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FHSU's Taylor getting in the mix

12/15/2009

By CONOR NICHOLL

cnicholl@dailynews.net

At the start of the season, second-year Fort Hays State University women's basketball coach Tony Hobson was uncertain who would be his first player off the bench. Hobson had brought in multiple talented junior college transfers and freshmen, including Ellis native Whitney Taylor. Hobson thought Taylor would be "somewhere in the nine- or 10-person rotation," but Taylor struggled in the preseason.

Once the games started, Taylor has continually played well and taken over as Fort Hays' first player off the bench. Taylor leads all reserves in points (6.1 per contest), minutes played (18.1) and ranks second among all Tigers in field goal percentage (52.4). In addition, Taylor has picked up 11 steals and often has guarded the opponent's point guard. She has delivered several seminal performances, including late free throws to secure a victory at University of Nebraska-Kearney and a 10-point, 28-minute effort against conference foe Northwest Missouri State University.

"Whitney has really settled into a role and I think she is way more comfortable than she was and she is making some plays offensively," Hobson said. "Her mistakes have been cut down drastically from what they were earlier. She is just doing a good job off the bench."

Helped by Taylor, the Tigers are off to an 8-1 start, including a 2-1 record in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association. A win Wednesday would give the Tigers their first 9-1 start since the NAIA national championship team in 1990-91.

"We have to enjoy where we are at right now, but not be too satisfied with it because it's just so early," Hobson said.

Fort Hays will play its last non-conference game of the season and final contest before Christmas break on Wednesday against Doane (Neb.) College, an NAIA opponent. Game time is scheduled for 6 p.m. -- not 7 p.m., as was printed on season tickets -- at Gross Memorial Coliseum.

Doane (6-6) already has beaten Sterling College, ranked nationally in NAIA. Wednesday's game and Friday's men's contest against Bethel College will be faculty appreciation night. All faculty and staff at Fort Hays receive free admission to the games.

"They will be stronger than Bethany, they will be stronger than Northwest Oklahoma for sure," Hobson said of Doane. "A good notch better."

Taylor has impressed in the early season. A two-time first team all-state player and the HDN Girls' Basketball Player of the Year last spring, Taylor often was faster and more athletic than any opponent. At the collegiate level, Taylor's athleticism and preparation has still helped.

"Settling in and getting a little more comfortable with the other players out on the floor being at the same level as she is physically," Hobson said of the 5-foot-8 Taylor. "That's a big adjustment for her because most of her career, she has either been able to go over them or around them. Now she is still physically superior to a lot of players, but not all of them.

"She is going to have players that are as quick as her and can jump like her. That was an adjustment. Just learning everything is hard for any freshman. But she is a very hard worker. She has really studied a lot off the floor for basketball, watching extra film, doing extra workouts. I knew it was just a matter of time," Hobson added.

Taylor also has played through any knee problems. Her senior year in high school was limited to just 14 games because of a torn anterior cruciate ligament suffered in volleyball. Taylor recovered in under four months, completed a basketball and state championship track season and has played in every game for Fort Hays this year.

"She has had some pain in it," Hobson said. "I think that might come a little bit from maybe coming back so quick. But Whitney Taylor is a physical specimen. She is special. With her, just the way she works and her work ethic, I think she rehabbed it very well. Just the amount of muscle that she has, her body composition isn't normal."

In the first game of the season, Taylor played eight minutes, yet scored six points, with baskets on steals and fast-break layups, plays that Ellis fans had seen many times during the last four years. Against Nebraska-Kearney, Taylor entered late in the game after senior guard Audra Binford had fouled out. She sank 3-of-4 free throws and secured a 55-50 win.

"Whitney certainly came through," Hobson said. "I just think it was a good boost in confidence. It was a big play for us because we needed them to win the game, so it was a good situation for a freshman to be in and survive."

Defensively, Hobson has not wanted senior point guard Naomi Bancroft to "chase the ball around" defensively. When opponents bring the ball up the floor defensively, either senior guard Kayla Klug or Taylor guards the ball handler. It's helped hold opponents to 54.3 points per contest, second-best in the conference.

"I think Whitney is taking full advantage of her opportunity and we really like what we see out of her," Hobson said. "She really gives us a good spark and really picks us up defensively just because of her quickness."

Biel recovering



Senior forward Erica Biel set two school records, led the conference in minutes played and averaged 16 points, 11 rebounds and 36 minutes a night for the Tigers last season. Her performance yielded first team all-conference honors. In the preseason, Biel suffered flu-like symptoms in a three-week stretch and lost 10 pounds. Biel is healthier now, but she still has not gained back the weight.

Helped by the new recruits, Biel has not had to play as much as 2008-09. She is averaging 9.2 points and 6.6 rebounds in 26.3 minutes a game.

"She is just starting to get that (strength) back and you see a lot of games out of her now where she is getting 10 (points), 8 (rebounds)," Hobson said. "If she was playing another 12 minutes, you would probably see the 14-10. I think it's a combination of less minutes and I think she is still trying to get back a little bit of her strength that she lost. ... Hope by Christmas (she) can start feeling better and come back stronger."

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