Chapman Enjoys Wealth of Talent

It’s a problem most basketball coaches wouldn’t mind having.

Chapman women’s basketball Coach Mary Hegarty doesn’t have a starting five, more like a starting 10. And it’s a big reason the Panthers are off to a 4-0 start.

“Anybody on our bench can make a big impact,” Hegarty said. “That’s our biggest strength, that we go 10-deep. We have almost identical replacements.”

So identical that Hegarty starts both of her point guards, seniors Elizabeth Zanolli and Courtney Kanagae. Need a spark in the backcourt? Just plug in the team’s third-leading scorer, sophomore Melissa Lopez, or freshman Shamekia Perkins.

OK, what about the frontcourt? Starting power forward Lisa Nielson, a 5-foot-8 junior, leads the team in rebounding, and backing her up is 5-9 sophomore Stephanie Flaxbeard.

“Our fours are interchangeable,” Hegarty said.

Freshman Desiree Talley has given Hegarty quality minutes off the bench behind a sharp-shooting small forward, sophomore Lindsay Foss, who is averaging 14 points.

The starting center, 5-10 junior Lyndsay Brown, is shooting 81% from the field and averaging 21 points and six rebounds. Her backup, 6-foot sophomore April Abeyta, is averaging five rebounds in only 12 minutes of playing time per game.

“The great thing is that it’s been different people at different times stepping up,” Hegarty said.

Hegarty admitted the Panthers are beating teams they’re supposed to beat, though the last two victories over Cal State Hayward and Cal Lutheran were good ones to build on.

“Hayward is a Division II school and that was a good mental test for us because we’ve never beaten a Division II team before,” Hegarty said. “Cal Lutheran was a little deceptive too.”

The game was close until Chapman’s full-court pressure helped create the up tempo Hegarty wanted, sparking a 19-2 run to give the Panthers control.

“That gave us an idea of how strong our defense can be,” Hegarty said. “But even if you think we haven’t been tested yet, we will be this week.”

Saturday, Chapman plays at Occidental, with its talented guard, Anna Celaya, a 5-4 junior who averages 23 points and five assists. Then Monday, Wisconsin Oshkosh visits Chapman at 7:30 p.m.

“I haven’t looked at the tape on them yet,” Hegarty said. “I’m not sure I want to watch it. They won the national championship in ’96 and they’re one of the best Division III teams in the nation.”