Growing pains
Lady Flames finish fourth in Big South
GUIDE — Tatyana Crowder controlled the ball.
Photo Credit: Michela Diddle
Uncertainty was the only word to describe the approach to the 2016-2017 season for the Lady Flames women’s basketball team.
The starting lineup consisted of three freshmen, a transfer junior and a lone senior who was coming off a torn ACL.
Head Coach Carey Green, the winningest head coach in Liberty women’s basketball history, knew regardless of expectations and predictions, any successful season requires a strong work
ethic and dedication.
“I had a lot of confidence in the ladies,” Coach Green said.
“They really did work hard all year. (They were) a team that was hungry throughout the season. They were resilient.”
The Lady Flames started the season with a discouraging 38-98 loss to Duke, and went on to lose their first six games.
But, they refused to let that stretch be unproductive.
“They kept bouncing back (from) defeat and they would train hard the next day,” Coach Green said.
“It was either you win or you learn.”
On Dec. 10, the Lady Flames won their first game of the season against West Liberty University 64-38.
However, they would lose the next four games to finish non-conference play with a
record of 1-11.
After enduring the first losing record in non-conference play since the 1995-1996 season, the Lady Flames were assumed to be a weak contender in the Big South conference.
But, the Lady Flames bounced back from adversity to win their first three conference games, putting them in contention for first place in the conference.
In the fourth game of conference play, the Lady Flames win streak was halted by an 82-84 overtime loss to Gardner-Webb University.
Despite the mid-season charge, the Lady Flames would end the regular season stretch going 4-3 to finish in fourth place in the Big South at 12-6.
After an impressive showing in conference play, the Lady Flames lost 52-50 in the final minute of the game to fifth-seeded Charleston Southern in the Big South Championship quarterfinals.
Although the back-and-forth season for the Lady Flames ended abruptly, Coach Green still believes there was much to take away for the young team.
“Experience was a great teacher for us this year,” Coach Green said.
“We reached that position of being number one in the conference for a couple weeks, but we weren’t able to sustain it — primarily because of inconsistencies — but we saw it come together. We had victories over top-seeded teams. We know we can be there.”
One of those inconsistencies was turnovers, as the Lady Flames were second-to-last in the conference with a turnover margin of -4.13.
However, the Lady Flames excelled in rebounding by leading the Big South with an average of 43
boards a game.
“(Rebounding) has been a culture that I have put out there,” Coach Green said.
“Every time they walk into the video room, you see five plaques where we were number one in the nation in rebounding.”
Coach Green also praised the character and family-like nature of the young team.
“I think one of the greatest characteristics this group has is their selflessness,” Coach Green said. “They self-sacrifice and they encourage one another.”
DIMES — Junior guard Nene Johnson led the Lady Flames in assists.
Photo Credit: Michela Diddle
The 2016-2017 was also full of individual successes for the Lady Flames.
Freshman forward Keyen Green was awarded the Big South freshman of the year award for the dominance she displayed in her post play, rebounding and defense.
Green also broke a conference record by winning the Big South player of the week award eight times this season.
The dominant forward was also named to the second team All-Big South roster, and the All-freshmen team roster as she recorded a conference high, nine double-doubles.
The talent of the Lady Flames two European players, freshman forward Ola Makurat and freshman guard Iva Ilic, also shined throughout the season.
Makurat, the 6’2” forward from Sierakowice, Poland earned a spot on the Big South all-freshmen team for her superiority in rebounding and scoring, as she averaged five rebounds and seven points per game in the regular season.
Ilic, who is from Koprivnica, Croatia, led all Big South freshmen in 3-pointers made with 40, to help her also land a spot on the Big South all-freshmen roster.
Along with the trio of freshmen honored, lone senior Audrey Rhettstatt received Big South All-Academic team recognition for her excellence on and off the court.
Rhettstatt maintained a 3.88 GPA while also serving a crucial role as the experienced leader on a
young team.
“Audrey exemplifies a great Christian athlete,” Coach Green said.
“She is already a champion for Christ in (all) areas she goes into. She was very valuable as a player and as a leader. I’m proud of her. We wish her the very best.”
Aside from the graduating Rhettstatt, the rest of the Lady Flames are expected to return next season and the team will gain three new recruits.
Coach Green has already established individualized training for the players to grow throughout the offseason and he believes the team has more than enough talent to regain the title next season.
“We know the direction we want to go, and it is even clearer for all the young players,” Coach Green said.
“It doesn’t have to be a guessing game, ‘Are we going to be good? How good are we going to be?’ We know (what we’re capable of) based on what we’re doing now.”
Davis is the asst.sports editor.