November 14, 2013
Over the course of its first two seasons as part of the NESCAC, the women’s basketball team has undergone some initial turbulence, but also strengthened its potential to move forward in the conference with more positive results this season. The Continentals have won four conference games in two years and have missed the postseason in each.
However, Hamilton improved from a single win in their inaugural season to three wins last year. A similar jump this season could vault the Continentals into the conference playoffs, providing invaluable experience for both its returners and new players.
On the roster this season are two seniors, Olivia Pimm and Dani Feigin, who will look to lead the team after its loss of three senior starters from last year. Nine of the 14 players are either first-years or sophomores, which means several underclassmen will likely hold significant rotation roles this season.
“Olivia and I are really looking forward to leaving a positive mark on such a young team,” says Feigin. “[We] don’t necessarily view the lack of upperclassmen as added pressure; I think we see it as a great opportunity to foster the young talent we have and show them what it takes to be successful.”
Hamilton has already shown a couple of indispensable on-court ingredients in creating that winning formula, namely with questionable defense that generated a plethora of turnovers last season. The Continentals stymied opposing offenses to the tune of 50.3 points per game last season, a mark that ranked fourth in the NESCAC. Hamilton also had the second-best turnover margin in the conference, and their 20.5 turnovers forced average topped the league.
Disrupting the opposition’s offensive rhythm and forcing misses is nice, but as Pimm revealed, the Continentals still have a bit of work to do in cleaning up the glass. “We’re a little bit smaller than most teams, so we’re emphasizing rebounding a lot this preseason,” said Pimm. For all their solid defensive work, Hamilton often failed to finish the possession by rebounding the ball last year. The Conts nabbed the second-lowest percentage of available defensive rebounds last season, at just a tick over 67 percent.
Offensively, the team is a bit more of a work in progress. Hamilton was ninth in the NESCAC in scoring offense, with 54.9 points per game. That figure was deflated partially due to poor shooting, as the Conts’ 35.1 field goal percentage ranked last in the conference. On the bright side, the team only turned the ball over 14.3 times per game, and the increased number of possessions allowed the offense to maximize its efficiency.
Last year’s statistics are not necessarily indicative of future results, especially given the impressive turnover rate. The athletes make up a team that excels in execution and an intense, hard-working style, which provides an invaluable foundation that the team hopes to sustain going forward.
As one of the four team captains, Feigin is excited to see where the season takes her team. “Personally, I expect that our team will wreak some havoc in the NESCAC,” she confidently asserted. “With the talent and chemistry our team has, it will be a very promising year. I think we will surprise a lot of people, and I can’t wait to see the look on their faces when we do. We’ve always been viewed as the underdog, and I still think we are. But that is about to change.”
Pimm echoed that sentiment: “I think that we’ve been navigating the transition to the NESCAC and a much higher level of competition. We’re a young team with energy and passion, and I expect us to surprise a lot of teams.”
Feigin and Pimm, along with fellow team captains Adrianna Pulford ’15 and Sam Graber ’16, are instrumental not just for their on-court contributions, but their off-court leadership. How Hamilton performs on the court remains to be seen, but it is clear they will confidently approach their third NESCAC season ready to accept the challenges.
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