The Allen Community College Red Devil women’s basketball team came within a whisker of playing for the program’s first ever Region VI championship last spring.
The secret to repeating that success with an almost entirely new roster for 2024-25, is by relying on time-tested values and systems, said ACC head coach Leslie Crane.
Crane announced this week the signings of 11 players, including signees from New Zealand, Spain and Italy, and all of whom have arrived on campus for the upcoming season.
“It’s going to be a completely different team, but our values and our team concepts and our team systems won’t change,” Crane said. “We are very pleased with our newcomers. Joining Allen this year are guards Nikki Gear from Auckland, New Zealand; Aiyanna Mason from Cache, Okla.; Juana Rojas from Barcelona, Spain; Delta Shaw from Christchurch, New Zealand; and Nevaeh Stone from New York City.”
Crane also signed a trio of players who can suit up at guard or forward, Alex Bunch from Fort Smith, Ark.; Tawhirikura Doyle from Wellington, New Zealand; and Marta Cutazzo from Trieste, Italy.
Forwards and post players joining ACC this season are Aaliyah Brown from Colony, Texas; Ja’mya Garland from Gurdon, Ark.; and Adriana Lovett from Thornton, Colo.
“All of these women have played at higher levels already,” Crane said. “Those experiences will give them the tools to succeed at the college level.
“It helps knowing all of our kids have a high basketball IQ,” she continued. “They understand and catch onto things very quickly.”
While winning is nice — the Red Devils have won 51 games over the past three seasons, more than the previous nine seasons combined — a community college coach’s focus also includes preparing players for four-year schools.
To that end, Crane expects all 11 newcomers to learn at least two positions
“As a coach, you’re putting the new players together, and you think you know where they’ll fit in,” she said. “But there are a lot of times you’re pleasantly surprised.”
With only one returning player, guard Mafalda Chambel, it’s up to Crane to mold a productive team on and off the court.
“Coaches are creators,” Crane said. “They re-create themselves and their systems every year. They may run the same system, but you put different people in it each year. This will test my creative side.”
Speaking of Chambel, Crane said she expects the sophomore to take a leading role on the 2024-25 Red Devil squad.
“She’s got a powerful voice,” Crane said. “She’s gonna be excited with all of the newcomers. She’s got a lot of knowledge to impart to her teammates. I’m looking for her to have an even better year for us than she had last year. She understands what our expectations are.”
