Photo Courtesy of SC Athletics
By Julio Rodriguez
They won.
For the first time since February 2023, the Southwestern College women’s basketball team won a game.
Then they won two more.
Stocked with 13 legit college basketball players, Lady Jaguars are 3-3 following a 76-59 win against College of the Desert, 76-59. Led by dominant center Naomie Munane, the team looks to keep the momentum strong to win more games.
One season removed from the winless 2023-24 season which featured the gallant women’s soccer team holding the program together, coach Tyrone Shelley said his first goal was to win one game.
It took a little while. Southwestern came out of the gate 0-3 after tough losses against Copper Mountain, Cerro Coso and Reedley.
“Not to make any excuses, but we didn’t get enough games under our belts in the preseason,” Shelley said. “The first three games were the 13 (women) showing up and getting to know each other.”
The Cerro Coso and Reedley games were tough. Southwestern made the eight-hour round trip to Ridgecrest with only seven active players. They lost, 101-47. Reedley was another loss, but there were signs of improvement. The starting five of Lizama, Denley, Ramos, Tufaga and Mundane all played more than 30 minutes and scored well, but playing seven versus 11 is unsustainable. They lost 84-64.
Then victory.
Then victories.
Three of them.
Southwestern knocked off Palo Verde, Allan Hancock and College of the Desert back to back to back. Normalcy had returned.
College of the Desert did not recognize the 2024-25 incarnation of the Lady Jags. Tall, powerful athletes replaced the petite athletes from last year’s soccer team. Munane was a beast down low, always ready to receive the entry passes, finding gaps behind the defense and using her size to bully opponents in the paint. She scored 31 and nabbed 27 boards as the Jaguar won in a 76-59 blowout.
In the middle of Shelley’s post-game briefing, Kaileih Denley snuck up from behind with a bucket of ice cold water.
“Here you go coach!” hollered Denley said as she drenched her gasping coach.
It was a welcome baptism into a new world of possibilities.
