This is our first column on the 2008-09 season, and we’ll begin with the Arizona Wildcats. Lots of change in Tucson, where long time coach Joan B has been replaced by Niya Butts who had been the Assistant Head Coach at Kentucky. She was at Kentucky for 5 years, and an Assistant elsewhere for 3 more years. She graduated from Tennessee, where she played for 4 years, All Academic SEC for 3 of those years and has a Masters Degree. Butts has brought in a new staff, including former Arizona player Sue Darling who has more than 20 years of experience, including having been Head Coach at the Air Force Academy.
As for the Arizona team, well out with the old in with the new, as they are truly starting over. They only have 5 scholarship players returning this year. Their roster includes a walk-on, 5 new frosh and 2 JC transfers. They will be building this year and next, and they will have 6 scholarships to give for this year’s recruiting class. It’ll take time, and it won’t be pretty, but they certainly brought in a neat blend of coaches to try to work their way to the top half of the PAC 10.
Arizona actually had a decent recruiting class, but no one who projects to be a top PAC 10 performer.
At the Post will be Beatrice Bofia, who I believe will be the PAC 10’s tallest player, at 6-7. However in a reserve role last season she only averaged 3 points and 3 rebounds per game. She played two years of JC ball but had similar stats. Bofia will be backed up, or replaced by their top recruit, 6-5 Malia Nahinu, the # 89 recruit in the country. Nahinu averaged 15 points and 10 rebounds last year at a Hayward, CA High School.
At the 4 position will be the Wildcats best player from a year ago, Amina Njonkou. She’s a 6-1 Sr who last season averaged 13 points and 7 rebounds per game and earned Honorable Mention All PAC 10. She’s a tough and skillful player. At the other forward will be Ify Ibekwe, 6-1, who was All PAC 10 frosh a year ago. Ify had a fine frosh year averaging 10 points and 8 rebounds per game. Depending on how the two Centers play, Ify would be a bit out of position. It would not be surprising if Ify and Amina both play the Post positions.
The only back up post/Forward is 6-1 Sr Sarah Hays who averaged 3 points and 3 rebounds last season. So a 3 Guard line up is also possible for the Wildcats.
At the 2 Guard will be Soph Tasha Dickey. She averaged 7 points per game while taking over the starting spot early in the season. Dickey will be challenged by frosh Jhakia McDonald, who was ranked approximately # 150 last season. Of interest to Stanford fans is the fact that her godbrother is former Card great Joss Childress.
At the Point will probably be incoming frosh, and CIF 2A Player of the Year, Amani Butler. Butler was # 103 in the Hoop Gurlz rankings last year. An interesting point on Butler, she turns 21 mid November. The back up may be JC transfer Ashley Frazier.
Three other players could well get playing time. 6-0 frosh Courtney Clements averaged 18 per game in a strong SoCal High School league. Frosh Reiko Thomas averaged 16 point per game at famed Narbonne High School in LA. Also JC transfer Ipek Turkyilmaz could help in the backcourt.
The pre-season schedule is not tough, Middle Tennessee State and Texas A&M being the highlights. However the PAC 10 season will be really hard for the first year staff, as Arizona may go into each game as the underdog.
In another story, we’ll review recruiting for each team. The Letter of Intent period is November 12-19.
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