Being stuck in 50s OK with Rock coach
SLIPPERY ROCK— Slippery Rock University women's basketball coach Laurel Heilman loves the 50s.
Not the music or the decade — the score.
The Rock averaged 57.6 points per game last season and surrendered only 56.9. That formula worked in gaining SRUits first PSACTournament appearance in four years.
"It's gonna have to be that way again,"Heilman said. "If we can't score, you can't score either. That has to be the philosophy."
SRUreturns its leading scorer in senior forward Amanda Chojnacki. She averaged 9.6 points per game and is the only senior on the team.
"I can't remember having a team with the leading scorer not averaging in double digits,"Heilman said. "Hopefully, we'll get a couple of players over 10 per game this year.
"Either way, we better be either No. 1 or 2 in the league in defense if we're going to be successful."
The Rock reached the playoffs last year with a 13-15 overall record for its fourth straight losing season. Three starters are graduated from that squad, including Grove City High School product Amber McFeely, a four-year starter at point guard who left as SRU's all-time assists leader.
Three-point shooting specialist Kristen Bonner, who had 54, and Angela Greaser also are gone.
"Our shooting right now is a legitimate concern,"Heilman said. "That and finding a point guard. ... I'd play a zone against us, I'll tell you that."
The point guard will be either sophomore Chere' Marshall from nearby Hickory or Nikki Presto, a 5-foot-7 freshman from Thomas Jefferson.
"We'll probably play them both for a while, and, hopefully, they'll grow into the position,"Heilman said. "Dana Stewart (junior guard) can play the point if need be, but we'll probably live and learn with Chere' and Nikki. You can't teach experience."
Sophomore forward Jessica Schake returns after averaging 7.9 points and 5.6 rebounds per game as a freshman. Heilman hopes to get more scoring out of her.
"She's developed a good midrange jumper and played very well in our scrimmage with Akron (a 58-55 loss),"Heilman said.
Overall, The Rock roster includes 10 freshmen and sophomores.
"We've got 16 players, which is more than most teams, but we need to have 16 the way we're structured,"Heilman said. "We've got to be able to change personnel in certain situations."
Heilman won't let her team's youth get in the way of its goal of reaching the playoffs. SRU is picked to finish fifth in the PSAC West in the preseason coaches poll.
"Getting to the playoffs is the reason you play," she said.
Chojnacki, Schake, Stewart, KellyAnn Staudinger, Amanda Nero, Amanda Kaufman, Alissa Schake, Deandre Evans and Seneca Valley graduate Kara Spagnola all return from last year's roster.
The latter seven names on that list totaled one varsity start (Kaufman) all of last season, however.
"It's going to come down to work ethic with this team,"Heilman said. "We have to be blue-collar kids."
Heilman is 77-85 in six years at The Rock, 186-179 in 15 years of collegiate coaching.
SRUWomen's Basketball 2006-07 scheduleNov. 17-at Bellarmine, 7 p.m.;
Nov. 18-vs. Fayetteville St. atBellarmine, 7 p.m.;
Nov. 21-MERCYHURST, 7 p.m.;
Nov. 27-GANNON, 7 p.m.
Dec. 2-WESTCHESTER, 1 p.m.;
Dec. 3-MILLERSVILLE, 1 p.m.;
Dec. 8-at Pitt-Johnstown, 7 p.m.,.;
Dec. 19-KUTZTOWN, 1 p.m.;
Dec. 20-EASTSTROUDSBURG, 1 p.m.
Jan. 2-at Fairmont State, 6 p.m.;
Jan. 3-vs. Concord @Fairmont State, 1 p.m.;
Jan. 7-at Cheyney, 1 p.m.;
Jan. 10-LOCKHAVEN, 6 p.m.;
Jan. 13-at Bloomsburg, 1 p.m.;
Jan. 14-at Mansfield, 1 p.m.;
Jan. 17-at Edinboro, 5:30 p.m.;
Jan. 24-INDIANA, 6 p.m.;
Jan. 27-at Shippensburg, 1 p.m.;
Jan. 29-at California, 1 p.m.;
Jan. 31-CLARION, 6 p.m.
Feb. 3-at Lock Haven, 1 p.m.;
Feb. 7-EDINBORO, 6 p.m.;
Feb. 14-at Indiana, 6 p.m.;
Feb. 17-SHIPPENSBURG, 1 p.m.;
Feb.
21-CALIFORNIA, 6 p.m.;
Feb. 25-at Clarion, 1 p.m.
