Lancers boast plenty of solid talent this season

In previous years, a lack of numbers has made scrimmaging extremely difficult for the College of Lake County women's basketball team.

That won't be a problem this season.

With 16 players on the roster, coach Bill Braman enjoys the luxury of having three teams for scrimmages, plus one substitute.

In addition, the Lancers have more height than in previous years. That height will be unveiled at 1 p.m. Saturday when CLC plays host to Illinois Valley.

"We're normally scrambling for post players, and this year we have a large number," Braman said. "It's a unique situation."

And it's not as if Braman just has 16 players wearing a uniform.

"All of the kids are fairly solid," he said. "It's hard to pull one out and distinguish her over the others."

The Lancers are coming off an impressive 22-7 season. The returning players who saw significant minutes last year are Lauren Liles (Grant), Ye-Eun Jin (Vernon Hills) and Ally Yarc (Libertyville). Yarc (disc injury) hopes to return to the lineup sometime in December.

Liles and Jin have impressed Braman early on.

"They picked up right where they left off last year," he said.

This could be a breakout season for Jin. For the first time since suffering an ACL injury as a senior in high school, she will play without a knee brace.

"I can move and cut quicker and faster," said Jin, who played forward last year but could handle the ball quite a bit this season.

The addition of freshman Heather Ruetsche (Grant) gives the Lancers immediate stability at point guard.

"She'll have a big impact," Liles said. "She's fast and she'll get the ball down the floor."

Added Braman: "She was very successful at the high school level and has a good grasp of the game."

Freshmen Christine Gaborek (Antioch), Megan Wozniak (Warren) and Becca Mahar (Mundelein) should all make an impact down low.

Gaborek has done a lot of things right in each practice.

"You'll be hearing a lot from her," Braman said. "She reads the defense well inside and can also shoot fairly well from 15 to 18 feet."

Braman's bench options were limited last year because the team had eight players. This season, the Lancers hope they can use their depth to wear teams down deep in the second half.

"We have the numbers to pressure and play with more intensity," he said. "We can substitute much more frequently."

Not surprisingly, practices have been spirited, with everyone vying for playing time.

"I think our progress will start to move at a rapid rate," Braman said. "It won't be an overnight thing, but by Christmas time I think we0ll be well along to becoming a very good team."