Harper suspends women’s basketball season

A day after the Harper College administration decided to discontinue the school’s football program, the athletic department decided to put the brakes on the women’s basketball season.

“The timing is not good,” said Harper athletic director Doug Spiwak. “It’s been my goal to build up the women’s program.”

“It’s a horrible feeling,” said coach Nicole Jones of stopping the season in the middle of the conference slate.

Sophomore guard Mitshi Ishioka also feels the pain of the lost season.

“I feel angry and hurt from a player’s point of view,” she said. “I can’t blame (Spiwak) for making the decision.”

Due to injuries and transfers after the Christmas break, the team’s roster had been reduced to only three active, healthy players.

“It’s a decision that needed to be made,” Jones said.

The 0-9 Hawks where scheduled to make their North Central Community College Conference home debut on Wednesday against Joliet Junior College.

“It’s tough to sit there and watch these girls go through (a tough season),” Jones said. “The numbers are just not there.”

The Hawks were scheduled to practice Tuesday afternoon when they got word of the decision.

“I dont want to experience this again,” Jones said. “The effort that they put in, I have no argument with. I couldn’t have asked them to do any more than what they were doing under those circumstances.”

“The women who came out for the team played their hearts out,” Spiwak said. “I feel confident we will have an outstanding team (in the future). I would encourage any high school basketball players to consider Harper next year.”

Ishioka plans to appeal to the NJCAA for a redshirt based on the way the season abruptly ended.