Second-year head coach Jody Wynn may have to sit and watch what becomes of her Long Beach State women’s basketball team like everybody else this season.
The 49ers, who finished 13-17 overall and 9-7 in the nine-team Big West Conference last season, were picked to finish seventh by the media in front of just Pacific and Cal State Northridge.
LBSU will enter the 2010-11 season with an injury-depleted roster, and senior Melanie Lisnock is the latest addition to the MASH unit. The 5-foot-7 point guard will miss at least six weeks after an MRI revealed a stress fracture underneath her left kneecap.
Four other injured guards — fifth-year senior Courtney Jacob, sophomore transfer Jhakia McDonald, and freshmen Alex Sanchez and Chantel Dooley — have been sidelined since the team’s first official practice Oct. 5.
“There’s no feeling sorry because we’re down six bodies,” Wynn said after the 49ers’ 19-point exhibition loss to Division II program Cal Poly Pomona last Saturday. “All six of them could fight for the starting lineup.
“I don’t want to use it as an excuse, but that’s reality. … Not a lot of experience is on the floor everyday in practice.”
Practices are now turning into competitive auditions for playing time — at least for Saturday’s season opener in Corvallis, Ore., against Oregon State. Wynn said she wants her players taking charges, crashing the offensive boards and making pass deflections.
“There’s not a set lineup,” Wynn said after practice Tuesday. “I’m trying to develop toughness. I want to see people actually do it in live action — whether it’s 5-on-5 full court, 3-on-3 half court. Whatever it is, I want to see people actually put it to work.”
Upperclassmen like senior Ashley Bookman know it will take time for the newcomers to grow, and the rest of the team has to pick them up.
“It’s hard because, in high school, everyone’s a star,” Bookman said. “It can be hard getting them to understand everyone is going to get their time to shine. [These are] different opponents — they’re bigger, they’re stronger — and you’re not going to be doing some of the things you did in high school.
“We have to help them understand that it’s going to be rough.”
Because of the youth on the roster, Wynn said her early concern won’t be so much about the team’s execution, but the “things that they can control.”
“Every single day you can control your effort, you can control your intensity, you can control your communication,” Wynn said. “Those are the things we’re trying to concentrate the most on.”
Post presence solution?
Wynn was “hopeful” last Saturday that 6-foot-3 freshman center Janae Coffee, held out of the exhibition for personal reasons, would be available for the season opener.
Coffee can only help a frontline that allowed 23 offensive rebounds to a Cal Poly Pomona team whose tallest player stood at 6-foot-1. Even more alarming? A 5-foot-6 Broncos guard swooped in for a game-high 11 rebounds.
“We needed a lot of help on the glass,” Coffee said. “I could really help rebound.”
Because of a Pomona zone defense that disrupted the 49ers’ passing lanes, LBSU forwards Ella Clark and Bookman combined for just six shot attempts in 38 combined minutes as the team was outscored, 30-18, in the paint.
“Janae can move mountains,” Bookman said. “She’s a tough cookie to guard because myself and Tipesa [Moorer] have to guard her [in practice].
“She could be one of the best in our conference. She’s so strong — but doesn’t know it yet. Even our [male practice players] can barely guard her. When she has that confidence, she’ll be good to go.”
In search of a floor general
The point guard is supposed to be an extension of the head coach on the floor. Instead, judging by Wynn’s reaction throughout the exhibition, there was a clear disconnect.
After the loss to Pomona, Wynn added that her team lacked leadership. After all, the most experienced guards available were sophomore Jazmyne Porter and junior Sarah Lottinville — both of whom completed just their first season at the Division I level last year.
Porter averaged just 8.1 minutes per game in 18 contests last season while Lottinville made just two appearances. Both players came off the bench in the exhibition and logged the least amount of minutes of the 10 players Wynn had available.
Wynn started newcomers Brandi Henton and Amanda Sims, the younger sister of recent graduate and former 49ers guard Lauren Sims. Amanda Sims redshirted last season after transferring from Texas Christian University.
Lisnock’s presence was missed as LBSU struggled to get into its offense. Henton committed 10 of the team’s 31 turnovers and distributed just two assists in 26 minutes of action.
“You don’t have that experience from the guard spot,” Wynn said. “It’s challenging.”
Where’s the help?
Sendy Valles, a 6-foot freshman guard, was among the first group off the bench and produced six points on 3-of-7 shooting and six rebounds in 20 minutes.
However, the rest of LBSU’s bench combined to shoot just 2 of 16 from the floor for five points.
The road ahead
After the season opener and a road contest at Loyola Marymount, the ‘Niners will face Oregon in the home opener at the Walter Pyramid on Nov. 19.
The Beach then won’t have another home game until December. The road slate will start with a meeting with USC at the Galen Center on Nov. 21. The Trojans defeated the 49ers, 83-77, at the Pyramid last season in Wynn’s first game against her alma mater.
LBSU will then compete in the eight-team Waikiki Beach Marriott Rainbow Wahine Showdown (Nov. 26-28) in Honolulu. The 49ers will open against Illinois and face two other opponents yet to be determined. North Carolina, North Carolina Central, Gonzaga, Hawaii, Mississippi and Washington State complete the field.
From there, The Beach will head to Houston, Texas, for the Gene Hackerman Invitational (Dec. 3 and 4). LBSU will play Prairie View A&M the first day in a rematch of last year’s season opener, which the 49ers won, 77-68. LBSU will play either Louisiana-Monroe or Rice the following day.
The ‘Niners will host San Diego (Dec. 8) before heading back on the road to play California (Dec. 11) in Berkeley. The Golden Bears posted a nine-point victory at the Pyramid last season.
LBSU’s will host its final nonconference games in the Beach Classic (Dec. 19 and 21) before heading into Big West play. The 49ers will play Florida A&M and 2010 NCAA Tournament participant North Carolina State.
“We’re excited about our nonconference schedule,” Wynn said at Big West Media Day. “We schedule to prepare for March (and the Big West Tournament).”
The conference opener will be at home Dec. 30 against UC Santa Barbara, which eliminated LBSU from last season’s Big West Tournament quarterfinals.
Honoring the past
The 49ers will take a break from conference action to play Seattle (Feb. 4) at the Pyramid. Wynn said the program plans to honor Seattle head coach Joan Bonvicini, who guided LBSU to two Final Four appearances, 10 consecutive NCAA Tournaments, 10 conference titles and 325 victories in 12 seasons (1979-91).
“It’s going to be great to bring her back to Long Beach State,” Wynn said. “Of course, it’s special when you bring back a legend.”
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