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Monday, October 19, 2009 10:21 PM CDT
This time EIU women can reload and not just rebuild
By Brian Nielsen, Sports Editor
bnielsen@jg-tc.com
CHARLESTON --Good Brady or Bad Brady?
That was the first early-season question asked to Brady Sallee, who in his first five seasons Eastern Illinois women’s basketball coach has shown he can be a friendly, well-spoken public relations man or a demanding, at times harsh coach on the bench or in practice.
“It depends on who you ask,” he said with a smile. “You ask me I’d say Wonderful Brady. The players are wondering where the guy who recruited them is.”
Five freshmen starting last week were introduced to Sallee’s basketball practices.
Sallee has returned to life without that first recruiting class that went from the rebuilding years to last season’s team that went 24-9, finishing second in the Ohio Valley Conference regular season and postseason tournament.
“It’s been a couple of years since I’ve had so many freshmen,” Sallee said. “That’s not necessarily a bad thing. It just makes for some sleepless evenings.”
Maybe for the coach and for the players.
Patiently easing into this is not really an option when your past success has landed you in the Preseason WNIT where the Panthers are to open with a Nov. 13 game at Ohio State.
At least this time while depending on some freshmen, Sallee has been through it in the past.
“I found myself drawing some parallels,” he said. “I’ve seen the same deer-in-the-headlights look I saw from Lindsey Kluempers. I’ve seen the same frustration I saw on Ellen Canale’s face. I’ve seen the same pencil-neck freshman center I saw from a center named Rachel Galligan.”
For those new to EIU women’s basketball, that pencil-neck center wound up being the program’s career scoring record holder and now is playing pro basketball in Spain.
Unlike when Sallee was throwing Galligan and other freshmen teammates into the college basketball fire, he now has some veterans indoctrinated into the system the coach used as soon as he had recruits that fit.
In fact, current seniors might relish the chance to go from supporting cast to leading roles.
“I’ve been impressed with them,” Sallee said. “I think they were ready to spread their wings right after last year. They lead by example. These freshmen have seniors who understand what it takes. Those seniors five years ago had no guidelines other than what I told them. This group is ready to stake their claim. They are determined to make sure there is no slippage.”
Maggie Kloak had her moments last season as Galligan’s backup in the post and was the team’s fourth leading scorer at 8.4 points per game while shooting .505. Now as a senior the 6-foot-1 Koak can be the beneficiary of a system where the coach said “we throw the ball into the post a million times a game.”
Guard Dominique Sims is the lone returning starter and was last season’s third leading scorer at 8.6 points per game while Ashley Thomas gets to return to the starting role she had three years ago as a freshman.
Last season’s freshmen Chantelle Pressley, Madeline Kish and Pilar Walker have taken sophomore strides although Walker has missed early practices with an injury.
Walker’s absence has provided more time for Ta’Kenya Nixon, a freshman from Michigan City Ind.
“Ta’Kenya Nixon is a kid who is just eye-popping quick on quick,” Sallee said. “I can’t imagine another player in our conference quicker than her.”
Kelsey Wyss, a 5-10 guard from Bishop Luers, Ind., with what the coach calls a good basketball IQ, Chicago Whitney Young’s 6-foot-2 Mariah King and athletic 6-1 Sydney Mitchell of Columbus, Ind., are also off to good starts in the freshman preseasons.
They don’t have the luxury of a gradual beginning to their college careers.
“We know what’s coming Nov. 13th and there are no bad teams in that NIT,” Sallee said. “That will be good for us to play the No. 3 team in the country.
“We’re excited about it but boy, do we have a lot of work to do.”
Contact Brian Nielsen at bnielsen@jg-tc.com or 238-6856.
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