Coach
looks forward with young team
By Alexis Kindig
On-line Forty-Niner
Despite
the fact that the 49ers are a young squad,
the Long Beach State women’s basketball
team is looking forward to a good season.
 According
to head coach Dallas Bolla, the 49ers’ biggest
obstacle this season is the youth of the
team.
Last year, the roster featured seven freshmen,
and this season there are six newcomers,
including both freshmen and transfers.
Bolla said she is glad that last year’s
freshmen are a year older and more experienced
now, but the newcomers are looking promising.
Sarah Stout, a redshirt freshman center,
is “doing well,” according to Bolla.
Bolla also calls Petra Glaser, a junior
center who is redshirting after transferring
from the University of Nevada at Las Vegas,
“very talented.” Michael Cooper, head coach
of the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks, recently
came to watch the 6-foot-6 Glaser at practice.
In addition, Bolla said that one of the
team’s advantages this season is good outside
shooting.
Jinga Gosschalk, a senior forward, is a
formidable three-point shooter. Last season,
she led the 49ers with 38 three-pointers,
the third most by a junior in LBSU history.
Lauren Bull, a junior forward, is also a
three-point shooting threat for opposing
perimeter defenses. Bull finished a close
second to Gosschalk last season with 32
three-pointers.
As for other players to watch this season,
Bolla said to keep an eye on Glory Johnson,
who transferred to The Beach last year from
Phoenix College in Arizona.
Last season, Johnson led the team and was
third in the Big West Conference with a
shooting percentage of .545 from the field.
She was also third on the team in rebounding,
grabbing 5.2 boards per game, and fourth
in scoring with about 10 points per game.
Bolla, who is now in her eighth season as
the 49ers’ head coach, expects more big
things from Johnson this season.
“I think Glory Johnson is gonna surprise
some people this year,” Bolla said.
The women’s team will face two particularly
formidable opponents this season — the University
of Florida on Dec. 1 and UC Santa Barbara
on Feb.1.
The 49ers will begin their season at The
Pyramid with an exhibition game against
Love and Basketball this Sunday at 2 p.m.
and will host the University of San Diego
on Nov. 23.
|
