MCC Women look to battle toward Region IX top tier
The McCook Community College women's basketball team has developed a winning tradition under third-year Coach Brandon Pritchett, and got a taste of what it will take to win at the highest level of Region IX.
MCC is 37-19 (a .660 winning percentage) in Pritchett's tenure. Last season the team scored a highlight win taking down No. 9 Western Nebraska 65-57, on March 21 at the Peter and Dolores Graff Events Center.
MCC went 15-9 during the season after winning the first two rounds of the Region IX Tournament. During a 13-8 regular-season, MCC earned the No. 3 seed in the tournament and hosted an opening round Region IX Tournament game where they downed Lamar 53-47. In La Junta, Colo. MCC took down second-seeded Eastern Wyoming 61-49 before falling in the semi-finals to top-seeded Otero.
Brandon Pritchett was named the Nebraska Community College Athletic Conference Coach of the year for the second straight year, compiling a 12-0 conference record, and looks to transfer that success from the conference into the region.
This year MCC returns four players, has five transfers from other programs and three new freshmen. The coach believes there are multiple players who can step up on any night to lead the team in multiple categories.
"We have a lot of new faces but with the transfers we have coming in we should be experienced," Pritchett said. "The one thing I really like is that this group has some depth compared to the past couple years."
Carla Torrubia Cano (5-11 forward, Melilla Spain) returns for a third season at MCC under the Covid-19 exemption.
"A lot of that was due to recruiting and finding the right spot for her to move on and it didn't just all fit together for her last year so we're glad to get someone back who has been a rock for us the past two seasons," Pritchett said.
As a freshman during the 2019-2020 campaign she averaged 11.5 points, 7.4 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game, shooting 44.6 percent from the field and 46.3 percent from the 3-point line. Last season she averaged 8.5 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game.
"She continues working to improve little things in her game, quickness, first-step stuff and defensively working to guard a little bit better," Pritchett said.
Sophomore Maita Lara Garcia (6-1 forward, Sant Joan Despi, Spain) returns for a second year at MCC (her third overall) will also take advantage of the Covid-19 rule for an extra year having redshirted her freshman year. She played in 24 games for MCC and averaged 3.0 points and 3.0 rebounds per game and shot 37.1 percent from the field.
"Maite has improved dramatically and came into the fall with a renewed energy and focus this year and feeling a lot more comfortable in our system, she's been one of our leaders and had two great jamborees to start her second year." Pritchett said. "I think she's going to do a lot from the No. 4 forward position."
Valentina Monzo (6-2 sophomore, Santiago Chile) first arrived in the United States 10 months ago and immediately began playing.
"She jumped into the thick of things in January, got some experience, went back home over the summer and has probably been one of our best players on the floor to start the year," Pritchett said.
As a freshman, she played about 15 minutes per game averaging 3.9 points, 3.3 rebounds. She shot 41.5 percent from the field and 47.1 percent from the 3-point line.
"Her game has just developed so much, she was basically just spot shooting last year and this year she's putting the ball on the floor, she's been attacking, and playing better with her back to the basket," Pritchett said. "Her game has expanded immensely, and it has shown because she has received some Division 1 interest and that keeps growing."
Alyssa Van Vleet (5-10 guard, Decatur Community High School in Oberlin) played about eight minutes per game, averaging 2.3 points, and 1.8 rebounds.
"She's been really solid this fall, she had a great summer working out and while she had a few injuries which hindered her progression, she's been our most vocal from the sidelines and is an unbelievable teammate and a person who is there for everyone," Pritchett said. "She has really developed her game over the past year and is not just a spot shooter, she's able to put the ball on the floor, she's guarding better and I'm excited for her."
The coach said the four returners have been the team leaders from the first day they stepped on campus through the first practice and have continued moving forward with their leadership.
When assembling the 2021-2022 team, one of the first roles that needed to be filled was that of point guard.
Vanessa Jurewicz (5-7 sophomore guard, Stockholm, Sweden) transferred from Northeastern Oklahoma A&M where she appeared in 15 games, averaging 5.3 points, and shot 39.8 percent from the floor.
"We needed to find a point guard and while it may not be her natural position she is a scoring guard who can handle the ball and I like point guards who can hold the defense accountable and I like that she can put the ball on the floor and get somewhere and create for herself and for others," Pritchett said. "Vanessa fits that role and I think she can take that leadership role at the point guard position."
Sonia Sato, (6-0 guard, El Paso, Texas) transfer from Wayland Baptist played in 12 games this spring in Plainview, Texas, where she averaged 2.7 points and 2.0 rebounds per game for the Flying Queens, who had a 40-game winning and were ranked No. 2 in the NAIA polls before falling in the opening round of the National Tournament and finishing at 13-1. After a coaching change, she was looking to move on.
