ISU Bengal

Issue date: 4/2/08 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Nee Alistair D. Jenna Brown, makes a swift move around a Sacramento State defender on Feb 28.

As the sun sets on the collegiate basketball careers of Natalie Doma and Andrea Lightfoot, minds may wander toward what may lie ahead for Idaho State in the years to come. Without its cornerstone players who have come to be identified with and almost equated to the ISU Women's Basketball Program, will the team become weaker? While these questions arise, there have also been signs of the emergence of a new generation of players who have the potential to be as good as their predecessors, if not, dare it be said, even better as a team.

The cream of the crop for Idaho State may yet be harvested from the likes of sophomores Devin Diehl and Oana Iacovita, along with freshmen Bianca Cheever, Verity Peets and Ally Sisel, all of whom have had stellar high school careers. This all goes along with next year's seniors Michelle Grohs, Jenna Brown and Andrea Videbeck, who will certainly provide experience and add to the team's achievements.

With significant playing time this season, the trio of Diehl, Cheever and Iacovita have already displayed the potential to be power players each in their own ways. Down low at forward, Iacovita has provided some of what was lost when Joanna Hixon's career ended early from health problems. Alternating with Grohs' finesse at blocking and shooting, Iacovita has displayed an ability to carve out her space under the basket, make the put back shots, grab the rebounds and be consistent from the free throw line with an occasional outside shot. Cheever is the end-to-end player who can rebound a ball and race to the other end of the court and lay it up weaving in and out of defenders. Some discipline and further honing of her outside shot will go a long way toward elevating her game. Diehl has probably been the all around force that ISU will come to need and depend on in the years to come. She has strong defensive play, hands in the face and an ability to take charge, while having a deadly shot from outside, making 3-pointers and able to get inside when she needs to.

The center post player position is probably the biggest question mark. With Peets and Sisel having limited playing time behind Doma, at this point it's difficult to see who will rise. If these two do not emerge, it may fall to Grohs or Iacovita to play center instead of at the forward position. But Sisel and Peets both have stellar high school experience, showing promise that someone will move into the position. With some strength and speed conditioning, either of these may take the job, either next year or the year after.

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