By Jeremy McDonald

jeremymcdonald73@gmail.com

SALEM, Ore.– Bracing for the Cascade Collegiate Conference, the Corban University Women’s Basketball team have prepared for the challenge with a difficult preseason schedule.

They faced Lewis and Clark State of Idaho from Idaho and Lewis and Clark of Oregon and William Jessup of California.  They faced a top contender in the NCAA Division-III level with George Fox.

The Warriors swept both games versus Simpson, and defeated former NAIA and CCC-Opposition Concordia University.

They are now entering the CCC at 4-4, but they could’ve gone 6-2 said Corban’s Dave Bale.

“I tried to challenge us,” described Bale on the preseason in preparation for the CCC.  “We could be 6-2 had we scored the ball decently I the fourth quarter against both William Jessup and Montana-Western.”

“That’s how the ball bounces sometimes.  But every coaches says that.”

Senior guard Jade Lowery added that it they didn’t expect to go out to win every game, but to improve overall.

“This is entirely new team and having to build each other (up),” she said.  “Getting to know each other on the floor so when we get onto the floor into conference we’re going to be more prepared.”

Another takeaway that the Warriors are taking away from the preseason is the chance of giving young players an opportunity to gain valuable time with the recently stroke of injuries.

“The preseason has been good because we have gotten a lot of young players and people who we’re weren’t looking to play a lot of minutes this year,” said Bale.  “So hopefully they’ll be ready for conference.”

Bale added that they’ve picked up a few players from other sports; softball, volleyball and soccer, to help fill the spots left by injuries.

Lowery said from a players perspective that there’s obvious concern that their teammates won’t be there on a day-to-day basis; but they got to focus with what they have.  That injuries are a part of sports.

“Of course we were worried at first but right now we’re trying to stay focus on what our goal is, winning games and being successful in conference,” she said.  “We got to go head strong and preparing as much as we can with the bodies that we have.”

Co-Captain Sadie s added that the team should be fine behind fundamentals, defenses and what their coaches are giving them.

“We just have to focus on fundamentals and go back to defenses where we’re playing together,” said Pilgeram.  “Rely on the coaches are giving us.”

Lowery said that their defensive goals, holding teams to 20-30 percent shooting and winning the rebounding game will set them apart in league play.

“If we can do those things against SOU and OITs and hold them to one shot we’ll going to give us a better shot to winning those games,” she said.  “Especially with the defensive end, we are shorter and smaller than most teams.

“So that’s really big for us and making sure that we defensively strong in this conference.”

With the team traveling to Southern Oregon University in Ashland this weekend, the team knows that they got each other’s backs behind their work ethic

“When you’re out on the floor, just putting everything into it,” said Pilgeram. “When we come out supporting your teammates while you’re on the bench.

“Just the overall family aspect of the team.”

PHOTO GALLERY (PICTURES BY JEREMY MCDONALD)

Jeremy McDonald is a professional sports journalist in the Salem/Portland area and is a member of the Society of Professional Journalist in Oregon with B.S. degrees from Southern Oregon University in Journalism (2011) and Health/PE (2013).  Got a story idea? Email him at jeremymcdonald73@gmail.com or on Twitter at @J_McDonald81!

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