#HLWBB Preview: Oakland
Joey Yashinsky
Oakland Golden Grizzlies
Last year: 18-12 overall, 12-6 Horizon League
Coach: Jeff Tungate (5th year)
Team Preview
By Joey Yashinsky, Horizon League Contributor
Coming down the stretch in the 2016-17 season, there wasn’t a hotter team in the Horizon League than Jeff Tungate’s Oakland Golden Grizzlies.
They crushed Valpo on the road by 38; beat UIC by 28; took out Northern Kentucky by 20; bashed Youngstown State by 22; and finished off the schedule with a 14-point victory at Cleveland State. Five consecutive triumphs by very healthy margins, and that’s before you remember they also kicked off February with a rousing home win over perennial conference champion Green Bay.
But in that regular season finale, Oakland’s most indispensable player, Hannah Little, broke her hand. For all intents and purposes, the season was over.
With a bandaged Little unable to assert herself on either end at Motor City Madness, Milwaukee dominated and the curtain closed on Oakland’s season in anti-climactic fashion. Little is gone now, having graduated and moved on to the professional ranks.
As for the rest of the Golden Grizzlies? They are back with a vengeance -- out to prove that they have more than enough talent to do something special over the course of the next five months.
They will be led on offense by Taylor Jones, one of the Horizon League’s most prolific scorers despite starting just three games on the year. Jones lit up the competition for more than 15 points per game on her way to being voted the Sixth Player of the Year in the conference. In all likelihood, Jones will become a full-time starter this season and could realistically be knocking on the door of a 20-point scoring average.
Directing traffic for the Golden Grizzlies will be Taylor Gleason, a senior guard that often acts as a coach on the floor for Tungate. The only thing Oakland’s coach asks of Gleason is that when the opportunity arises, she shoot the basketball. Unselfishness on the basketball court is a wonderful quality, but when you’re as gifted as Gleason, forcing a bit of her own offense is a necessity. In fact, it’s more of a demand.
“She’s an unbelievable shooter and an unbelievable worker,” Tungate said. “In drills, she’ll shoot 80% from 3. She’s got all the capabilities offensively. We want her to be assertive and we want her to score. That’s her role on this team.”
While Little will be deeply missed, senior forward Leah Somerfield will do all she can to make up for that production. Somerfield is a versatile player, able to battle for tough rebounds underneath and just as comfortable stepping out beyond the arc to bury a big triple. Further support on the inside will be provided by 6-foot-3 center Autumn Kissman, a freshman that could see key minutes right out of the gate; and Nikita Telesford, a 6-foot-2 sophomore that could also expect an increased role. But it will be the veteran Somerfield counted on primarily to keep Oakland stout in the paint and shrink that hole created by Little’s departure.
Tungate is also excited about senior guard Sha’Keya Graves, a gifted offensive player that he believes has a chance to play professionally after college. The Oakland coach has lauded Graves’ improvement on the defensive end and looks forward to her enjoying her best season yet.
In one of college basketball’s most remarkable feats from last season, of Oakland’s 18 victories, only two were by less than 14 points. Meaning, when this team gets you down, they put the pedal to the metal and don’t look back. The Golden Grizzlies will be looking for many more of those stress-free fourth quarters in 2017-18.
If Oakland can keep all of its key pieces healthy as February turns to March, this experienced and multitalented squad can expect a much longer stay at Motor City Madness this time around.
Motor City Madness
Support the Golden Grizzlies at the 2018 Little Caesars Horizon League Basketball Championships March 2-6 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit. Tickets can be purchased at campus box offices now and online starting December 15. For more information, click here.
#HLWBB Preview Schedule (10 am ET)
#HLMBB Preview Schedule (2 pm ET)