"She can play the two, three, and four positions and is very versatile, is aggressive on the offensive end, rebounds well and will fit in well with our system and how we do things and we expect for her to have a good year and has played really solid this fall and worked on her outside game which extends her versatility."
Shelby Clark (5-7 guard, Las Vegas, Nevada) transferred from Gillette College, where that school dropped basketball in June of last year, and after transferring to Graceland University in Iowa, she landed in McCook.
"She is a combo guard who has played all three of the guard positions. She is really versatile and a good on-ball defender and she can knock down shots as well as get to the rim off the bounce," Pritchett said. "I'm excited to see where she fits in and how she helps us because I really think she'll be a solid player for us this year," Pritchett said.
Hanna Appelgren, (6-2 forward, Stockholm, Sweden) transferred from North Dakota State College of Science, and played in 23 games as a freshman, averaging 3.8 points, and 2.0 rebounds per game and shot 37 percent from the 3-point line as a Wildcat.
"She brings us size and versatility at the forward spot, she can knock down 3-point shots, and has a good mid-range game, she's working on her back-to-the basket game this fall," Pritchett said. "She really surprised me in our Jamborees with how well she can guard, not just the four position but does a pretty good job understanding her abilities and guarding wings and guards and when we go against smaller lineups she'll bring some depth to our roster."
Yzabelle Tevao (5-11 forward, Auckland, New Zealand), transfers from Lake Region State College and played in 19 games for the Royals, averaging 3.2 points and 1.9 rebounds per game and shooting 41.9 percent from the floor.
"She's probably the strongest person on the team, just naturally, and we're trying to get her to use her physicality," Pritchett said. "She can shoot it from outside and one thing that has impressed me is her ability to pass the ball in tight spots so she has some guard skills from the four position."
Of the four freshmen on the squad, three are expected to see action early on.
Patricia Ramirez (5-9, Concepcion, Chile) attended high school in Salt Lake City where she averaged nearly 18 points per game on a team that finished as state runner-up.
"She's a combo-guard who plays at a high level, quick, creative offensively," Pritchett said. "Defensively she's one of our best on-ball defenders and that's where she's stood out here in the first part of the year."
Kamelija Ignatova (5-9, Probishtip, North Macedonia) came in with great outside shooting capabilities and has been able to work on getting places off the dribble and defensively she brings a lot of energy.
"We're having to dial her back a little as far as taking chances but I'd rather dial somebody back than try to figure out how to light a fire under a player," Pritchett said. "She brings a lot of excitement and energy with a tremendous up-side."
Freshman Itziar Aransay Badia (5-8 guard, El Prat de Llobregat, Spain) is a left-handed point-guard who spent much of the fall recovering from injuries.
"When she does come back she can bring a different dynamic being a lefty point-guard and she can really knock down shots and defend well," Pritchett said.
One freshman who will redshirt for because of an ACL injury, is guard Taryn Lindsey, 5-5 guard (Colorado Springs).
"But she has been like another coach on the floor, she's very active, talks, communicates with other players, tells them what she sees from the sidelines and has been a great team member and we're hoping by late January she can start practicing with us."
When you add all the players and their attributes together, Pritchett hopes to have a successful, cohesive unit.
"I think this is an unselfish group and we're building toward playing really hard together with a lot of energy on both sides of the floor," Pritchett said.
The coach expects the top of Region IX standings to be pretty open with new coaches at Otero and Lamar and Western Nebraska is ranked No. 15 in the preseason.
"Obviously, Western Nebraska is at the top of that list every year with what they have but I think our group can compete with them and really compete with anybody, it's just a matter how we all come together," Pritchett said.
MCC will have plenty of early tests with a schedule that begins with No. 5 (Division 2) Iowa Western coming to McCook to open the season Nov. 1 at 6 p.m. MCC will open with back-to-back Friday-Saturday home games starting Nov. 5-6 against Eastern Wyoming and Laramie County Community College and the following weekend in the MCC Classic tournament against Air Force Prep and Colby. The pre-holiday schedule also includes a rematch at Ottumwa with Iowa Western as well as tournament matchup at Hobbs, N.M. against No. 5 (Division I) New Mexico Junior College.
"It's a formidable schedule, with a lot of good teams and it will be a challenge for us but, we're looking forward to the challenge," Pritchett said.
As a group he expects this team to play competitively every night and believes it will be a better group offensively than last year and once again he hopes to "hang his hat" on a defense that held teams to an average of 57.2 points per game, 19th best in the NJCAA.
"I think this is going to be a fun year and exciting for the fans to come out and watch a great group of young ladies. They are personable and fun to be around and bring a lot of energy," Pritchett said.
For complete schedules, rosters, photo galleries, statistics and more please visit the MCC Athletics Web Site at: https://mccookcc.prestosports.com/landing/index