Women’s basketball’s surprise season rolls on; the hunger for more remains

The end of the 2017-18 women’s basketball season brought with it a good deal of questions concerning the future of the program. Eleven of the 12 women on the roster exited, with six heading on to compete at four-year programs. Head Coach Chris Carlson, entering his 15th season, was no stranger to this roster overhaul. The 2011 National Champion had undergone something of the sort two years ago, the Cards’ first season as a member of the NWAC.

“We had to bring in a whole new group and you know, that’s a big rebuild. We went through this two years ago, and we didn’t make the playoffs that year as a young team but this group has been really special,” Carlson said.

Currently sitting with a 16-4 record, there is certainly something to what Carlson is saying but when you look at their 6-2 conference record, in the toughest region in the NWAC, then it becomes apparent that yes, this team is indeed ‘special’.

Riding a four-game conference win streak into Saturday’s game at Treasure Valley, nobody would’ve thought they’d be sitting in the position that they are. From the outside looking in, this just seemed to be a down year that comes naturally with the extreme roster turnover that hit the program. Nobody believed, except for the only ones that need to; the ones in the locker room did, and they are showing why.

Freshman guard Halle Eborall alluded to the positive mindset and understanding of the road that was ahead which have helped this team so much.

Halle Eborall locks up a guard from Columbia Basin. The Lady Cards rolled to an 81-69 victory. Photo by Gerry McCray.

“I think all of us had really high expectations going into the season,” Eborall said. “I think all of us were really positive and helped build each other up and all understood that we were a young team with only two players that had played college basketball before.”

Along with Eborall, the freshman guards have played a massive role in this team’s success. Alex Carlton leads the NWAC in three-point shooting at a tick over 49 percent. Alivia Williams leads the Cards in scoring, dropping in 13 points per game. Anna Schrade and Sydnie Peterson are both contributing over six points a game for the team. While no one really stands out on paper, the smarts and elite decision making have made them so successful.

Heidi Sellman puts up a layup attempt against CBC. Williams (15) and Keara Simpson (5) look on from the sideline. Photo by Gerry McCray

Not to be outdone, the Cards boast two of the best forwards in the league. Freshman Keara Simpson’s presence alone stands out. It is easy to see that she deserves respect on the floor and her dominance in the paint makes the opposition wary of attacking the basket. The ‘looming presence’ down low is averaging a gaudy 12.2 ppg to go along with 8.8 rebounds a contest. Heidi Sellman, a transfer forward, ranks fourth in the conference in field goal percentage at 60.6 percent. Overall, the energetic sophomore is posting 12.4 points a game along with nearly seven rebounds per game. She isn’t surprised in the least at their season so far.

“Right from the get-go I knew we were going to be so good,” Sellman noted. “I knew that it was going to take a lot of growth and we’re going to go through struggles and not always be the best team we can be, but I always knew that we are really talented and very versatile. I knew it from the beginning.”

Alivia Williams looks to drive to the basket in a game vs. CBC. Williams is pacing the Cards in scoring this season. Photo by Gerry McCray.

The balance of the team doesn’t give off the notion that there is a glaring weakness. As Coach Carlson said, there are so many things that they can do because of that versatility and stability. For an opposing coach, it becomes tough to game-plan against because they can hurt you in so many areas.

Looking ahead, the Lady Cards will look to keep their surprise season going by continuing to play strong within the conference. Currently third behind Wenatchee Valley and Big Bend in the East Region, they will continue to chase for that division crown and a spot in the postseason. Even at 16-4, nothing is a guarantee for sixth-ranked NIC.

Ultimately though, the Cards hope the baby steps pay off in a big way. Eborall said she is confident that they can be the team hoisting the trophy come March.

“I think we can win the whole thing because we do have so many different, strong aspects to our game,” Eborall said. “Once we get it all clicking and working together, I think we can just surprise teams.”