Class of 2024: Cap and gown pickups begin April 15 at the Harriman and Oak Ridge bookstores. Bookstore hours are 8am-4:30pm ET Monday-Thursday. Visit the commencement ceremony webpage for additional info.
Front from left are Ariana Davidson, Amber Appiah-Kubi, Rachel Layne, Courtney Ellison, Autumn Monkhouse, and Lindsey Mason. Back row, from left, are head coach Monica Boles, Amberlee Zeller, Leonie Owona, Monae Mayes, Cinthia Mbakop Ngassam, Chattin Atchley, Adalys Brown, Katie Starnes and manager Lakeshia Graham.
Nov. 1, 2017
By Bob Fowler
Roane State staff writer
Look for some aggressive, fast-paced play from the latest edition of Roane State’s Lady Raiders.
That’s the season forecast offered by Monica Boles, now in her 10th season at head coach. The squad has five returners, three transfers and five true freshmen.
“I’m really excited about the season,” Boles said. “We have a good amount of depth at each position, and we’ve got more experience than it would appear on paper.”
“I like an up-tempo style. It’s so much more fun to play and to watch. Our goal is to not allow easy passes by opponents in the half-court.”
Preseason workouts, limited by rules to eight hours a week, focused on conditioning and weight-lifting, with an emphasis on injury prevention.
The squad finished 16-15 last season.
Here’s an overview of this year’s team, starting with returning guards:
Autumn Monkhouse, 5’4” from Wartburg. “She has great floor vision and is a very smart player who distributes the ball well.”
Rachel Layne, 5’5” from Kingston. “She’s very aggressive and loves defense. She has a good midrange jump shot and is very consistent.”
Lindsey Mason, 5’6” guard from Huntington Beach, Calif. “She’s super aggressive and very quick and athletic. She drives opponents crazy with her tenacity on defense.”
Amberlee Zeller, 5’9” from Lenoir City. “Her specialty is three-point shots. She’s also good off the dribble and can both shoot midrange and work in the paint. She’s a good passer and really tough to guard.”
Katie Starnes, 5’9” from Clinton. Injured last year, Katie only dressed out for a handful of games last season. “Shooting is her strong suit and she runs the floor well. We’re trying to get her healthy.”
Chattin Atchley, 5’10” forward from Knoxville, who started attending Roane State in January. “She’s a workhorse and a very smart player who uses her body well. She’s good at working with her back to the basket.”
Leonie Owona, 5’10” from Cameroon, Africa. “She’s a versatile left-hander with a good shooting touch. She rebounds well and is good at moving laterally. She’s very athletic.”
Cinthia Mbakop Ngassam, 6’2”, also from Cameroon. “Our center, she’s really good with her back to the basket. She’s super skilled with good hands and feet. She has good guard skills, but we need her in the paint.”
Adalys Brown, 5’8”, Knoxville. “She has good ball handling skills and a quick first step. She’s able to get to the basketball quickly. She is a great on the ball defender and has an impressive vertical leap.”
Amber Appiah-Kubi, 5’7” from Nashville. “She has excellent ball-handling skills, is a good passer and has good court vision.”
Monae Mayes, 5’11” forward, Nashville. “She’s extremely athletic and runs the floor well. She’s very physical in the paint, and she doesn’t care to mix it up.”
Courtney Ellison, 5’5” guard from Oak Ridge. “She’s a great shooter and plays with lots of energy and hustle. She’s a solid defender, both on the ball and off, and very vocal.”
Ariana Davidson, 5’2” from Sweetwater. “She has good point skills and handles the ball well. She also shoots well from the three and has a great work ethic.”
Check the women's basketball schedule for upcoming games.
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