Women’s basketball season at Jones has reached tip-off and it’s shaping up to be a good one. Sitting at 7-1, the Bobcats have shown early flashes of what this era could become. With promising freshmen, seasoned veterans and a talented coaching staff, this squad is looking to be very dominant and successful this year. With new leadership and a renewed mindset, the Bobcats are destined to write a different story this season.
The Bobcats are entering a true Rebirth Era, fueled by a new coaching staff and a number of key roster additions. After an 8-18 finish last season, the program made a major shift, bringing in an entirely new staff led by head Coach Trista Whitman. Whitman is highly respected in basketball circles, having competed at the Division 1 level. Joining her are two rising coaching talents, assistants Jackson Delk and Griffin Cheatham, who add fresh energy and personality to the program. Whitman and her coaching staff’s theme is toughness and competitiveness so from game-like scrimmages to team shooting games, these women are reminded every day to play like each possession is their last. With new leadership and a renewed mindset, the Bobcats are destined to write a different story this season.
“The biggest thing that we emphasize is being the toughest team that everyone on our schedule will play,” said Coach Delk, “We want people to walk away from playing us and say ‘Man, Jones Women’s Basketball plays hard.’ I think that we have done a really good job of instilling that identity in them up until this point. Coach Whittman’s competitive fire has really rubbed off on the girls and you can see that in how hard they compete not just in games, but in practice every day. The group that we have has a lot of natural competitors inside of it. We have a group that loves to get after it and we’re going to make some noise this year.”
Despite the changes, the Bobcats return a strong core of six sophomores and four new transfer sophomores to the roster. Leading the way are Zharia Leflore and Larissa Hubbard. Leflore, a dynamic sophomore guard, enters the season with high expectations after averaging a team-best 12.9 points per game last year. Hubbard, a versatile wing who has received multiple Division 1 offers, including Jackson State, Nicholls State and Cal State Fullerton, is also poised for an expanded role after posting 9.2 points and 6.1 rebounds per game last season. Together Leflore and Hubbard bring experience, production , and leadership to a Lady Bobcats squad eager to take a major step forward.
“There’s always going to be pressure when stepping into a big role, but it isn’t anything that I have not been preparing for mentally and physically,” said Hubbard, “Having teammates like mine who are willing to put in the effort and sacrifices motivate me to be the best version of myself every time I am on the floor. We have a great team and a dynamic year ahead of us, being a key role is an honor I won’t be taking lightly.”
This new chapter was seen in early flashes in their latest win 58-49 win over Baton Rouge. Although Jones didn’t start the night smoothly, they were able to rally together to come away with the win. The first quarter saw the Bobcats shooting just 2-13 from the field, falling under an early deficit. Despite these struggles Jones never folded, instead they leaned on their toughness, forcing 26 turnovers and winning the rebound battle 40-27. Sophomore forward Lamarah Cleaves took over completely, posting a career high 24 points and pushing a 4th quarter run that eventually led the Bobcats to a win. This wasn’t just a win, this was a statement victory displaying the Bobcats gritty, resilient identity while also introducing a true culture shift.
This talented program aims to make a statement in the junior college world and if this early success is any indication, then they’re well on their way. Although they have so many new faces, the Bobcats may be a dark horse contender that should encounter much success this season and under Coach Whitman, this success should be replicated for many years to come.
“Being viewed as the underdogs just adds fuel to our fire,” said sophomore guard Teeale Wells, “We know people might doubt us, but that only pushes us to go harder every single day. We take pride in being underestimated because it gives us a chance to surprise people and show what we’re really capable of.
Next home game: December 8th
by Nathan Gavin
