Bobcat Basketball Opens Preseason Drills
9/26/2022 6:18:00 PM | Women's Basketball
For the 18th time, Montana State head coach Tricia Binford has a completely different perspective entering the preseason, which officially started on Monday for the Bobcats.
For the 18th time, Montana State head coach Tricia Binford has a completely different perspective entering the preseason, which officially started on Monday for the Bobcats.
"Each year you have a different feel heading into the new season," said Ellen Kreighbaum Women's Head Coach Tricia Binford. "This season, I feel the level of practices and the standard of practices will be elevated. This group has shown from the start that they have a very high aspiration and are willing to do what it takes to get there."
Binford returns ten players from last year's squad that went 22-13 overall, 14-6 in Big Sky play, won the league tournament and advanced to the program's third NCAA Tournament appearance.
Guiding the Bobcats will be all-conference performers Darian White and Kola Bad Bear.
White, a three-year starter was a unanimous First Team All-Big Sky pick last winter, in addition to being named the league's defensive player of the year and the MVP of the Big Sky tournament. The Boise native averaged 15.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 2.5 steals per game.
Bad Bear, a product of Billings Senior, was a Third Team All-Big Sky selection after averaging 10.9 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.2 steals per contest. At the league tournament, Bad Bear averaged 17 points, while shooting 61.3% from the field to garner all-tournament accolades.
"The responsibility of both Kola and Darian is to continue to elevate the standard of excellence and what that looks like on both ends," Binford stated. "We've also really complemented them with the other two captains in Grace (Beasley) and Leia (Beattie). All four bring different gifts to the table."
Beasley, a mid-year transfer from Washington, and Beattie, who was third on the team averaging 9.2 points per game, along with the rest of the squad welcome three freshmen to the program in Marah Dykstra, Mattie Olson, and Dylan Philip.
According to Binford, communication will be the key to the first weeks of practice as well as taking the next step in demanding a higher standard of play each time they step on the court.
"The first day has to be the next step of where we finished off last spring," Binford said. "We return from the game at Stanford where it was very clear of the next step for us of just not being happy with getting that experience, but what we're going to do to be a better basketball club."
The Bobcats will hold its annual Blue-Gold scrimmage on Oct. 27.
"Each year you have a different feel heading into the new season," said Ellen Kreighbaum Women's Head Coach Tricia Binford. "This season, I feel the level of practices and the standard of practices will be elevated. This group has shown from the start that they have a very high aspiration and are willing to do what it takes to get there."
Binford returns ten players from last year's squad that went 22-13 overall, 14-6 in Big Sky play, won the league tournament and advanced to the program's third NCAA Tournament appearance.
Guiding the Bobcats will be all-conference performers Darian White and Kola Bad Bear.
White, a three-year starter was a unanimous First Team All-Big Sky pick last winter, in addition to being named the league's defensive player of the year and the MVP of the Big Sky tournament. The Boise native averaged 15.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 2.5 steals per game.
Bad Bear, a product of Billings Senior, was a Third Team All-Big Sky selection after averaging 10.9 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.2 steals per contest. At the league tournament, Bad Bear averaged 17 points, while shooting 61.3% from the field to garner all-tournament accolades.
"The responsibility of both Kola and Darian is to continue to elevate the standard of excellence and what that looks like on both ends," Binford stated. "We've also really complemented them with the other two captains in Grace (Beasley) and Leia (Beattie). All four bring different gifts to the table."
Beasley, a mid-year transfer from Washington, and Beattie, who was third on the team averaging 9.2 points per game, along with the rest of the squad welcome three freshmen to the program in Marah Dykstra, Mattie Olson, and Dylan Philip.
According to Binford, communication will be the key to the first weeks of practice as well as taking the next step in demanding a higher standard of play each time they step on the court.
"The first day has to be the next step of where we finished off last spring," Binford said. "We return from the game at Stanford where it was very clear of the next step for us of just not being happy with getting that experience, but what we're going to do to be a better basketball club."
The Bobcats will hold its annual Blue-Gold scrimmage on Oct. 27.
Players Mentioned
F
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballWednesday, January 26
Saturday, December 18
Thursday, November 04
Tuesday, November 02
