In the rafters of University of North Carolina Wilmington’s Trask Coliseum hang a handful of banners recognizing the accomplishments of the school’s basketball program. Most recognize the accomplishments of the UNCW men’s basketball program, which has made more than half a dozen post-season appearances over its history.
But in the corner hangs a WNIT banner that recognizes the women’s team, which in more than 40 years of playing basketball, made its lone trip to the postseason with a 2011 trip to the women’s National Invitation Tournament.
For UNCW women’s head basketball coach Adell Harris, that isn’t enough.
“We’re out to put something up against those banners,” Harris told the media last week during the women’s basketball team’s media day. “That’s what we’re about: hanging banners and competing for championships.”
Following that 2011 season, the Seahawks took a step back, putting up single-digit win seasons. But last year, in her third season, Harris’ team showed the first sign of turning the corner, finishing with a 14-18 record and winning six of its last seven regular season games.
If Harris’ team is going to hang a banner this season, it will do so with a squad that has experience but lacks some depth. Returning junior guard Naqaiyyah Teague, who started every game last year, and senior guard Shatia Cole, who earned a starting role halfway through last season, will be joined on the court by a handful of experienced juniors and sophomores.
“We’re going to be a mature group that takes care of business,” Harris said.
One of those juniors ready for business is Jasmine Steele, a junior guard who transferred from Alabama to join Harris’ program. Why? Because of Harris’ playing style.
“We play fast fast fast fast,” said Steele, who is the shortest player on the team at 5 feet, 1 inch. “I can use my speed to my advantage. I like being sneaky, being a pest.”
Both Steele and senior point guard Cole said they are buying Harris’ system, which has relied on speed and transition. However, while there are 11 players on Harris’ roster, student transfer rules and injuries will limit this season’s Seahawk team to just eight available players.
To compensate, Harris said this year’s squad will have to rely more on execution of a half-court offense with more shared responsibility among the players. Harris also said conditioning and playing time will be an issue for the team.
“We have to be smart about their rest and not overuse their bodies,” she said. “We’re going to put them in a system that they can succeed.”
Cole, a transfer from Coastal Carolina, got her first opportunity to play for Harris midway through last year. She made the most of the opportunity, as she averaged 10 points a game and scored more than 20 points in three games last year.
As a showcase player this season, where she joins Teague on the team’s preseason media guide, Cole’s role will let her exhibit her versatile play, which includes the speed to drive to the basket and the skill to hit mid-range and outside shots.
In Cole’s eyes, the 2015-16 Seahawk team has the chance to improve, but not without playing better when the team doesn’t hold the ball.
“We will need to pick it up defensively,” Cole said. “But we have all the pieces.”
While most of the Seahawk squad has some college basketball playing experience, there are some new players on this year’s team. One is freshman Emily Thomas, a guard from Pickerington, Ohio, who first caught Harris’ attention when she attended a basketball camp the coach hosted.
Harris said she’s been recruiting Thomas ever since, resulting in her being the only freshman on this year’s squad. A ball handler and shooter, Thomas said she was excited about the opportunity that UNCW offers her style of play.
“It’s going to be faster than high school,” she said. “We want to play quick, run and try to get as many points as possible in transition.”
There’s another fresh face in Crystal Riley, the first-year assistant coach who played at Kentucky as recently as 2013. Her recent playing experience in one of the top conferences in college basketball will give her the ability to relate to the players, she said.
“I can help bring that experience to our players,” Riley said. “With our speed, we can play at a very high pace and beat teams with our pace.”
With proven experience and new talent, Harris is looking for more wins this year, but one game in particular stands out for her: the March 12, 2016, Colonial Athletic League championship game.
“It would be the biggest game in the program history,” she said. “That’s the goal, to be competing for championships. This isn’t a quick fix. We’re trying to build something that lasts.”
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