Bethany women’s coach Brian Sansom planned to continue a steady string of improvement entering his fifth season last winter. But a car accident and a rash of injuries derailed those plans right quick.
What started in the preseason with promise ended with a disappointing 6-20 record, the team’s lowest win total since back-to-back seven-win seasons in 2012 and 2013.
The program is far removed from the dominant Bison teams at the turn of the century that won six PAC titles and made multiple NCAA tourney appearances.
It has three winning seasons in the last 16, the most recent a 17-12 mark in 2011-2012.
In early November, a car with four players in it was hit head-on by a drunk driver. All survived but recovery time was necessary. That was just the start to the season’s myriad of problems.
“It was a combination of things,” Sansom said. “We had three point guards go down, multiple injuries and then the accident right before the start of the season.
“No one was seriously hurt, but a lot of things didn’t go our way and we could never get out of the rut.”
Need a telling statistic? Junior Allison Kuhn finished second in the PAC with 37 minutes played per game. She did so while playing point. Not only was she out of position, but she also wasn’t coming off the floor.
“Allison is a shooter, but we needed someone with experience at the college level that could handle the ball and she got thrown into the fire,” Sansom said. “She did a good job at.”
Kuhn, a Monroe Central product entering her final season, averaged 8.8 points, good for second on the team. Cameron duo Courtney Walker (12.4) and Kelsie Meintel (8.4) were first and third, respectively.
Time to Shake Things Up
Sansom had the program on the right path before last season and he made moves this offseason to return to form.
Bethany had nary a senior in 2019-20 and will lose only one player who is stepping away for medical reasons. The remaining 14 players all return.
Sansom is throwing a nine-player strong recruiting class into that mix. There will be an open competition for spots and playing time come preseason practice.
He already put his returners on notice that a replication of last season isn’t acceptable.
“We needed to make some changes,” Sansom said. “It told them that you can’t expect to be the same player and still roll out on the floor. There will be competition in practice and a lot of open spots for people to take advantage of.
“It’s about who’s being consistent, and who’s playing well. There won’t be a lot of set lineups. It’s going to be a challenge, but it’s a great challenge for a coach to have.”
Competition is good, but nine additional players? Redshirts will be aplenty, but Sansom noted the incoming young ladies are ready to accept that challenge. In fact, they seem excited by it.
“You never know with freshman because it’s a big change going from high school to college, but I believe we have a few who can step in and have an immediate impact,” Sansom said. “It’s going to be fun. The practices will be competitive and it’s going to help us get better.”
The Bison figure to play a more up-tempo style of play and have brought players in who fit that plan. Bethany needs to improve upon its 53.8 ppg average, along with finishing eighth in the conference in rebounds and assists and nineth in steals and 3-pointers made.
The Scorer
Every class has that one player who figures to make an immediate impact. For Bethany in 20-21, that is likely Charleroi product Bella Skobel.
Standing 5-foot-7, Skobel is long, lean and has a big wingspan. She used her quickness and ability to shoot both from the perimeter and get to the basket to finish with 19 points per game as a senior.
That effort put her in the Top 15 in scoring in the entire WPIAL. She also utilizes her range and quickness to force turnovers and should be a fixture in the Bison’s press.
“Playing at a small school, she was a little underrated, which was good for us,” Sansom said. “She’s a pure scorer and can do so in a number of different ways and she’ll be able to help us in the front our press.”
Bethany is also two full seasons removed from having a scorer capable of dropping 20 a night if need be, as Kelsea Daugherty (18.8) did in 2017-18. No Bison player has averaged higher than 14 per game since.
“I think so. I think she’s capable of scoring 15-20 per night,” Sansom said. “We’ve always been a defensive-minded team since I’ve been here and her ability to score can help us flip that a bit.”
The Point Guards
Kuhn needn’t worry about running the offense this season. Sansom made sure to bring in a couple talented point-guard recruits to alleviate that pressure.
