Jordan Martin of Bentonville took a redshirt year last season because of an injured foot.

"I think she can really help us," Soderquist said of Martin.

The Golden Eagles will redshirt guard Cara Barrett of Harrison, who helped lead NorthArk to a pair of regional championships and a quarterfinals appearance at the 2016 NJCAA Division II National Championships last season.

JBU was picked to finish third in the Sooner Athletic Conference behind Oklahoma City and defending champion Wayland Baptist.

"Wayland lost a lot of players," Soderquist said. "It'll be interesting to see the new players they brought in. Oklahoma City will be strong again. They've brought in a good recruiting class, a number of transfers. Southwestern Christian will be good. MACU has a new coach so it'll be interesting to see what they do. Texas Wesleyan has a chance.

"It ought to be another tough year."

Sports on 10/26/2016