COLLEGE BASKETBALL ‘86-87 : San Diego Women : SDSU: Perry Out but Coach Hopeful

The San Diego State women’s basketball team is nationally ranked despite last season’s 14-17 record.

That ranking, No. 13 by Dick Vitale’s basketball preview, was based on the addition of junior Chana Perry, considered by many to be the best center in the country.

That ranking was made before Perry decided to redshirt her first season at SDSU. This summer she transfered to San Diego from Northeast Louisiana, where she was ineligible because of recruiting violations at the university.

Aztec Coach Earnest Riggins initially recruited Perry in 1983, the season she was voted the national high school player of the year. Last season, she averaged 19 points a game with Northeast Louisiana.

But Riggins, in his fourth season with the Aztecs, is satisfied with Perry’s decision to redshirt.

“We discussed that and it was a mutual agreement between us,” Riggins said. “We thought that would be best for her, getting back on track with her academics. We felt she needed some time to adjust, to get acclimated with the area. And get back into the books, which would certainly take some of the pressure off of her when she gets back next year to play.

“She will be able to carry on the academics as well as the athletics, and we feel she will have then made a smooth transition.”

Riggins says the Aztecs will miss Perry, of course, but they will still be a good team.

“We won’t be a great team but I think we will be top-20 caliber. Once we get through our preseason and get into our conference I think our kids will have grown up some,” he said

SDSU opens the season at the Oregon State tournament Friday and Saturday at Corvallis.

Riggins said the Aztecs will benefit this season by Perry’s presence, even if she’s not on the court.

“There are more positives to her redshirting than negatives in the long run,” he said. “It helps the recruiting process and the overall program. This way, she will be on a scholarship for the next three years. She will give us that national exposure that we need. There are certainly a lot of kids who would like to play with a Chana Perry.”

What could really hurt the Aztecs is the early-season loss of three-year starter Shelda Arceneaux, who will be ineligible until Dec. 9 because she did not take the required 12 units during the spring semester.

Last season, Riggins called Arceneaux the “mainstay of the team.” The 6-1 forward, who averaged 15 points a game, led the team in rebounding (10.1 per game) and steals (78) last season.

“Whenever you lose a player of (Arceneaux’s) caliber, you are losing 16, 17 points a game,” Riggins said. “We are hoping the rest of the kids will able to overcome that.”

Center Connie Waikle, a 6-9 junior transfer from Saddleback College, could ease the loss of Perry and Arceneaux. Waikle, who averaged 29.4 points and 12.7 rebounds a game last season, may need time to adjust to Division I basketball, however.

“If we can get the performance that we think we will get from (Waikle), she will be able to pick up some of the slack,” Riggins said. “Connie’s presence on the court will definitely help our defense. She will either alter or block many shots which will get our fast break going.”

If Waikle is slow adjusting to the Pacific Coast Athletic Assn., sophomore Brooke Meadows (6-3) would start at center.

Returning starter Jessica Haynes, a 6-foot sophomore forward, averaged 16 points and 10 rebounds a game last season.

Injuries plagued the Aztecs last season, with starters Haynes, Arceneaux and Pat Rice missing several games.

“We are a year older, the teams we played last year will certainly help us this year,” Riggins said. “We think we will certainly be a better club this year than we were last year.”