MIAMI SHORES, Fla.—Bill Sullivan will lead the Barry University women’s basketball into the 2014-15 season, his ninth at the helm, as the Buccaneers take on Shorter University and the University of Alabama-Huntsville in the Nova Southeastern Tip-off Classic this weekend.
The Classic has an unusual format this season. On Nov. 14, the Bucs face off against Shorter, while Nova Southeastern takes on Alabama-Huntsville at the Sharks’ University Center. On Nov. 15, the teams come to Barry’s Health & Sports Center as NSU’s facility is hosting volleyball.
The game against Shorter will be the first for the Bucs. The Hawks were 6-20 last season in their final provisional season of the move from the NAIA to NCAA Division II. They return their leading scorer in senior Ieshia Alexander, a 5-4 guard who averaged 12.8 points per game.
The Bucs have faced the Chargers once, winning 64-47 in Miami Shores in 2003. The Chargers were 15-12 last year, but lost Jordan Smith and Jasmine Hammon who accounted for over 40 points per game as well as head coach Roy Heintz. New coach Andrea Lemmond will lean on senior guard Shannon Steinert who was third on the team at 8.6 points per game and led the team with 77 steals.
The Bucs will have a very different look this season after Tyler Hardy and Colette Eule graduated last year. Between them, Hardy and Eule accounted for 47.96 percent of the Buccaneers’ offense last season and 34.8 percent of the rebounds.
The top returning player is 5-10 forard Kaylia Richardson, a member of the Sunshine State Conference All-Newcomer team. Richardson, the only returning starter, is the top returning scorer at 10.7 points per game and rebounder at 5.3 per game. She shot a team-best 55.8 percent from the field last season in just 20.2 minutes per game.
Nyjah Porcher, a 5-10 guard/forward, is another key player from last year. She did a little bit of everything and played nearly every spot on the floor at some point, averaging 5.2 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game. Lynae Richardson and Emily Schahczinski both played in more than 20 games and bring another year of experience in the system. Ashley Lutz is also back after playing the first semester last year.
Most of the rest of the rotation will feature players not active on last year’s team. Point guard Jackie Perez (5-7) returns after a medical red-shirt. In 2012-13, she was third on the team in scoring at 9.3 points per game and shot 32.0 percent from three point range. Monique Plummer (5-3), who had a handle on the point guard slot before being injured herself, is also back with the team after a medical red-shirt.
The recruiting class is largely comprised of transfers. Kimbreli Flournoy and Toni Niebler are NCAA Division I transfers. Flournoy, a 5-9 guard, comes from Seattle University. One of the top defenders in the conference, she also shot 50 percent from three-point range with the Redhawks. Niebler, another 5-9 guard, shot 77.8 percent from the floor for Murray State in limited action. Amra Elezovic, a 5-11 wing forward, was the leading scorer at NCAA Division II Southern New Hampshire, averaging 14.5 points per game. Posts Kaila Britten and Irene Sanchez will bolster the paint area. Britten, a 6-0 forward from Grossmont College in California, averaged 8.3 points and 7.4 rebounds for the Griffins. Sanchez, a well-rounded player standing 6-0, has the ability to score inside and out. A Spanish native, she brings international experience to the team.
The lone freshman this season is Melanie Jordan from nearby Lourdes Academy, which also produced current Bucs teammate Perez. Jordan averaged 24 points per game, shooting 50 percent from three-point range as she led the county in made three-pointers.
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