WBOY.com: Clarksburg, Morgantown: News, Sports, WeatherWVIAC Spotlight: GSC Women's Basketball Preview

WVIAC Spotlight: GSC Women's Basketball Preview

The Glenville State Women's basketball team is picked to repeat as conference champs in the WVIAC preseason coaches' poll. Head Coach Bunky Harkleroad appreciates the nod but knows his team has to make it through the entire season.

"We appreciate the respect that we feel we've earned over the last couple of years in trying to get our program to where we can contend for a championship every year," said Coach Harkleroad. "But, it's preseason ranking and now's the hard part, it's time to go to work. It's a great league. It's brutal on the road, we've got a huge bullseye on our back and we know that. You have to show up ready to play every night. I've been blown away in just my two years in the league about how hard it is to win on the road and you know it's going to be tight. I'm going to tell you right now, whoever wins it, it's going to come down, probably to the last weekend like it always does."

New faces on the team will play a lot of key minutes, but then again, everyone plays key minutes in Coach Harkleroad's fast-paced, 5-in-5-out offense. Glenville has more shooters this year and the Pioneers like to fire from beyond the arc. Because of that, Glenville will have to improve its offensive rebounding, without a key player.

"I think we have the potential to be a better team, but we still have a long way to go right now. We're still getting a lot of pieces in place right now. The speed at which is playing is a little overwhelming for some of our new kids," said Coach Harkleroad of his team's adjustments. "We took a huge hit in losing LaToya Hambrick in the preseason. She tore her achilles. That was a big key in the post for us."

The Lady Pioneers boast four returning seniors, including the foundation of the team. That's leading scorer and WVIAC Tournament MVP Tenisha Wilson.

"We're going to depend a lot on Tenisha," explained Coach Harkleroad. "We want her to focus on doing that grunt work, getting those free throws, getting those put backs, because she can score. Sometimes she has to let the game come to her. If she'll believe in her teammates and keep her work rate very high, I think she's going to have a special year for us."