Spartan Echo

Section: Sports

Media Credit: NSUSpartans.com Head Interim Coach Debra Clark

Media Credit: NSUSpartans.com Marquilla Evans is leading the Spartans in points and rebounds

Media Credit: NSUSpartans.com Point guard Whitney Long is second in points for the Spartans leads the team with 10 steals

Last season, the Norfolk State women's basketball team suffered a 1-27 record. In the off-season they looked for a new coach and found someone from the team's past. The present interim coach, Debra Clark, was an assistant coach at NSU from 1987-1994 and jumped at the opportunity to become the interim head coach.

"This is where I started my coaching career and it was a thing with timing where I was here teaching here and the previous coach decided to resign," Clark said.

With the team having major issues last season, she knew that the work to get the team back in contention would not be easy.

Regarding the task at hand Coach Clark said, "We have to continue to work hard, get the quality student-athletes, and just have a good work ethic."

It seems that the team is buying into what she is saying. The first game of the season, the team lost by 17 to George Mason and it looked like a repeat of last year. In their second game against Wofford, the team showed promise when they lost in overtime by two points. The home opener against St. Paul's was when the team broke their seven game losing streak by beating the Lady Tigers 78-74.

Coach Clark did something unusual when she started five guards in the St. Paul's game.

"I'm to the position where I'm putting the best people that are practicing well and working hard," Clark said.

It worked out in the end and the team is moving forward with confidence. The team only has one senior and seems to be improving with their tough defense and players like Whitney Long and Marquilla Evans are providing the points. Evans' 12 points per game and 5.2 rebounds per game lead the Spartans. Long is second in scoring with 11 points per game and is tied with teammate Recca Trice with 10 steals.

Hopefully The Spartans can continue on their progress and maintain confidence. Even though they are playing well now, the season is long and arduous and the real test begins in conference play. The first MEAC test for Coach Clark and the Spartans is Dec. 5 when they take on the North Carolina A&T Aggies.

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