Women head for the homestretch
By Jake Naas
IV Leader Sports Writer
The Lady Eagles basketball team has rolled through a tough
middle part of the year, including a short recess for the winter holiday, and
frustrations have become evident.
With a 10-7 overall record and 2-1 conference mark as of Jan.
23, the Lady Eagles have dropped six of their seven losses by five points or
less, and a schedule that includes four teams that are currently ranked or
received votes in the top 20 national poll, it is easy to see the caliber
basketball the Lady Eagles are up against.
“There has been only one game that we weren’t in position to
win this year,” said IVCC women’s coach Steve Crick. “All the others have been
games we have lost by one to five points; had a chance to win in the end, but
just let it slip away. We could really be 16-1 right now.”
Crick also explained a consistency that has emerged with an
injury-free roster at the present time. Led by freshmen Markita Barnes, with 19
points per game, Quortney Gibson, with 17 points per game, and sophomore Tiffany
Leonard, with 14 points per game, the Lady Eagles are starting to get consistent
numbers from their starters. Coach Crick says it is not the offensive output
that the team is struggling with, but their defense.
“We are just so small and our defense is inconsistent,” he
said. “With our size, it is tough to find a defense that works consistently, but
if we play the defense we can play, we can beat anyone.”
As the team heads into the homestretch with just 11 remaining
games before the region tournament, they have some tough teams ahead. The Lady
Eagles head to No. 4 nationally ranked Carl Sandburg on Jan. 24 and travel to
No. 2 nationally ranked Illinois Central College on Jan. 26. The team returns
home on the Jan. 28 to take on Wright College and Black Hawk on Jan. 31.
As the team heads into the homestretch, the Lady Eagles and
coach Steve Crick feel they are heading in the right direction, and if they
continue to be injury-free, they should make a very good run at a region
championship.
“We had a four game win streak until Sauk Valley, and we
played four good games in a row,” he said. “Right now we are concentrating on
conference games, but I think we are real close to the team we want to be.”