(Photo by: Vaughn Wheat)

Cavs, the leaves are finally descending upon us with the arrival of fall, which also means the arrival of basketball at JCCC. After a classic revenge run for the National Championship last year, our hoopers are back and ready to put JCCC in the spotlight once again. The question is, what players should we look out for, where does the team stand in comparison to last season, and can the Lady Cavs bring home back-to-back natties?

A new season brings new athletes, and JCCC sure knows how to pick them. Joining us all the way from Milwaukee is freshman guard Jade Warren (1). As a senior in high school, Warren averaged 15.3 points and 6.5 rebounds per game, and was selected to play in the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association Division I North All-Star Game.

“Jade Warren is as talented as a kid as we’ve had here,” said Head Coach Ben Conrad. “Our freshman class is talented, but are also really solid people.”

Sometimes, JCCC’s athletic program speaks for itself, and coaches don’t have to try too hard to bring in new talent. Athletes are drawn to a program that is devoted to excellence and encourages them to challenge themselves.

“Knowing how hard [this team] plays, I knew they were gonna get the job done–and they did get the job done, so I knew that I wanted to come up under the same coaching,” says freshman guard Ananda Ford (30). “I’m ready to showcase all of my game.”

New athletes aren’t the only thing a new season brings, however. A change of team also means a change of chemistry, and finding new things to focus and improve upon. One group of athletes could be great at grabbing steals and holding down an offense, while another is a force to be reckoned with in the paint.

“With the new team coming in, we have different things to work on. Last year was more skill, this year is more about knowledge,” says sophomore guard Layla Scott (10), 24-25 Freshman of the Year, and a driving force in the Cavaliers’ title run.

A sword is only as sharp as the one who wields it.

The women’s basketball team will start their season at home on Friday, Oct. 24, against Northwest Missouri State University.