Bad News for Broncos : Cage Star Hurts Knee, But Don’t Count Them Out

On paper, things couldn’t have appeared more promising for the Cal Poly Pomona women’s basketball team before the season.

Not only did the Broncos have 10 of 12 lettermen and three All-American candidates returning, they were also coming off a 28-4 season in which they reached the NCAA Division II quarterfinals.

The Broncos had every reason to expect they could reach the promised land of Division II basketball--the NCAA final four tournament.

That is until 6-1 senior forward Marcine Edmonds--one of the three potential All-Americans--suffered a knee injury in practice last week in the final days before the start of the season.

Edmonds, an All-California Collegiate Athletic Assn. selection who averaged 14.7 points and 5.4 rebounds last season, will undergo knee surgery next week and is expected to be out of action four to six weeks.

But, even with the injury to Edmonds, it would not be wise to chalk off the season for the Broncos.

After all, this program has won an unprecedented seven straight CCAA titles and captured three Division II championships since 1982.

Not to mention that the Broncos still have their top two scorers from last season and eight highly regarded underclassmen.

The two offensive leaders returning are point guard Cathy Gooden, a 5-5 senior, and center Niki Bracken, a 6-2 junior. Gooden, an All-CCAA selection, averaged 18.7 points and 5 assists in the 1987-88 season and Bracken, a second-team Division II All-American, averaged 17.1 points and 7.2 rebounds.

May said Bracken even appears improved over last season.

“She’s playing with a lot more confidence,” May said. “You can always see a lot more in a player when they go from their sophomore to their junior year, and that’s the way it’s been with Niki.”

As for Gooden, it has been business as usual. In leading Pomona to two straight wins in its season-opening Bronco Classic, Gooden led the way with 41 points and 14 assists to earn tournament most valuable player honors.

“She’s in All-American form,” May said. “I don’t know how much more she can improve. She’s already playing at a high level.”

The coach said she has also noticed considerable improvement from her top freshman recruits of last season.

“We got a lot of freshmen who gained valuable experience last year,” May said. “I’ve seen tremendous improvement in people like Stephanie Coons, Kelly Connelly, Carrie Egan and Katie Donica.”

Coons (5-10), a prep star at Wilson High of Hacienda Heights, and Connelly (6-1) have been competing for a starting forward position, and Egan (5-8), a prep All-American who averaged 5.9 points last season, has been starting at guard alongside Gooden.

“Carrie is playing now at the level where we thought she could,” May said.

The Broncos have also received excellent play from senior forward Susan Luckinbill (5-9), who has started in Edmonds’ position and averaged 9.5 points, and from freshman forward Tami Chick (5-11), who is struggling offensively but averaging 4.5 rebounds.

May said some of her younger players have benefited from the injury of Edmonds.

“I think the plus side is it’s going to give some of the younger kids a little more playing time, and if she (Edmonds) comes back we’ll be that much better,” May said.

The question is, will Edmonds be back this season?

May says the prognosis is good. “Barring any complications, Marcine will be back in early January.”

The coach said if Edmonds isn’t ready by early January, when conference play starts, she will probably redshirt this season.

But even without Edmonds, May said there are positive signs about her team.

“This is as good as the feeling we had on the team last year,” she said. “We have the same togetherness that we had last year and that’s what helped us win.”

She said the team also has the quickness and pressing ability of recent years.

About the only noticeable problem has been rebounding. The Broncos were out-rebounded by three in their 75-67 win over Eastern Montana in the tournament final and took only two more rebounds than their opponent in a 76-60 first-round win over UC Davis.

“We’ve still got some problems rebounding,” May said. “We haven’t done the things we’ve done in practice.”

May said the Broncos also haven’t developed a leader. Paula Tezak, considered the emotional leader last season, is now an assistant coach with the team.

“If we’re missing one thing it’s that we don’t really have a team leader yet,” she said. “There’s no Paula Tezak, but I’m hopeful someone will emerge.”

For that matter, May still has high hopes about Pomona’s chances this season.

“I approach every season with the same goals,” she said. “We’re always optimistic that we’re going to be in the top three in our conference. If we play up to our potential, we can have another good season.”

Considering the team’s success over the years, May said the term good season takes on a different meaning for her team.

“A good season to me is winning the conference,” May said. “I’m not saying we have to go undefeated. We can lose a game or two and still win the conference.”

Yes, the Broncos may be a little bruised early in the season. But they are anything but disillusioned.