The North Central Missouri College men’s and women’s basketball teams were on display Thursday night at Meet the Pirates Night at the Ketcham Community Center in Trenton. Fans got to see both teams in action as they took the court for scrimmages and also got introduced to the softball and baseball teams that will take the diamond next spring.
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The North Central women’s basketball team will lean on experience and strong post play. Both Amanda Rodenburg and Mysti Williams are back to anchor the post positions for the Lady Pirates.
“We return eight kids and Amanda and Mysti are probably the main nucleus of our returners,” Lady Pirates’ Head Coach Jenni Croy said. “(Post play) has been our focus since Lesli (Wyatt) and I have been here. Mysti’s game has improved tremendously from last year and right now we are looking for her to run the five position and Amanda to run the four position. Amanda is the type of kid that works hard continously and always wants to improve her game. So, we hope with that duo in there and some other returning starters we will be successful this year.”
Also returning for the Lady Pirates are Kelsey Griffin and Kayla Hewitt, who were starters at the guard positions last year. Griffin was an all-region selection for the Lady Pirates.
“Kelsey Griffin is a hard-working guard who can shoot the three decently,” Croy said. “Kayla Hewitt is our returning point guard and is a great leader for us on the floor.”
Forwards Alex Goodwin, Whitney Bennett and Starr Santee also return as does guard Kristin Hasting. Freshmen Samone Redditt, Lexi Hope and Micah Burkeybile round out the Lady Pirates’ roster.
The North Central men won’t be the team that ran the floor continously last season, but the Pirates return some strong outside shooters and Head Coach Steve Richman believes his team will have better players throughout the roster this season.
“We are a little different this year,” Richman said. “We aren’t as fast as we have been the past couple of years, but we have better basketball players top to bottom. They understand the game and they know they have to execute. I think this team will play better defense overall than we have played in the past as well.”
Reggie Maxwell, Marshon Norfleet and Eric McDaniel return some athleticism to the Pirates’ roster and Adam Woods and Derreon Parker return to give NCMC some firepower from three-point land. Skyler Harris is also back as a post presence for the Pirates and Eddie Polland returns as well.
“We have two kids who redshirted last season,” Richman said. “Reggie redshirted last year and he will be a third-year sophomore. We expect big things from him just because he has that experience. Marshon Norfleet, has been here two years already and not seen the floor. He popped his knees both years he has been here and we expect him to come in older and more mature and understand the game a little bit better. Derreon Parker and Adam Woods shot the ball really well for us last year and if there is one thing, we shot the ball well last year, but we probably have five or six guys who can shoot the ball better this year.”
Freshmen additions to the Pirates this season include Brandon Feltes, Nate Griffin, Jordan Griffin, Tyler Peterson, Jordan Reddin, Tyren Tillman, Nic Voorhies, Keaton Duncan and Colin Kabler.
“We have a good balance of freshmen and sophomores this year,” Richman said. “We have a point guard who is going to start for us as of right now in Jordan Reddin. He defends well, handles the ball well and he may not be as offensive-minded like what we have had in the past, but he gets the other four guys playing basketball and that might be something we haven’t had in the past.”
Both North Central basketball teams will open the 2012-2013 season on Thursday, Nov. 1. The Lady Pirates and Pirates will play host to the William Penn University junior varsity squads at the Ketcham Community Center in Trenton. Action tips off at 5:30 p.m. with the women’s contest and the men’s game will follow at around 7:30.