NWF State-PJC to meet tonight in Top 10 clash
1/6/2010 – NWF State-PJC to meet tonight in Top 10 clash
By ADAM PRUIETT Northwest Florida Daily News 315-4421 | adamp@nwfdailynews.com
NICEVILLE Last season, the Northwest Florida State College women's basketball team dropped its first three Panhandle Conference games before making a dramatic recovery to earn a berth in the state tournament.
Although it was a memorable experience for then-first-year coach Bart Walker, he said he would rather the Raiders take some suspense out of the equation. Getting off on the right foot in league play is a priority this season, and the opportunity has arrived as unbeaten NWF State (13-0) travels to Pensacola Junior College (15-1) tonight for the teams' Panhandle opener.
The game will pit two Top 10 teams against one another. NWF State is ranked fifth in the nation, and Pensacola is rated eighth. In the state poll, the Pirates are ranked second, and the Raiders follow in third.
"We've been working hard since summer. I think everyone's pretty prepared right now," said forward Josette Campbell, who is averaging a team-best 16.8 points per game. "I think they understand how important it is that we win every game."
Campbell and guards Shamar Harris and Myeisha Simms are the only NWF State players with Panhandle experience. Harris transferred from Tallahassee and was the conference's Player of the Year in 2008.
NWF State will have only played once a 106-57 lambasting of Atlanta Metro on Dec. 30 since Dec. 12, but Harris believes the Raiders did enough work on their own during the holiday break and since then to be sharp for Pensacola.
"Everybody doesn't want to come out here looking like a clown after we told them how the conference is and how we want (the title)," said Harris, who is contributing 16.6 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game.
NWF State coach Bart Walker said Pensacola may have the conference's best backcourt combination in shooting guard Deana Allen, the state's leading scorer (22.6), and point guard Najat Ouardad, who averages a league-best 8.0 assists per game. Still, the Pirates are more than just a two-player show.
"I think their strength is their balance and their ability to share the ball," Walker said. "They've got a lot of people that can score."
On the flipside, Pensacola's strength might be NWF State's biggest weakness.
"I think just balance and our bench is a question," Walker said. "Are we going to get that seventh, eighth, ninth player that can step up and really contribute in the Panhandle? That's one of the things that I think we really need to focus on, is developing those players."
That chance starts tonight at Pensacola.
"Everybody's really excited to play this game," Simms said. "Some are probably nervous, but they're also excited to play."