Depth to be a Key to Lady Saint's Success

SARANAC LAKE — Depth will be one of the main staples for the North Country Community College women's basketball team this season.

 

The Saints have started the season 3-2 and feature a 17-player roster of 13 first-year players and four sophomores.

 

"I hope that one of our strengths is sticking together and having the ability to have multiple people go into the game because I think we are deep," North Country coach Jerrad Dumont said.

 

Although it is early in the season, North Country's bench unit has already scored at least 20 points in each of the team's victories.

 

In her first season, Emily Sheets has started in every game this season and has finished with double-digit points in four of the team's five games.

 

Sheets scored a season-high 26 points against Schoolcraft College.

 

"She is really good," Dumont said. "She rebounds the basketball well for us, and she can score when we get her the ball on the inside."

 

Newcomers Danielle Cook of Chateaugay and Bailee Gauthier of Brasher Falls have played well to start the season and will continue to improve throughout the year, Dumont said.

 

Dumont added that he expects sophomores Bridget Rust, Aaliyah McCrae, Katimia Smith and Kyra Warner to play important roles.

 

Rust started 23 games for the Saints last season and averaged seven points a game.

 

North Country finished last season with a record of 17-11 and lost to Mohawk Valley Community College in a NJCAA Region III quarterfinal.

 

The Saints lost several players, including Romeira Tucker, who scored 17 points a game last season and Brooke Howell, who was also one of the team's top scorers last season.