By Lindsey Soet
On Saturday, Dec. 2 the Grand Rapids Community College women’s basketball team suffered a tough loss to Schoolcraft College at the Ford Fieldhouse.
With only six eligible players, the Raiders added freshman Ava Schultz to the roster beginning at the Kuyper College exhibition game on Nov. 29, which the Raiders won 48-40. Schultz is also a member of the GRCC volleyball team and received an All-Conference Honorable Mention this past season.
After struggling to maintain possession of the ball for the majority of the first quarter, freshman forward Sophia Modderman scored the first points for the Raiders, making the score 2-22 with 1:37 left in the first quarter. A last-minute 3-pointer by freshman guard Aaliyah Ratliff made the score 5-24 heading into the second quarter. The Raiders ended the first quarter with a 13.3% field goal percentage and nine turnovers.
An early 3-point shot by freshman guard Cylie Burns provided a glimmer of hope for the Raiders in the second quarter, but that hope was short-lived as the Ocelots continued to dominate defensively, widening the score gap between them and GRCC. The Raiders continued to trail Schoolcraft College, 13-48 heading into the second half.
Despite the Raiders continuing to be out-played by the Ocelots, GRCC was able to add 15 points to the board, eight of them being from Schultz. Heading into the final quarter, GRCC continues to trail Schoolcraft College, 28-69.
In the fourth quarter, GRCC continued to struggle to make it past Schoolcraft’s defense, resulting in seven fouls against the Raiders in the final quarter. Despite GRCC’s effort to catch up to Schoolcraft, the game ended 35-77.
Ratliff led the Raiders with nine points, four field goals and one three-pointer. Schultz scored eight points, and two three-pointers, and Burns also scored eight points and one three-pointer. Overall, the Raiders shot 24% of field goals, 21.7% of three-pointers, and 42.9% at the free throw line.
Schultz thinks that while her team played well overall, there are still some improvements to make for the future. “I think we played good. Personally, I think we need to come out with a bit more intensity.”
Head coach David Glazier believes that his team’s main struggle was being prepared and answering challenges during the game.
“We’re still learning how to do that as a team consistently, and it’s going to take us some time to get there,” Glazier said.
Glazier is hopeful that Schultz will benefit the team’s performance as the season progresses. “She’s athletic, she works hard, and (was) a successful basketball player in high school as well.”
He also believes that her work ethic and mentality from playing on GRCC’s volleyball team will have a positive impact on the team, saying, “I think that her mentality from volleyball is gonna come in and I think that can be infectious.”
The Raiders are now 3-4 overall. GRCC will hit the court again on Friday, Dec. 8 at 5:30 p.m. against Lake Land College at the Ford Fieldhouse.
