Mesa Legend - SPORTS - T-Birds battle early season jitters

January 17,2006
SPORTS
T-Birds battle early season jitters

Chris Ramirez
Mesa Legend

Kicking off their 2005-06 season in hopes of returning to the national tournament in March, the Mesa Community College women’s basketball team has made things difficult for themselves thus far. The team opened up the season playing ten games within the first month and took on the College of Southern Idaho, last year’s national title runner-up, in their first game. The Golden Eagles, a division I school, proved to be too much for the division II Thunderbirds, beating MCC, 78-62.
In fact, Mesa took on a total of ten division I schools in the first half of the season, leaving them with a 6-8 record (as of Jan. 10, 2006). The division I games, featuring several teams from out of state, were scheduled by Coach Robin Schamber, who admitted she didn’t know how they would do against the tougher competition.
“As a coaching staff we’re just looking at the big picture and to improve within our own team,” Schamber stated.
The Thunderbirds did prevail in games against Dixie College, Arizona Western, and Williston State among others. Another notable game was in Thatcher against Eastern Arizona Community College. The Thunderbirds overwhelmed the Gila Monsters 90-77, but it was freshman Michelle Haws who stole the spotlight. Haws had double digit points and rebounds as she scored the first ten points of the game for Mesa.
Also shining for MCC this season is Irene Bahe, Ashton LeSueur, Kellie Olson, Jamie Nesbit, and Lindsi Demik.
Bahe, the tallest member on the squad, was sidelined with hip and ankle problems early in the season, but has since recovered and reclaimed her center position. Helping Mesa to back-to-back wins, LeSueur earned ACCAC Player of the Week honors for Dec. 4-11 and high praise from her coach. “She is kind of an unsung hero because she’s totally been a great point guard,” Schamber said.
Overall, the outlook from the team is positive despite their win-loss record. They feel the bumpy start was good for them, in that it prepared the team for the next two months of conference play.
Those games will feature match-ups against No. 1 ranked Central Arizona Community College and a much improved Chandler-Gilbert squad that is atop the division II conference standings. Mesa is currently in the fourth and final spot that will move onto the playoffs.
Looking forward Schamber commented, “Our record (will get) better against our conference opponents and every game is going to be a dogfight because it seems like everyone gets up for Mesa Community College. You know we went to Nationals last year, so it’s going to be a tough game (every night), but I think we are going to be ready for it and I think we are just going to get better as long as we stay away from injuries.”