First up is 5-6 all-Ohio special mention Makenzee Mason from Bloom Carroll. A true floor general, Mason is a top-notch defender, capable scorer and, as Sansom described her, a “run through the wall” type of player.
First team all-Ohio in soccer, Mason also used her athleticism to get to the free-throw line. She finished with more than 1,000 points for her career, with a third of that total coming at the stripe.
“She can go off and score if need be and in different ways. She’s crafty,” Sansom said. “But we’re looking for floor leadership from her off the get-go. We usually run with one or two point guards depending on the flow of the game and we expect her to take one of those. She’s one of the hardest workers I’ve ever recruited.”
She’s joined by 5-3 OVAC product Molly Grayson from Warren Local. Another all-Ohio honorable mention honoree, Grayson is a true point guard who’s constantly looking to get her teammates involved.
“She used her speed to push the ball and comes from a great program at Warren,” Sansom said. “We expect her to be able to come in, share some time with Mackenzie. She’s the same type with speed and able to get up and down the floor fast. We’re excited.”
The Bombers
Bethany shot just 29 percent from 3-point range last season, hitting a conference-low 140. Sansom knows that’s not going to cut mustard.
He went and found two 3-point specialists and another all-around scorer who can easily dial in from the perimeter.
Western Reserve’s Alyssa Serensky averaged 12.8 points as a senior and was honorable mention All-Ohio in Division IV. She hit six triples in a game and consistently was good for two to three per night.
“Alyssa can really shoot the three and comes from a good high school program and AAU program,” Sansom said. “We’re looking for her to come in and shoot a lot of 3s.”
From the opposite side comes left-handed bomber Nikki Bradbury, also of Bloom Carroll. Bradbury is a capable defender, but she’s been brought onboard for her ability to knock down shots from behind the arc.
Mason was Sansom’s first recruit of the class and in talking with her about the need for perimeter scoring, the BC point guard was quick to bring up her teammate.
“She said (Bradbury) is probably the best shooter I’ve played with, and she’s played with a lot of good AAU players,” Sansom said. “We watched her and felt it was a no brainer. Plus, they’ve been teammates for so long, you can’t teach that type of court chemistry.”
East Canton guard Abby Reichard is a dependable 3-point presence, but her best attribute is finding ways to get to the basket. An accomplished cross-country runner, Reichard speed and conditioning will make the transition to Bethany’s style of player easier.
“She’s developed a nice floater in the lane too,” Sansom added. “You don’t see that a lot because it’s not a high percentage shot, but she’s spent a lot of time on it and it’s high percentage for her.”
All-Around Solid
Rounding out the class is a trio of versatile players, including the group’s tallest.
Taylor Allderdice’s Nautica Burwell’s 5-9 frame and athleticism make her a danger at the small forward position and that quickness allows her to beat taller, slower players to the basket.
Not a back-to-the basket offensive player, Burwell is able to defend much larger post players and should help Bethany finish better than eighth in the PAC in rebounding.
“She’s a different style of post that we really haven’t had,” Sansom said. “She brings a different type of speed and quickness, but she can pull up and shoot a little bit too.”
Juniata Valley’s Lexie Reed will be the second member of her family to play in the northern panhandle as her sister Sydney transferred in down the road at West Liberty.
Lexie Reed is a quality defender and all-around solid player offensively.
“She’s not flashy but is very fundamentally sound and has a high basketball IQ. She’s a coach’s kid,” Sansom said. “She’s more of a two-guard but can handle it if need be.”
Finally comes the second OVAC production the bunch in Magnolia’s Lara Ann Smith.
Sansom feels Smith’s talents may have been overshadowed by her taller Blue Eagles’ teammates in Kyndra Pilant and Maddie Winters. All the better for the Bison.
“She’s a great overall player from a good program and is a good shooter,” Sansom said. “She has a bit of an outside game as well. With (Pilant and Winters), there’s only so many points you can score in a game, so Lara has a great upside.”
