By Evan Sandel
The Scene staff
The St. Louis Community College women’s basketball team is off to a hot start this year, losing only one of their first eight games.
At this rate, the Lady Archers are poised to improve on a successful 2012-13 season, which ended with a 19-9 record and NJCAA tournament game win.
But head coach Shelly Ethridge isn’t looking that far down the road.
“We’re just focusing on improving, playing good basketball and taking it one game at a time,” she said.
Etheridge has coached women’s basketball for 14 years, including seven consecutive winning seasons at University of Missouri-St. Louis. She came to St. Louis Community College in 2009.
Etheridge’s lifetime record is 246-141. She was twice named Great Rivers Coach of the Year while at Southwestern Illinois College in Belleville, Ill.
“The secret is surrounding yourself with good people,” she said. “I’ve been blessed to work with some really talented people, both players and staff.”
Ethridge is continuing that tradition with a wealth of talent on the court this season.
Center Zuri Hill averages a double-double and shoots 58 percent from the field. Her 11.8 rebounds per game is the 12th best average in Division II women’s basketball.
“Zuri’s a natural athlete in the post position,” Ethridge said. “(She is) an important part of our team on both ends.”
Hill, 20, is a sophomore who transferred to St. Louis Community College after her freshman year at Ball State University in Indiana. She’s majoring in psychology.
“I chose to transfer from Ball State because I was seeking a better atmosphere and a higher level of coaching,” she said. “I’m really getting that here. Coach Ethridge is great.”
Another key player is Kalah Martin, the Lady Archers’ only returning player this season.
The 19-year-old sophomore guard averages 14 points per game and leads the team in assists with 27.
“My role is just to play a complete game on both ends of the floor,” Martin said. “I tend to lead through actions more than vocally, and I think the team appreciates my work ethic.”
Martin is a general transfer student who attended Kirkwood High School. As a returning player, she is most familiar with the coaching staff and speaks highly of them.
“They are patient and have great knowledge of the game,” she said. “I recognize the work they put into it. They take the time to work with everyone individually, and you can tell they really care.”
Ethridge and assistant coach Melanie Marcy made an unusual decision this season, allowing team members to elect their own captains.
They chose Hill and Martin as co-captains.
“I felt like it was important for the student athletes to elect people they were going to respect and work well with,” Etheridge said. “After all, they’re the ones who are going to have to listen to (the captains) when they give direction.”
Another key player on the team is freshman forward Deborah Holcomb. She’s leading the team in points per game and steals with 118 and 21, respectively.
Etheridge is happy with the Lady Archers’ early success, but she isn’t getting ahead of herself.
“We’re not really looking at the tournament right now,” she said. “I try to avoid expectations. We only have one returning player, Kayla, and it takes time to gel and develop that team chemistry, which is what’s really necessary to win a big game.”