Lady T-Bird Basketball, 2024 Region 9 Champs, returns eight and welcomes five
The Casper College Lady Thunderbirds basketball team has been in their preseason workout period and began their official practices on Oct. 1.
The team has been working under Head Coach Dwight Gunnare and Assistant Coach Nate Macy. Already, Gunnare likes what he sees: “Our preseason workouts have been going very well. It is really beneficial to have eight returners, including two starters from our successful 2023-24 team.” The Birds open their regular season on Friday, Nov. 1, at the Snow College Classic hosted by the Snow College Badgers.
According to Gunnare, the sophomores have already provided influential leadership to the freshmen learning his system. “We are trending toward another strong season!” Gunnare enthusiastically noted. Last year’s team ended the 2023-24 season with a finish in the top 16 at the NJCAA National Tournament and a record of 29-6.
Last season, Andi Schissler scored 13.1 points per game, shot 42% from behind the arc and 84% from the free throw line, and was selected to the All-North Subregion Team and the Region 9 Tournament Team. The 5’9” guard comes from Kersey, Colorado.
Adama Badjie: knocked down 6.9 points per game, 5.4 rebounds, and 88 assists for 2.5 per game. The 5’10” guard comes to Casper from Mataro, Barcelona, Spain. Olivia Ogston: 4.7 points per game — shot 39% from behind the arc and 89% from the free throw line. Another guard, the 5’10” Ogston, is from Darley Vic, Australia.
Paula Barajas Ruiz scored 2.9 points per game. The 6’1” forward calls Badalona, Spain, home. Scoring 2.5 points per game with a 1.70 assist-to-turnover ratio, Saioa San Francisco is a 5’6” guard from Pamplona, Spain.
Arantxa Concepcion, a 5’10 “forward from Franqueses del Valles, Spain, scored 1.3 points per game. Xenia Fabregas, a 5’6” guard from Xamba, Spain, scored 1.2 points per game.
Brooke Wright, a medical redshirt from last season, is a 5’8” guard from Douglas, Wyoming.
This year’s new players include Spaniards Hassana Amadu from Vic, Barcelona, and Marina Concepcion from Franqueses del Valles. Both will play the guard position: Amadu at 5’8” and Concepcion at 5’7.”
Two freshmen forwards come from Hungary: 5’11” Alexandra Acs from Zalaegerseg and 6’1” Csenge Szomszed from Hort. The final new freshman is 5’5” guard Luna Ueda from Tokyo.