Sinclair Tartan Pride coach Jeff Price and Lady Pride coach Jeff Dillon both made good on preseason predictions that this year’s basketball teams would be better than lasts.
The Tartan Pride finished with a 22-10 record, a three game improvement over last year’s squad, while the Lady Pride finished the season with a 19-10 record, which was nine games better than last season.
Men’s basketball
Nationally ranked in the coach’s poll for three weeks, the Tartan Pride began the season 14-1 before coming back down to Earth during conference play, going 7-7 in the OCCAC.
The Tartan Pride were seeded fifth in the OCCAC tournament, where they defeated Owens Community College 67-64, before losing 89-55 to No. 1 seed Cincinnati State Technical and Community College in the second round.
Looking back, Price said his season highlights were the community service projects his team took part in such as volunteering at the Muscular Dystrophy Association telethon, as well as how his team came together and grew as individuals.
“College coaches are not reinventing the wheel,” Price said. “As coaches we try to work on chemistry and continuity. The special challenge with this year’s team was we only had two players back from last year.”
Those two players were forward British Alexander, who only played a handful of games last year before being medically red-shirted with an injured back, and guard Kevin Vest. Price said two players on the team – guard Damon Dillard and forward Maurice Mendoza – never played high school basketball.
“This season taught me probably just to be a little bit more patient,” Price said. “Our whole group spent the entire year getting to know each other on the court and off.”
Alexander led the Tartan Pride in scoring at 13.7 points per game and rebounding at 8 per game, earning himself an all-conference selection as First Team All-OCCAC. Vest made the second team, while guard Derek Ober and forward Jason Clardy were honorable mentions.
“For the other coaches to give us the respect of voting four of our players’ all-conference was really good,” Price said.
Women’s basketball
Led by sophomores Chelcie Gullet, Jana Gross and Jessica Pierre, the Lady Pride also got off to an impressive start to their season, winning 12 of their first 15 games before injuries slowed the team down.
“This group was extremely talented and molded together very well,” said Lady Pride coach Jeff Dillon. “Things were clicking very well before (center) Jessica Pierre went down with an injury versus Lakeland.”
Dillon said the injury to Pierre and a later injury to forward Emily Frey, both 6-footers, forced the team to re-tool midseason.
Dillon said without a doubt the highlight of the Lady Pride’s season was a Feb. 20 win over No. 2 Owens Community College, 76-74.
“Our kids went into that game with a great sense of purpose,” Dillon said. “I never will forget the look in some of their eyes.”
The Lady Pride finished 8-6 in the OCCAC and crushed Ancilla College 88-40 in the first round of the District XII Tournament before losing 70-54 to Grand Rapids Community College.
Gullett, the team’s leading scorer, made First Team All-OCCAC, while assists leader Jana Gross and top rebounder Emily Frey were honorable mentions.
Both coaches are already busy recruiting for next season’s teams. For the latest information on Sinclair basketball recruits, remember to visit sinclairclarion.com.