By Ted Waddell
LOCH SHELDRAKE — November 27, 2007 — The Sullivan County Community College (SCCC) Lady Generals recently began their 2007-2008 basketball season.
Unfortunately for the Lady Generals and their coaches, they have gotten off to a slow start. The team has won just two of its first six games.
The Lady Generals’ coaching staff includes Head Coach Paul Clune, Assistant Coach Steve Nash, Assistant Coach Carl Graham, Student Assistant Pam Graddick and Student Assistant Shauna Murry.
The team has 10 players, two of whom are local high school graduates: Victoria Carter (Monticello) and Bionca Colton (Livingston Manor).
The 2007-2008 Lady Generals are a young team as only two players – sophomores Carter and LaShaun Malcolm – return from last season.
“Like any team that’s young, we’re going to struggle early,” Nash said. “But if they keep their heads up and play hard, we’re going to get better in the second half of the season.
“If we keep playing hard, good things will happen,” he added.
The following is a list of the SCCC players, along with their jersey number, height, position, hometown and high school, as well as comments from Clune. The statistics in parenthesis are from the first five games of the season:
No. 10 – Imanei Cedeno, 5 feet, guard, Warwick, Warwick Valley High School
No. 14 – Yakima Smith, 5 feet, 6 inches, forward, Bronx, Martin Luther King H.S.
“A very athletic forward who brings hustle and enthusiasm to the team. She is versatile and can play both a guard and forward position. Improved scoring ability will make her even more of a threat on offense. (4.8 points, 10.4 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game.)
No. 32 – Chantay Harrison, 5-3, forward, New York City, Graphic/Communication Arts
“A forward that brings tremendous enthusiasm to the team. She has been sick for most of the preseason, but saw action in two games.”
No. 24 – LaShaun Malcolm, 5-4 guard, Mount Vernon, Mount Vernon H.S.
“A returning player that can play either guard position. She is very athletic and deceptive because she is left-handed. She can score off the dribble as well as shoot from the 3-point line. She is a co-captain of the team. (18.4 points, 8.2 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game. Leads the team with 20 steals.)
No. 5 – Elisa Cavaliere, 5-4, guard, Middletown, Middletown H.S.
“A combination guard-forward that has excellent shooting range. She understands the game well and is a solid defender. (2.8 points, 2.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists per game)
No. 15 – Victoria Carter, 5-4, guard, Monticello, Monticello H.S.
“A returning player that has the versatility to play both inside and outside. She can shoot out to the 3-point line and is a tough scorer around the basket. She is the best defender around the basket and a solid rebounder. Her hustle and strong work ethic is an example for the younger players. (11.8 points, 8.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists per game; scored 27 points and had 14 rebounds against Kingsborough CC on Nov. 10.)
No. 51 – Bari Smith, 6-0, center, Bronx, Fort Vancouver H.S.
“A true center that has good hands and a knack for finding the ball around the rim. She had a great start to the season, but an injury to her knee has set her back. Her continued improvement will help the team both on offense and defense.
No. 34 – Markisha Hawkins, 5-7, center, Harlem, Landmark H.S.
“A true center and strong position player. She is a good rebounder and defender and with work will become a better scorer on offense.”
No. 21 – Shaneka Anderson, 5-6, guard, Jamaica, Queens, High School for Law Enforcement
“A guard\forward combination player that is a solid defensive player. Her physical size and athletic ability combine to make her a strong player on both offense and defense. (12 rebounds in the game against Kingsborough CC; has made 4-of-4 (100 percent) at the free throw line.)
No. 22 – Bionca Colton, 5-7, forward, Livingston Manor, Livingston Manor Central School
“A strong inside player that has a good understanding of the game. She is a good rebounder and solid defender inside. She has made a strong contribution so far this season and continued improvement on her scoring ability should increase her effectiveness. (6.2 points, 13.2 rebounds per game; grabbed team-high 22 rebounds vs. Kingsborough CC.)