As Coach Joey Wells said following the Indiana State Women’s
Basketball scrimmage on Friday, there were some rough spots that the team has
to smooth out. However, while the team may be a work in progress, there were
three players who stood out during the scrimmage.
While I generally am one who gets more excited about offense
than defense, I couldn't help but get excited by the intensity that Joyea Marshall
brought on the defensive end of the court. Whether it was going after a rebound
or getting the ball from an opponent, it was as if she were playing for the
Missouri Valley Conference Championship.
On the opposite end of the spectrum of emotion, Natasha Zurek
handled the point guard duties in an efficient way that was just as effective
as the emotion Marshall brought to the floor. Her passes were crisp and
accurate, and her demeanor on the court was reminiscent of that of Jake Odum, whose
point play for Indiana State’s Men’s Basketball was an integral part of their success
during the last four seasons. Zurek was also able to get to the rim and score
in addition to distributing the ball.
But what counts at the end of the game is the final score,
and it was Stephanie Wittman who brought the scoring to the scrimmage. Wittman's
efficiency mirrored that of Zurek’s.
Although the scrimmage wasn't a work of perfection, the
scrimmage seemed to get better the further it went. When it was over, I was
disappointed that it ended because I felt the team was just getting started. Hopefully
that momentum will carry on to the Lady Sycamore’s exhibition game on Nov. 7
against the Screaming Eagles of the University of Southern Indiana.
