WC Basketball Preview:  McKinley gears up for double duty in 2011-12

It's been a couple of decades since Bob McKinley coached both women's and men's basketball at Weatherford College in the same season. He will do it again in 2011-12 – and McKinley has high hopes for both teams in the coming season.

McKinley, who has coached the Lady Coyotes to much success over three-plus decades, assumed the role of Coyotes coach after Dave Donnelly left following last season.

“It'll be a full day,” McKinley said with a laugh. “But I have always welcomed a challenge.”


COYOTES PREVIEW

 Last season one word best described the Weatherford College Coyotes – inconsistent.

 One game they looked like one of the top teams in the North Texas Junior College Athletic Conference. The next game they'd be on the losing end against the likes of Ranger and Southwestern Christian.

“I don't think we were mentally ready to play all the time,” said McKinley. “I can see a difference this year already and we haven't even played our first game. We're going to try several different things this year and see what works. We're not going to worry about wins and losses until conference – when they count.”

The Coyotes, despite their inconsistencies, were very much in contention for a berth in the NJCAA Region V Tournament. They missed, however, when they lost their final five games of the season to finish 13-14 overall and 4-10 in conference.

 The Coyotes return two starters. Sophomore guard Chris Anderson, 6-6, averaged 13 points. Also, 6-2 sophomore guard Ognjen Zoric averaged eight points.“Chris is five times the player he was last year, and he was pretty good,” said McKinley. “He's lost 20 pounds. The way, shape and condition he came back in, he's the kind of guy you can build a team around. He can go inside, outside.

“Zoric's got tremendous size, speed, quickness and lots of versatility.”

In fact, McKinley is very excited about the Coyotes' outside game in the coming season. “Our guards are going to be as good as anybody,” he said. “We've got speed and quickness, and we haven't had that in years.”

McKinley also noted that he is expecting good things from 6-3 sophomore guard Kervens Calixte, from Kissimmee, Fla. by way of Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College; 6-5 sophomore guard Elliot Dean of Mansfield, a transfer from Lon Morris Junior College; 6-5 sophomore forward Matt Qualls of Tahlequah, Okla., a transfer from Central Oklahoma University; 5-10 freshman guard Chris Whitehead, from New Albany, Ind.; 5-9 freshman guard Marcus Willis, from Arlington; and 6-2 freshman guard William Phillips, from Saint Jo, Texas.

The other returning player is 6-11 forward Mladen Loncarevic. “In practice, he's made major strides,” McKinley said. “If he can continue like that, he could make a major difference on the team.”  McKinley said the inside game is more of an experiment at the moment, but he's confident it will mesh with their outside attack. “We may run a lot of people in and out of the post,” he said. “We're probably going to pressure a lot too. We have real aggressive guards.”

Others who could make a big impression inside are 6-10 freshman post Felipe Santos, from Brazil; and 6-8 freshman post Eric Stubbs, from Kansas City, Mo. “All of our big guys can flat run,” McKinley said. “And Eric can block some shots.

“They are all very athletic. I think we've got a chance for a really good team. By the time we get to conference, these guys are going to be ready to do some really good things.”

McKinley said the site of this season's Region V Tournament is also added incentive. “The regional tournament is in Fort Worth,” he said. “I don't want to be sitting here in Weatherford.”


LADY COYOTES PREVIEW

After missing the regional tournament for the first time in three decades, the Weatherford College Lady Coyotes and coach Bob McKinley returned last season, losing in the first round. WC finished 15-14 overall and 9-7 in conference. “It was good to get back, but we want more,” McKinley said.

With two returning starters and some solid bench experience – along with some new players who have caught his attention – McKinley likes his team's prospects for the coming season. And, with Grayson, which advanced to the national tournament last season, having dropped its program, the race for first place in the North Texas Junior College Athletic Conference is more wide open than it's been in years.

“I feel like the conference race is going to be quite a battle,” said McKinley. “And I feel like we've made moves to seriously challenge.”

Returning starters are 6-2 sophomore guard / forward Gintare Mazionyte, or “Gigi” for short, and 6-1 sophomore post Ryan Green. Mazionyte averaged 17 points and nine rebounds, while Green was good for 15 points and seven boards.

Mazionyte was considered one of the more dominant players in the conference a season ago, and McKinley said she's only gotten better. “She can play anywhere she wants,” he said. “She's going to have to do the same or better for us to be really good, but that's something I'm confident she will do. And for her to be better may not necessarily be stats. Just her value to the team and experience makes all the difference in the world.”

Mazionyte spent the summer playing with her national team from Serbia in the World University Games and European Championships. “Just her presence counts a lot,” said McKinley. “She's six-foot-two, can handle the ball, has all the intangibles. And her experience playing on that national team will only make her better – a scary thought.”

Green was all set to transfer to Southern Mississippi after her freshman season at WC, but decided to return. “That was a nice surprise,” said McKinley. “We're very glad to have her back.”

Bench players from last season who could make an impact are 5-10 sophomore guard Elina Piterniece, 5-6 sophomore guard Jaryn Koenig, and 6-0 sophomore post Jamie Heflin. “The effort and energy they put in gives us a lot of intensity and helped pick us up a lot,” said McKinley. As for newcomers, McKinley said the main focus was to correct the lack of outside effectiveness last season. “We went mainly for perimeter players. We felt like that's been hurting us,” he said.

 The list of newcomers include 6-1 freshman forward Cleyder Blanco, from Venezuela; 5-7 freshman guard Desiree King, from Levelland; 5-5 sophomore guard Lydia Ross, from Dallas and a transfer from Southern University who led her team in steals; 5-8 freshman guard Destiny Price, from Fort Worth Dunbar; 5-11 freshman guard/forward Katelyn Threats, from Everman; 6-0 freshman forward/post JohVanna Darrington, from Oklahoma City; and 5-8 sophomore guard Hannah Christian from Aledo, a transfer from TCU.

“She just wanted a chance to get over here and play again,” said McKinley. “I think we fixed our outside game, and our defense got quite a bit better,” said McKinley. “I think this is going to be a fun season. I'm excited.”

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by Rick Mauch