Hopefully, it’s only a start for Axewomen basketball

It’s been a while since there was anything to cheer about with women’s basketball at Acadia University.

Prior to this past season, it had been at least 10 years since Acadia qualified for AUBC playoffs, other than as the host. In most of those seasons, the Axewomen were nowhere close to double figures in wins.

With all due respect to the last two coaches, Laura Sanders and Angie McLeod, the problem seemed to be a lack of success in bringing “impact” players to Wolfville. Acadia has had its share of decent players – including some surprises, like Horton grad Jennifer Bishop, actually a better university player – but there never seemed to be enough of them at the same time.

I admit to disappointment in McLeod, who should have been able to do a better job recruiting given her connections with Basketball Canada and the regional Centre of Excellence. She did bring in Becky Mutch, Brianne Ozimok and Emma Duinker - to name just a few Axewomen all back this fall.

When McLeod resigned following last season, Acadia could choose a coach who might be able to turn things around. In Bev Greenlaw, athletic director Brian Heaney made the best choice he could have.

Despite Greenlaw’s expertise and connections to high school girls’ basketball, particularly in Atlantic Canada, I honestly didn’t expect much for this coming season, given the relative lateness of his hiring.

But....

I was encouraged the rumour Alise Brown, the reigning AUBC scoring champion, would transfer to Acadia to study toward a B.Ed. degree – even if it did mean she would have to sit out a year; became reality last week. And, for good measure, Alise’s younger sister, Keisha, arguably the plum of this year’s Nova Scotia recruiting crop; will also call Wolfville home for the next four years.

The addition of Keisha to a lineup that already includes Duinker, the 2008 AUBC Rookie of the Year; Mutch, Ozimok and Sam Nuttall should make the 2008/ 2009 Axewomen, if not a contender for the conference title, at least significantly improved.

The real leap forward will occur next fall, when Alise, a proven scorer and team leader, is able to join the lineup.

That’s not even taking into account what other magic Greenlaw will be able to work between now and then, especially given next year’s Nova Scotia recruiting class could be one of the best ever.

Let’s start with Lindsay Harris, entering Grade 12 at Horton this fall. Harris, with three years of provincial experience, has primarily been a point guard (and one of the best in the province) at Horton; at almost 5’10” and a good shooter, one would think her capable of playing other positions equally well. Greenlaw was Harris’s coach at Horton, as well as last year with the provincial U-17 team. My bet is she wouldn’t mind having him as her university coach.

Then there’s Abbey Duinker, a former Horton student attending the National Elite Development Academy (NEDA) in Hamilton, Ont. Abbey is entering Grade 12 this fall – maybe at NEDA, maybe even back at Horton. At close to 6’3”, she is an on-court presence. She will likely end up staying in Canada for university, and I’m figuring the chance to play with her sister – and be coached again by Greenlaw – is a powerful draw.

I’m also hearing rumours Jasmine Parent, another of Greenlaw’s former Horton players, has left SMU, will play this winter at St. Thomas and then transfer to another AUS school. I’m thinking Acadia – and Greenlaw – might be her first choice?

That’s a pretty good nucleus - without even adding in Greenlaw may have an inside track on recruiting Justine Colley – the Keisha Brown of the 2009 graduating class.

I’m not normally one to deal in any great amount of speculation, but in this case, it’s hard to help it. All of the above scenarios are within the realm of possibility, given the connection of all these players to Coach Greenlaw. Even if only some of them come to pass, it’s likely to ramp up the excitement level surrounding Acadia women’s basketball to a level – well, to probably its highest level ever.