Women’s Basketball Season Preview – FLCC Enters 2012-13 Looking Solid

CANANDAIGUA – As the start of the 2012-13 region III women's basketball season looms closer and closer, this year's version of the Finger Lakes CC Lady Lakers will enter it with a well-balanced roster.

The Lady Lakers, who will return five solid freshmen from a year ago, will look to improve upon their 2011-12 season – which consisted of them turning in a 14-15 record. Those now five fabulous sophomores – which include – Casi Strait, Kelli McCauley, Britany Monpere, Jordan Smith, and Ashley House, will be balanced with a cast of promising new freshmen in 2012-13.

The upcoming season, which sits just hours away – will begin with FLCC hitting the road for its first four games. The team will jumpstart its schedule this evening with a road meeting against Herkimer County CC at 5:00 pm. With live action taking shape in a short while, Lady Lakers third-year head coach Bill Henry is eager to see this year's squad in game form – as it has endured a great offseason in terms of training and preparing for 2012-13.

Henry, who will be joined on the bench by third-year assistant coach Gary Husk, strongly believes this team will resemble one that exemplifies athleticism and speed on both ends of the court. As mentioned, the five key returnees will be complemented by a great group of new Lady Lakers – which includes freshmen Casey Dean, Alexis Maiorana, Kelly Broderick, and Jennifer Guerrier.

In addition to Dean, Maiorana, Broderick, and Guerrier – FLCC will also welcome Julia Pagano and Julie Brooks, a pair of athletic sophomores, to the team. This group will play in a total of 27 regular season games throughout the duration of their 2012-13 schedule. The Lady Lakers will play 13 home and 14 away games. Of their 27 contests, 12 of them will come against the six other members of their conference (the Mid-State Athletic Conference) – as they will play each team in the MSAC twice.

After their first four games (which will take place on 11/1, 11/3, 11/4, and 11/6) (as mentioned which are all away), the Lady Lakers will then play four straight home games (on 11/8, 11/11, 11/13, and 11/18) before concluding their November schedule with an away game against Alfred State College (on 11/29).

In December, FLCC will partake in just three games – before taking close to a month long break for the holidays and winter recess. After break concludes, the conference schedule will begin to unfold for the Lady Lakers come January. During that month, of the nine games that they will play in, eight of them will come against teams in the MSAC. They will then conclude their regular season schedule by competing in six contests during the month of February.  

With the team prepared and ready to hit the hardwood, without further ado, here is a breakdown of this year's roster – one by one.

Strait, a regional and national phenom in 2011-12, is without a doubt the team's top offensive weapon. The sophomore guard averaged 20.1 points and 6.5 rebounds per game a year ago. In addition to her averages, Strait cashed in on 41 three-point field goals during her freshman year.

McCauley (guard), a potent scorer last season for FLCC, provides the team with another reliable scoring option. Her ability to put the ball in the hoop in her first year with the club was not a problem as she averaged 16 points per game upon the conclusion of it. Additionally, she stood out as a major threat from beyond the arc with her 70 three-point field goals.

Monpere (forward), a forceful figure inside the paint last year, provides the Lady Lakers with an added presence around the glass thanks to her scoring and rebounding abilities. The 5'9" forward put up scoring and rebounding averages of 11.1 and 7.3 respectively in 2011-12.

Smith (forward), who averaged 3 points and 6 rebounds per game a season ago, served as one of the teams' hardest workers. She exemplified a mental and physical toughness on a consistent basis inside the lane throughout her freshman year. With a year under her belt now as a Lady Laker, expect to see Smith's veteran leadership stick out in an alarming way this season.    

House (forward), who rounds out the list of returnees, gave Henry and Husk solid minutes in the post last season. Her points (4.0) and rebounds (4.0) per game averages gave FLCC added production below the net. Her physicality in the interior post combined with her great instincts around the ball, both charted as superior a year ago, are only expected to improve in 2012-13.

Dean, entering year one with the Lady Lakers, is believed to have the skills necessary for being a quality forward at the collegiate level. The Marcus Whitman graduate gives the team a nice complementary piece inside the foul line and beneath the basket.

Maiorana comes to FLCC with the ability to become a viable guard. Her speed and mobility, both noted as superior, will be of extreme worth to the team – especially considering the fact that Henry and Husk both desire for their players to play an up-tempo style of basketball all season long.

Broderick (guard), who makes the transition from the women's soccer team at FLCC this past fall to the basketball court this winter, will without a doubt carry with her a heaping amount of endurance to the squad. Her athleticism combined with her "game readiness" will both be welcomed to the team with open arms.

Guerrier, a 5'10" forward, gives the Lady Lakers great length around the basket. Her size combined with her mobility will both provide the roster with added strengths.

Pagano, a guard, shores up the top of the key for FLCC thanks to her unique talents. Her ball handling and offensive skills combined with her ability to play quality defense, make for her to be an additional asset to the club.

Lastly, Brooks, a 5'9" forward, is another great find by the coaching staff at FLCC. The Holley, NY native gives the 2012-13 Lady Lakers roster an added boost in terms of size. Her potential is high. She has the capability of being a solid rebounder and scorer of the basketball.

With the lineup put forth on the table, the evidence that each player mentioned in this preview stands talented is of true nature. This version, the 2012-13 one, of the Lady Lakers, poses as promising. With a sound coaching staff molded into place and with a squad full of great athletes and hardworking women set in stone, expect to see nothing but great efforts out of this group on a daily and nightly basis throughout this upcoming season.