The Wildcats are coming off a season that was full of growing pains with six first-year players and two junior transfers joining the team, they managed 10-16 record. The team went 7-15 in conference play.
Sophomore guard Whitney Branham believes getting so much playtime and experience will be a big key to having success on the court.
“When you’re a freshman it’s a really big adjustment at first,” Branham said. “Getting to go out there and compete like I did gives me confidence in my abilities, and I know if I continue to get better, anything is possible at that point.”
Chico State looks to take its next step in developing as a team with a core group of young talent returning.
Having new, young players on a team with little college experience can be seen as a weakness. That’s not how this year’s team sees it. The ‘Cat’s look back on last season as a way to build a foundation for years to come.
“Starting young, we can just build that chemistry up for a few years,” Branham said. “We’re starting from the foundation and that’s where it needs to be. Everyone’s taking that mentality well.
One player who has helped a lot with acclimating the young talent to the speed of college-level competition is senior Brooke Bowen.
“Now that we all have a year under our belt, I think we will be better at getting the new players into a flow of something new,” Bowen said.
With a returning core and a few new threats to add depth to the roster, the Chico State women’s basketball team looks to make a big splash this season.
“I think we will be more successful this year, and I’m really excited to get it started,” Bowen said.
Top Returners
Branham was second on the team last year in points per game (10.0) and assists (2.5), led the Wildcats in three-point shooting percentage (.358) and earned CCAA Freshman of the Year honors. Branham looks to improve even more after a summer of working out and playing at UCLA.
Bowen is the only senior on the team and will be looked to for leadership this season after leading the team in rebounds (144) and blocks (17) last year. Bowen also was third on the team in points averaging 9.3 points per game.
Top Newcomers
Michelle Townsend, junior transfer guard, tied for the state lead in three-pointers made last year (98) at Chabot Junior College. She was awarded First Team All-Coast Conference North. Townsend also helped lead Chabot to a conference title and the first state women’s basketball championship in the school’s history. She will be relied on to be a three-point threat.
Sammy DeHart, first-year guard and forward, led Nevada Union High School to a pair of Sierra Foothill League Championships. The two-time First Team All-SFL selection is expected to make a big contribution to the team this year.
Big Games
The Wildcats got a taste of Division I basketball in their second exhibition game of the season when they played the University of Nevada. The Wildcats held their own in the first half. Down by seven points, they fought back and at one point had a two-point lead in the second quarter. After halftime, it was all Nevada as the team outscored the Wildcats 32-10 in the third quarter and cruised to a 81-52 victory.
From Jan. 7-16, Chico State will have a stretch of games where three of its four opponents are rivals. The team will face off against Humboldt State and Cal Poly Pomona to start the stretch. Last season, the Wildcats lost all four games against the two bitter rivals. San Francisco State will come to town after to finish the brutal stretch of games against Sonoma State, who the team swept last year.
2014 Stats
Points per game- 64
Field goal percentage- 381
3-point percentage- 303
Rebounds per game- 34.5
Assists per game- 12.8
Steals per game- 6.7
Blocks per game- 2.0
Leaders (players in bold no longer on the team)
Points per game
*Hannah Womack- 13.6
Whitney Branham- 10.0
Brooke Bowen- 9.3
*Annie Ward- 8.5
Rebounds
Brooke Bowen- 5.5
*Michelle Walker- 4.7
Ashtyn Anderson- 4.5
Whitney Branham- 3.1
*No longer on the team
Jason Spies can be reached at [email protected] or @Jason_Spies on Twitter.
