Lakers to rebuild on the perimeter and rely on experienced posts
GLIAC Pre-Season Poll and Pre-Season All-Conference Teams
SAULT STE. MARIE - Led by 2011 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Player of the Year Emily Joseph, guards dictated Lake Superior State’s style of play and success during the past four years. Now that post players Cassy Schemberger and Maria Blazejewski are the veterans, LSSU’s new crop of guards must find a way to get the ball to them and help the Lakers establish their new identity.
“I’d like to bring a little more balance between our posts and perimeters,” said LSSU first-year head coach Justin Rees, who replaced Jamie Pewinski in July. “I know we’ve been a little bit guard-heavy here in the past. You certainly need great guards to compete at this level, but I’d like to add a little more balance with Cassy and Maria obviously being the strong backbone. I’d maybe like to bring a little more pace, a little more up-tempo, and incorporate more people into the flow. When everybody is involved, practices are stronger and more competitive on a daily basis, and that helps us reach our goals.”
LSSU will get its first test Thursday during an exhibition game at Michigan State. The Lakers and Spartans, who are playing each other for the first time since November, 2007, meet at 7 p.m. at the Breslin Center. Lake Superior State also plays an exhibition game against Laurentian at 6 p.m. Sunday at Bud Cooper Gymnasium.
Pewinski, who took over as the head coach at her alma mater, Saginaw Valley State, was 77-61 during her five seasons as LSSU’s head coach. The Lakers’ focal point during her tenure was the play of Joseph, Nicole Marshall and Ronlea Peterson, who were arguably the GLIAC’s strongest guard trio by the time they graduated.
Blazejewski earned All-GLIAC Second Team honors in 2010-11 after ranking 12th in the GLIAC in scoring at 13.2 points per game and was named to the 2011-12 All-GLIAC Pre-Season First Team. Schemberger, who led the league in field-goal percentage at .659 and was sixth in rebounding at 7.8 rebounds per game, garnered All-GLIAC Pre-Season Second Team recognition. She averaged 10.9 ppg last season.
“From the little bit of film I’ve been able to watch, they’ve been fantastic,” said Rees prior to the official start of the season. “I wish I had them for more than one year in terms of Cassy and two with Maria, as I would like to grow with them together. They’ve been fantastic on the court in scoring and rebounding, and off the court with leadership and making sure we’re doing the right things in the classroom and in the community. They’re great people on top of being great basketball players.”
LSSU also returns senior guard Jasmine Brown, a second-year junior college transfer who averaged 11.7 minutes per game last season, and senior forward Sarah Cubr, who averaged 12.1 minutes per game. Sophomore guard Raven Trammell and sophomore center Laura VanEs also played back-up roles in 2010-11.
“Jasmine and Sarah – I’m not familiar with their roles per se last year, but they’ll be counted on more than they have been in the past, maybe at different positions,” Rees said. “We will put them in spots where we can see them shine, see their skill sets come out, and more importantly give them confidence.”
Rees was impressed with redshirt freshman guard Taylor Greene and VanEs during pre-season practices.
“Her size and the way she runs the floor will be an asset to our style of play,” Rees said of VanEs. And I’m excited about the incoming freshman and looking forward to getting to know them.”
LSSU’s newcomers are following the veterans’ lead.
“Jasmine, Maria, Sarah and Cassy are buying into what we are doing,” Rees said. “Their work ethics are leading the other girls to what we need to do and our expectation level. In all forms of coaching, as long as I’ve been doing it, that’s exactly what you want and that’s a recipe for having a real strong, competitive team.”
Rees, a former assistant coach at Ferris State, returns to the GLIAC after being an assistant at Division I Maine for four seasons.
“It’s great to be back in the GLIAC, which is arguably the strongest Division II conference in the country,” he said. “There are so many great coaches and great programs. I’m looking forward to the challenges.”
