By Kevin Libby
LowcoSports.com
This year’s USCB women’s basketball team is frisky.
The shadows of an injury-torn campaign last season have broken, and the heroes who rose from those shadows have been joined by a complimentary cast.
Following a strong showing in a scrimmage against Claflin last Saturday at the Cove, the Sand Sharks are developing their identity.
A talented Claflin team featured local legend Tacoya Heyward, a former Bluffton Bobcat star back from injury and still finding her shot in the pre-season. The Panthers’ perimeter shooting was effective against the Sand Sharks’ defense early, but Coach Sharon Versyp’s adjustments demonstrated her winning mentality, even during a scrimmage.
But we already knew who was coming back. This sneak peek was all about the new arrivals, specifically Samantha Bardonaro, whose sweet outside shot shows shades of Sheridan Bostic. The junior transfer from USC Aiken has Ohio roots and should make an immediate impact.
Two true freshmen appear poised to play themselves into the rotation. Izellah “Z” Kendrick, starting in place of an injury-restricted Brianna Pelote, stepped into her role like Malcolm Jamal Warner inhabited Theo Huxtable. She was learning right in front of us, economically securing rebounds and possession like Theo learned to budget. Reminiscent of “The English Rose,” Shaniya Rose, last season, Z’s performance had outsized impact.
Lowco product Courtney Campbell played with some of the same spark Brielle Bartelt brought to The Cove for the past two seasons. Her willingness to step in front of a train on defense was as impressive as her ability to slow down and run the offense. Doing so in the preseason as a true freshman stinks of a gym rat. Campbell’s ability to feed her team makes her poised to be a huge part of what makes this team so watchable. Soup’s on and there’s no sign of a Ratatouille situation under her weave.
“Catwoman” Lydia Gatozzi is back, and this movie is her franchise. Janiyah Heyward is more Junkyard Dog than ever. Men’s star Hudson Norton wore a Dennis Rodman t-shirt on Saturday, and it could have passed for an homage to the bullish junior from Savannah. “Jigsaw” Taniyah Bowman still slices defenses like a quality butcher.
A cat, a worm and a butcher walk into a season. Come dive into it at The Cove. The water’s fine.
Kevin Libby is a LowcoSports contributor and a high school basketball broadcaster for WHHI-TV.