Canyons Cancels Basketball Season of Women’s Team

College of the Canyons officials canceled the remaining 11 games of the beleaguered women’s basketball team because the team does not have enough players to continue, Canyons Coach Randy Yamanouye said Thursday.

Canyons would have been forced to cancel at least four Western State Conference games because sophomore point guard Ann Jeffries, one of the team’s five players, contracted bronchitis. Yamanouye and Athletic Director Lee Smelser opted instead to cancel all remaining games.

“The situation was so bad, the administration thought it was best to do what it did,” Yamanouye said. “It’s hard to say, you always want to go on.”

Had Jeffries not taken ill, Yamanouye said the team was prepared to finish the season.

“They were all willing to go on, that wasn’t the problem,” said Yamanouye, a first-year coach. “But with only four girls, you can’t do anything. I thought we should have finished the season because to end it now would not look good for recruiting.”

Canyons struggled to a 1-8 record (0-4 in the WSC) after starting the season with only seven players. The Cougars were reduced to five after Nancy Serrano decided not to play and Yamanouye told point guard Lisa Miranda to leave the team because of disciplinary reasons.

The Cougars were 3-17 last season, 2-9 in conference play and finished last in the WSC’s Southern Division under Coach Frank Wright, who was not rehired.