The women’s basketball team is traveling to Canada on Thursday. Front row from left: Lakelyn Bouldin, Molly Melton, Jacobi Lynn, Shelbie Davenport, Aryanna Gilbert and Nakeia Burks, kneeling. Second row from left: Anna Claire Noblit, Brooke Burns, Mya Long, Arianne Whitaker, Rochelle Lee, Ashlyn Wert, Keiana Gilbert and Bria Dial.
About 6 a.m. Thursday, the Mocs women’s basketball team will be skybound, heading for Vancouver, British Columbia, and three games against Canadian teams.
The UTC team won 21 games last season but graduated four seniors. Five of this year’s players are freshmen and the games in Vancouver will give them some in-game experience, says coach Jim Foster.
“The good thing is playing games, he says. “I think there’s a difference between practice and playing games.”
The competition, which runs Friday through Sunday, also gives the players a chance to mesh as a team, he says.
“They will get to know each other better.”
The games — against Trinity Western University, University of Fraser Valley and community team VK U17 — take place Friday, Saturday and Sunday and won’t have any effect on the regular season’s win-loss record.
“I think that, when we get back, our preparation for the season will be different because they will have a frame of reference,” Foster says.
