Spartan Times

Success at Salt Lake Jamboree

  

CNCC’s basketball teams fought for strong results at SLCC’s Jamboree tournament last weekend.The Spartans gained experience for the upcoming season by competing with conference and rec teams. (Photo by Ayzha Haili)

Breanna Gibson

Reporter

   Both the women’s and men’s basketball programs attended the annual Salt Lake Community College Jamboree held on Oct. 23- 24. The weekend was successful for both programs and much was learned.  

   The Lady Spartans played against Ontario, Oregon’s Treasure Valley Community College, Salt Lake Community College (SLCC), and a recreation team from Salt Lake.

   The women’s first game against Treasure Valley was slow in the first half but picked up in the second, which brought intensity on defense and led to success on the offensive side. First year head coach Antowin Edwards was happy with the way the team played, but knew there was much more to accomplish.

   NJCAA rules state that no team can advertise scores from scrimmages in any sport with a conference opponent, but the CNCC team knew how they played.

   “Everyone played well in spots of the game,” says Edwards. “But as a team, we need to minimize the times we are playing poorly to maximize the times we are playing well.”

   In the second game, the Lady Spartans had much to prove. Playing against SLCC, the Spartans could not make mistakes. With SLCC being a top contender in conference and most of the other teams in conference taking note of CNCC’s past losing streak, the Lady Spartans had to prove that the team is different this year.

   “Knowing the intensity and aggressiveness (with which) SLCC plays, I knew that I had to play well overall the entire game,” recalls freshman point guard Ariel Sanchez.

   The Bruins were surprised that they were down much of the game. Despite the high energy and intense environment, the Spartans ended up losing by a small margin.

   “Although we were not on top, we accomplished what we wanted to do,” says sophomore shooting guard Charlotte Epperson. “We caught all of the conference teams off guard with the way we played.”

   In the last game of the day, the Lady Spartans played against an older recreation team from Salt Lake.

   “I didn’t think too much into the game; I wanted to see what the younger girls could do,” recalls Edwards.

   Overall, the Jamboree for the women’s program proved successful and was yet another learning tool for the team, as well as a real taste for the freshman of how competitive this game can be.

   The men’s team also had some pros and cons to the games. Coach Adrian Hayes, in his first year as head coach, was anxious to see what the teams in conference had in store this year.

   “With our program being underdogs, nobody is really concerned about us,” says Hayes. “I wanted to go out and prove to everybody that we are not the same program as we have been in the past.”

   In the first match, playing Laramie County Community College out of Cheyenne, Wyo., the Spartans had a great match up. Although the Spartans struggled to rebound in the second half, freshman point guard Michael Russell was there to give a much-needed spark to the team. Russell was also quick enough to drive the lane, giving the team trips to the free throw line.

   “I knew that we had to step it up if we were going to win this game,” states Russell. “So I turned the switch on and got everybody hyped up.”

   In the next game against Northwest Community College, from Powell, Wyo., the Spartans lost the intensity from the end of the last game. With a lack of intensity and effort, the Spartans could not pull off a good showing.

   “We needed players to step up defensively, and it didn’t happen,” states Hayes.

   In the third game of the day, the Spartans knew they had to step up if they wanted to prove to the other teams in the conference that they were a different team. Playing Western Wyoming, from Rock Springs, Wyo., the team did what they wanted to accomplish.

   Captain and sophomore Terrence Tatum shot well for the offensive side, and sophomore Steve Robinson played great defensively with his four steals. The Spartans went on many runs that the Mustangs couldn’t stop.

   “We rebounded well and played good defense,” states Tatum. “We worked very well as a team.”

   In the fourth and final game of the day, the team played Pro Look, a recreation team from Salt Lake.

   “Our team didn’t execute on rebounding, and there was no intensity,” states Hayes. “I think being the last game of the day, the team was tired.

“We need to rebound and defend for all 40 minutes of the game,” says Hayes. “If we do that, we will have much success.”

   The first regular season home game for the basketball programs is Nov. 10 against Central Wyoming. Women start at 5 p.m. and men at 7 p.m.

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