By, DACODA MCDOWELL-WAHPEKECHE, Sports Editor
Northwestern’s Lady Ranger basketball team started its season on New Year’s Day after sitting out for almost a year because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The Lady Rangers won the first three games of their season, making it the first time they’ve had a 3 – 0 record start since the 2004-2005 season. They lost their next three games, making them 3 – 3 on the year.
This is head coach Tasha Diesselhorst’s fifth season with the team. She said her team’s players try to improve day-by-day.
The Lady Rangers have several new members on the team this year. Only two players – Bailey Brown, a senior forward, and Mya Johnson, a redshirt junior center – have returned for the season.
“We are really young and inexperienced,” Diesselhorst said. “If any year you are going to have that, this is a good year to have that.”
Brown has been a Lady Ranger since she arrived as a freshman. Last season, she was named to the All-Great American Conference Second-Team.
Brown sat out two games because she tested positive for the coronavirus during winter break. She has played four games this year and leads the Lady Rangers with 15.25 points per game and 10 rebounds per game – the highest averages for both statistics on the team.
Brown took over the fifth spot on the all-time rebounding list for the Lady Rangers.
“To have a kid come into a program, buy into it, and stay for four years nowadays with the portal shows that really good things can happen,” Diesselhorst said.
Johnson returns to the court after sitting out for more than two years, Diesselhorst said. After recovering from injuries, she got to practice with the team last season.
“She’s using this year to get back into the swing of things,” Diesselhorst said. “She is one that you will see get better through the year because she will be getting back into basketball and realize what she can do. We are excited to see her growth.”
Players such as Lizzie Shepherd, Kaylee Jo Neeley and Josena Frame have done well for the Lady Rangers, Diesselhorst said.
“Lizzie is one we have high expectations for,” Diesselhorst said. “She was one that was kind of off to a slow start. She played a little timid in those first couple of games, but last night (Jan.14) she played with much more aggressiveness.”
Shepherd went into the fifth game of the year with 17 points on the year. She earned 12 points in the fifth game, which was against the Savage Storm of Southeastern Oklahoma State University.
Neeley had to wait for her season-opening game. She has produced 31 points in three games.
“Kaylee is one that will really develop and give us some more depth in the post,” Diesselhorst said.
Through this season, Frame, a freshman, has started every game and brings energy to the young team, Diesselhorst said.
“Jo is kind of a constant,” Diesselhorst said. “No matter what it is, she plays hard. She is going to do whatever you ask her to do.”
After waiting almost a year to play an actual game of basketball, the Lady Rangers are excited to get back on the court and play, Diesselhorst said.
The Lady Rangers play three games in a span of a week. They will travel to Shawnee on Thursday to play Oklahoma Baptist University and will head to Bethany on Saturday to play Southern Nazarene University. They will host Southwestern Oklahoma State University on Monday at Percefull Fieldhouse.
