• DMACC returns four players from last season
• Bears must replace two all-conference starters in Grace Flanagan and Jada Powell
• Head coach Steve Krafcisin counting on seven newcomers

The DMACC women's basketball team begins the 2021-22 season in the Central Classic November 5 and 6 at Columbus, Neb.

The Bears will play Southeast (Neb.) Community College (SECC) on Nov. 5 and will face Central Community College (CCC) on Nov. 6.

"We're really excited about the possibilities," DMACC women's basketball coach Steve Krafcisin said. "I really like this team. We've got some pieces that we have to find, but we also have some pieces that we haven't had (in the past) and I think they'll complement each other."

The Bears must replace second-team All-American and all-conference point guard Grace Flanagan and all-conference forward Jada Powell from last season's 15-7 team. Covid-19 freshman (CoFR) Magan Christopherson of Milford, who played off guard last season, is expected to handle the point guard duties, especially in the early games, and CoFR Emily Caspers of Swaledale, a starter last season, will take on more responsibilities with the inside game.

Krafcisin said freshman Shakara Robertson of Cocoa, Fla., has the potential to become the team's starting point guard but has to make the adjustment from the high school game to the college game first and that CoFR Camry Jones of Okoboji and Lexi Branning of Manning will join Caspers at the forward positions. Freshman Payton Tahahwah of Tama is expected to be the other starter in the backcourt.

Newcomers in addition to Robertson and Tahahwah who will be vying for playing time include freshmen Ashanti Lee of Houston, Texas; Reagan Franzen of Polk City; Jadeyn Smith of Arcadia and Lilly Lyons of Boone. Also on the roster is CoFR transfer Karisma Wright of Des Moines.

Krafcisin said once Robertson develops at point guard Christopherson will move to the second guard. He said Tahahwah can also play either guard position as can Lee or Franzen

"We've got some options," Krafcisin said. "I think we've got some kids who can be utility players and that will help us."

Krafcisin said Smith, Tahahwah, Franzen, Wright, Jones, Branning and Caspers are interchangeable at small forward, power forward and center. He said Lyons has been a pleasant surprise in preseason games and scrimmages this fall.

"I really like Lily," Krafcisin said, adding that Lyons did not play high school basketball during her senior year. "I recruited her hard and I'm excited about her growth."

"One of the things I like is our length," Krafcisin said. "We have seven girls 5-foot-10 or taller, they have improved and they like being here. I think that's huge. Our chemistry is pretty good. They play really hard and they are trying. And they're pretty good."

Krafcisin said he likes that his team has embraced what the coaches have been teaching, things like attacking the basket and penetrating with the basketball.

"When I tell them to do something, they are really trying to do it," Krafcisin said. "I think that is what I really like about them."

Krafcisin's concerns include rebounding, defense and putting too much emphasis on three-point shooting.

"It's easy to (fall in love with three-point shooting)," Krafcisin said. "We've got to be able to penetrate and attack defenses. One of the things that I've always liked that we haven't done all the time is make more free throws than the opponent attempts. That's a pretty good indicator that you are doing the right things and we haven't done that the last couple of years. We need to get back to that. Even if we don't make the free throw, we've got free throw plays that we've been very successful with and we've gotten the opponent in foul trouble.

"We've got to rebound more as a team than letting one person do it and we've got to make the right decisions. We want to go up tempo, but we got to value the basketball while playing up tempo."

Following the Central Classic, the DMACC women's basketball team will open the home season Nov. 10 against the William Penn University junior varsity (WPUJV). Game time is 5:30 p.m. inside the DMACC gymnasium.