KALAMAZOO —
A grueling first practice didn’t seem to make a dent in Taylor Manley’s good spirits.
While the junior college transfer admitted with a grin that practices at Western Michigan University were harder than anywhere else she’s been, the only thing Manley could talk about was how excited she was to be back at the Division 1 level.
“It feels good,” said Manley, who began her career at the University of Chicago-Illinois, but spent last season at John A. Logan Community College (Ill.). “I can’t wait for the season to start. I’m excited that the practices have started, because we work hard and that’s what makes it more exciting. Everybody is competing with each other.”
Manley will need that enthusiasm and drive this season as she will be used right away to fill one of the only visible voids on a Broncos squad that kicked off practice Friday evening at University Arena.
The Broncos, with a roster consisting of just 12 players, retained everyone who logged significant minutes last season. The only exception is a doozey — graduating point guard Tiera DeLaHoussaye, the 13th all-time scorer in WMU’s history who was also second in both assists and steals.
Second-year coach Tasha McDowell said Manley would take that role and “tag team” with true freshman Aurielle Anderson.
“It’s kind of like a welcomed challenge,” Manley said. “Tiera was a good player, she scored a lot. I think this year, everyone will score. Everybody has the opportunity to score.”
Manley is similar in stature to DeLaHoussaye, standing at 5-foot-6.
“She’s very savvy with the basketball,” McDowell said of Manley. “She’s got great court vision, she can make the pass and she can score. She can make the 3 and attack the basket. She has this calm about her. You can’t shake her too much. She’s fun to watch, and all the things she brings to the table are what we needed.”
Dropping seven players from last year’s team for various reasons, McDowell recruited another junior college transfer in forward Kemmy Dominique, who will be looked to for an offensive boost. She averaged 16 points last season at Rend Lake Community College (Ill.), complete with 60 3-pointers.
“We need more people that can score double digits,” McDowell said. “Kemmy, we call her our offensive assassin. She can just flat out shoot the basketball, and she thinks ‘score’ all the time.”
Coming into McDowell’s defensive-minded system, Dominique said she is working on becoming more of a well-rounded player.
“I’m trying to get better on defense because I don’t want to be considered just an offensive player,” Dominique said. “That’s what pretty much everyone knows me for, so I’m just trying to get better on my defensive game.”
The Broncos, who went 7-23 last season, welcome back two of their top three scorers in Brenna Banktson (12.9 points a game) and Mid-American Conference All-Freshman Team member Miame Giden (12.4). Ebony Cleary, WMU’s main presence in the post last year, also returns.
Western Michigan lost seven girls in the offseason, despite having just two seniors on last year’s roster.
Michelle DeNooyer, Jami Cynecki and Sarah Dreher all bowed out early due to physical ailments. Would-be sophomores Ryann Fletcher and Jazzmyn Harvey also did not return.
“We had some people graduate and some go on to do other things and we gained some quality players, so we’re happy about that,” McDowell said. “One thing I stress to them is that they’re their own team. Regardless of last year, even if we would have won a MAC championship, we are a different team and we get to write our own destiny.”