The University of Maine-Machias women’s basketball program is in transition.
Coach John Duncan is trying to establish some stability after taking over the Clippers prior to last season.
Despite considerable turnover — UMM lost seven players since last winter — the Clippers appear to be making progress as they prepare for their Sunrise Conference schedule.
Behind a revamped lineup that includes players from 10 different states and one foreign country, UMaine-Machias is off to a strong 6-4 start heading into the holiday break.
“Certainly I feel like we’ve turned the corner and are headed in the right direction,” said Duncan, a Virginia native who was a longtime girls high school coach in his home state and who also has collegiate coaching experience.
“I had been out of coaching for a few years as far as coaching women’s basketball, but I was fortunate enough to be offered this opportunity,” said Duncan, who serves as UMM’s volleyball coach.
Duncan described UMM women’s basketball as, “the ultimate rebuilding process.” Last season, the Clippers posted a 4-22 record, including a 1-11 Sunrise mark.
“We struggled at times to have a [competitive] team on the court,” Duncan admitted. “We had a lot of kids that helped us out who weren’t recruited specifically to play basketball.”
However, Duncan hit the recruiting trail and used his network of contacts to find a new group of players around which to build. He brought in six players to complement a nucleus of five veterans.
Sabree Rodriguez, a freshman forward from Brockton, Mass., is among the newcomers who have made an immediate impact. She is averaging a team-high 20 points, 10.9 rebounds and 2.7 steals.
Jamyriah McPherson, a freshman forward from Bradenton, Fla., also fits in nicely with Duncan’s system. She is averaging 11.4 points and 4.1 rebounds.
“I was able to reach out and find some players that wanted an opportunity and didn’t mind the geography of coming to Maine,” Duncan said.
Sophomore guard Kayla Wood of Machiasport and Washington Academy is one of three Mainers on the team. She is averaging 7.7 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists for the Clippers, who also have relied heavily on junior forward Janyne Pringle (4.1 ppg, 5.9 rpg) of Brandon, Vt., and freshman guard Liron Albag (3.7 ppg, 2.5 rpg) of Nordia, Israel.
Sophomore guard Carilla Fritz, a former Washington Academy standout, has provided 4.6 ppg coming off the bench, while freshman Elisa Boyd (4.0 ppg) of Anniston, Ala., has been a key contributor.
Other team members include junior Ashley Johnson of Dallas, Texas, freshman Alex Latimer of Cayce, S.C., sophomore Amber Frey of Airville, Pa., and junior Erin Hughes of Canterbury, Conn.
Duncan said the Clippers don’t have much height and thus try to take advantage of their overall speed by playing a quicker tempo and applying some full-court pressure.
The Clippers’ roster includes eight freshmen and three sophomores among 15 players, including three redshirts. They have four juniors and no seniors.
“They’re gaining experience along the way,” said Duncan, who hopes UMM can build a solid fan base in Washington County. “The level of enthusiasm and excitement these kids play with certainly demands a little attention.”
UMM opens its second semester with four games in four days against Canadian opponents starting Jan. 4, followed by its Sunrise Conference opener Jan. 13 at Fisher.
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