BASKETBALL: Escue hungry to help Lady Chaps in return to court

Escue is back this season and is as hungry as ever before to help the Lady Chaps have a successful season, which begins at 4 p.m. today with a game against Salt Lake Community College at Odessa College. She is one of seven sophomores on this year's squad and she will bring not only experience but size to the front court.

"I'm really excited," she said. "I didn't get to play last year and I'm finally getting my year back. I also think we also have a really good team this year. There's a lot of talent, there are a lot of returners, so I think that we're going to be strong.

"It was not the best sitting out last year. I still practiced a lot last year but I didn't get to play. I'm really motivated. I think I have a lot of ground to make up. I feel like I have a lot of things I need to work on."

Escue said the toughest part of getting back into the full swing of things was getting used to doing a lot of running again.

"The speed of the game is tough," she said. "It's different when you're in practice and in a scrimmage, but when you're in a game, it's much different. Being able to just run, it's like OK, I've got to get back into shape."

MC coach Ron Jones said he's liked what he's seen so far from Escue.

"I think she's glad to be playing again and I think she's starting to have fun again," Jones said. "Makayla is going to have a real solid year and I'm glad we've got her back on the floor.

"I think she's more comfortable with what she's doing and I think she understands things really well. I think she's got a good combination of an inside and outside game that's becoming more common in the game now. There's less and less of a pure post. The kids we're getting now is more of a stretch-four type of player who can score inside and outside, and that's what she brings."

Because she's been around the program for three years, Escue has had to step into more of a leadership role this year. She said she's worked on the mental part of the game to help her become more of an effective leader.

"I think because this is my third year, a lot of the girls look up to me," she said. "I know they hold me to a different standard, so I think being able to stand up for them is going to be important. I think I've always had coaches hold me to a higher standard to where I'm kind of in a leadership role. But I think actually now, having to step up being in my third year and being the oldest one here, to actually do it, I've had to grow into it."

That leadership and experience will be key especially early as the Lady Chaps are battling through some injuries and will have to navigate through their usual tough non-conference schedule, which includes games against No. 11 Trinity Valley Community College, No. 18 Hill College and No. 15 Weatherford College on three straight nights at Chaparral Center later this month.

"I think we're really talented and I think we're all working hard," she said. "We have to deal with what we have. We only have eight players right now, so having to deal with adversity is something we're going to have to do, but I think we're going to have a really good season."

LADY CHAPS AT A GLANCE

Head coach: Ron Jones, 28^th season (664-197, 698-224 in 29 seasons overall)

Spring 2021 record: 13-4 overall, 12-3 (second) in Western Junior College Athletic Conference

Postseason: 1-1 in WJCAC Tournament

Key players lost: All-WJCAC G Nya Lok, F-P Michaela Kucera

Key players returning: All-WJCAC F Dana Thompson, F/C Makayla Escue, G/F Bella Green, G Brooke Galvin, G Kim Schrama, G Teanna Hudgins, G/F Frida Schmidt

Key newcomers:  G Marin Lenz, G Nikki Sainsbury, P Daria Douglas

Coach's Quote: "The fact that we have seven players that have played before for me is going to be an asset because they understand what we're trying to do. We've got some kids back that have been in the battle a little bit."

Notes: The Lady Chaps only have eight available players going into the season because of injuries. Jones said because of those injuries, depth will be a concern early and the progress will be behind of where it should be at this time of year. … Jones added that because of the experience returning, he doesn't believe the team will take as long to come together, especially in the second semester when the team is in the thick of the WJCAC schedule.

2021-22 Midland College women's basketball roster

No.         Name    Pos.       Class.    Ht.          Hometown

0              Daria Douglas    P             Fr.           6-2          Falls Church, Va.

1              Marin Lenz          G             Fr.           5-6          Chilliwack, B.C., Canada

2              Teanna Huggins G             So.          5-6          San Antonio

3              Dee Pinnick         G             So.          5-8          Landover, Md.

4              Makayla Escue  F/C         So.          6-2          Levelland

5              Kim Schrama      F              Fr.           5-8          Leiderdorp, The Netherlands

10           Mya Pierfax        G             Fr.           5-8          Lake Elsinore, Calif.

21           Dana Thompson               F              So.          6-2          Miami

22           Nikki Sainsbury G             Fr.           5-9          Sydney, Australia

23           Bella Green        G/F        6-0          Perth, Australia

23           Frida Schmidt     G/F        So.          6-0          Wuppertal, Germany

33           Brooke Galvin    G             So.          5-4          Tuscola

Head Coach: Ron Jones

Assistant coach: Joshua Smith