The La Sierra University Women's basketball made an encouraging debut going into the second half of conference play. In their second match-up against the No. 15 Pioneers from the University of Antelope Valley, the Golden Eagles fell late 84 - 80. Both teams managed to keep the game close with the only lead being a 12 point difference in the first half 44 - 32. In the second half, the Golden Eagles outscored the Pioneers by 26 points to close the gap to a three point lead. Junior guard, I'man Conley, from Fresno, CA, led the team with a double-double contributing 18 points and 12 rebounds. Sophomore guard, Siena Jones from La Habra Heights, CA contributed 15 points, and junior guard, Kayla De Leon from Riverside, CA contributed 11 points in a closely contested game.
Kayla De Leon, a Riverside native, leads the team in scoring averaging 14 points per game. On January 18, 2020, De Leon scored a career-high with 27 points against Embry-Riddle (AZ). The game was an opportunity for the Golden Eagles to be tied for first place in the California Pacific Conference. De Leon refused to go down without a fight and competed at both ends of the court. "Kayla is our go to player, she's able to pull through and finish strong", said senior guard Sierra Cole. "I really wanted to be first in conference, I'm [just] naturally competitive. I enjoy competing and my energy comes from not only [from] myself but from my team. We are easily motivated and we hold each other accountable" said De Leon.
De Leon is described as a team player who is passionate about the game and energizes the Golden Eagles. De Leon mentioned in her past basketball experiences, she dealt with having to do everything by herself. At some points during her basketball journey, De Leon questioned her ability to continue playing at the collegiate level. De Leon's performances have influenced teams to change their defensive schemes. Many opposing coaches shared post game feedback stating, "We were trying to figure out how were we going stop her?"
Women's Basketball Head Coach, Kevin Mitchell, recruited De Leon from Saddleback College. "We were very lucky to recruit De Leon to our women's basketball program. She is a huge part of what we do and she is a fiery competitor. It's amazing how much she has grown from the first day of practice. There were a lot of things she didn't know or understand but she is constantly looking for opportunities to improve and be better for our team. What many people do not realize is she was leading our team in points and rebounds the early part of the season. De Leon really amazes me with her ability to shoot the ball because she has unlimited range. She has a true love for the game and it shows every day through her smile when she walks into the gym."
Coach Mitchell constantly reminds the team they cannot win without each other and they must be fans of each other. "We're constantly told that when we lose to a team it's because we decided to play for ourselves - We are great players individually but sometimes when you have a talented group, players feel like it's their only job to win the game", said Cole.
The competitive drive the Golden Eagles have shown in the first half of conference has teams in the Cal Pac concerned and fans anxious to see what the future will bring in the second half of conference play. Playoffs are less than a month away and the Golden Eagles are on a hunt to make an appearance.
The Golden Eagle's are currently competing with only 8 active players on the roster. An average collegiate basketball roster has a minimum of 12 to 15 active players. The last time the women's basketball played with only 10 active players was in the 2014-2015 season. That season was the last time the Golden Eagle's played in the Cal Pac Championship falling short to UC Merced 43 - 53. The Golden Eagle's competitiveness has been questionable in the past when it comes to finishing the season strong but that reputation may change depending on the second half of conference play. The Golden Eagles have been plagued with injuries this season but the team continues to lean on each other and their coaches to focus on their team goal, to win the Cal Pac Conference Championship. "We just have to keep pushing and keep believing. Teams come in and think they can wear us down but we are going to battle to the end. We did the work early and it has been paying off," Coach Mitchell said.
When asked about the support system the team receives, the team shared it doesn't bother them anymore. The women's basketball team has always received very little support from the student body and administration. The support has been mostly focused on the men's team for numerous years. "Obviously people are going to always support the men's team despite their record. We don't receive support because we don't dunk or do fancy moves. Some [students] claim that we're just boring, but boring or not, we still manage to finish with a win. In the end it doesn't matter because as long as we support each other between these four lines, that's all the support we need. We are used to it," said Cole.
Coach Mitchell and the coaching staff love the challenge of coaching, teaching, and mentoring and continue to encourage the players in their program.
"We really focus our players and team on being the best versions of themselves, specifically, for their families, friends, and loved ones who support them because the ball will stop bouncing one day. The goal when I took this job was to build a program, build players, and build up people versus win games because when you lay those foundations, winning becomes a byproduct, and everything else will align.
Many players struggle with "being coached up" because their thought processes center around their circle, their sense of entitlement or their lack of work ethic. The funny thing is, we are where we are today because of those generations of players who came before this team whether good, bad or indifferent. Unfortunately, many players look at our school as "Last Chance U" but when we recruit, we really focus on looking for "good people." Every person has challenges or deficiencies but if you are a generally good person, we will take a good hard look at you, your background, and family dynamic. If our coaches are speaking with you, we already know you can play. We are trying to find the right players, who will be in the right place, to make the right plays, at the right time, but, most importantly, do the right things on and off the court to continue to promote the growth of our program. We have a really good group and I love the direction we are heading. I love our school, I love our program, I love our coaching staff, and I love our team. If we continue to grow our program and get the resources we need, we are very excited for the future of La Sierra University basketball" said Coach Mitchell.
Written by Vyvy Tran
