The Niagara College women's basketball team is set to make their home debut on Thursday, November 8th at 6:00pm when the team hosts the Humber Hawks. The Knights are looking to improve on last season's 9-9 record which saw the team finish 5th in the OCAA West Division.
The Knights return 7 players from last season's roster, and Head Coach Ron Lemon feels the experience gained last year should pay off in 2012-2013. "With 7 players returning, I feel we have some good experience especially at the forward and center positions."
This season the Knights return 3 forwards and 2 centers, all of whom stand over 5-foot-10 and Lemon feels the Knights "are a tall team that can really score in the post." Two returning players to watch are 5-foot-10 forward Kate Montgomery and 5-foot-10 center Kaitlyn McPherson.
Montgomery, a 4th year esthetics student from Waterford, Ontario had a strong pre-season for the Knights earning the Niagara College Female Athlete of the Week honours. While McPherson, a 2nd year Early Childhood Education student from Welland ended the Knights' exhibition season scoring a team high 18 points in a dramatic 61-60 win over the Jamestown Jayhawks.
The victory marked the first time in a decade a Niagara College women's basketball team has defeated Jamestown.
The main question mark surrounding the Knights this season is the guard position. With 3 first year guards on the roster, the Knights will rely on the veteran experience of 5-foot-5 guard Allana Arundell. The 5th year Child and Youth Worker student from Toronto was named Niagara College Female Athlete of the Week for the week of November 5th -11th.
With the Humber Hawks visiting for the Knights' home opener, Coach Lemon feels "fans can expect some good basketball." With free admission for all Knights varsity home games this season, Lemon encourages the Niagara College community to "come out and support the Knights, because fan support can do a lot to encourage the home team."
