After winning six games last year and going 0-9 in the Southern Conference, the Lady Sharks women’s basketball team will be counting on a new crop of players to turn their fortunes around.
The team recently announced the signing of nine recruits—two centers, two forwards and five guards—including players from Nigeria, Macedonia, Mali and Sweden.
“They are bringing a wealth of experience to the program,” said Lady Sharks Interim Head Coach Erica Redman when discussing the new additions.
Here is some information on the new players:
The front court will be aided by Deborah Adenike, a six-foot-one forward from Nigeria who is expected to add rebounding and scoring, Iva Cholakoska, a five-foot-eleven forward from Macedonia who participated in the 2019 FIBA U16 Women’s European Championship Division, Madison Snowden, a six-foot-one center from Fort Walton Beach Senior High School who averaged 10.2 points and 12.1 rebounds as a senior and Ana Vakanjac, a six-foot-three center from Serbia who averaged 15 points and 10.7 rebounds this past season in Belgrade.
Adding to the backcourt will be Djenebou Bah, a five-foot-nine combo guard from Mali who is expected to add speed, Doris Ruzima, a five-foot-ten combo guard from Sweden who played at Raritan Valley Community College in New Jersey last year, Paris Smith, a five-foot-ten combo guard from Fort Walton Beach Senior High School, Jada Beneby, a five-foot-five point guard who averaged 16.5 points and four assists per game last season at Miami Killian Senior High School and Kennaria Nash-James, a five-foot-nine guard from Chicago.
That group will be joined by sophomore Genesis Zabaleta-Alarcon, a five-foot-ten forward from Ecuador, who played sparingly for the Lady Sharks last season. She is currently the only eligible player to announce they are returning from last year’s squad, Redman said.
The Lady Sharks start practicing in September and kick off the regular season on the road on Nov. 1 at 5:30 p.m. versus Palm Beach State College, 4200 South Congress Ave., in Lake Worth. Their first home game is Nov. 8 at 5:30 p.m. versus Eastern Florida State College at Kendall Campus’ Theodore R. Gibson Health Center, 11011 S.W. 104th St.
“Our goal is to win our conference, compete in the state and preferably make it to the nationals,” Redman said.
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