As the Georgia women’s basketball team began practice Tuesday for the 2016-17 season, there was plenty of “committee” talk from coach Joni Taylor.
The Lady Bulldogs graduated four key seniors from last year’s team — which went 21-10 (9-7 in the Southeastern Conference) and returned to the NCAA Tournament after a year’s absence — and Taylor is anxious to see who steps forward to provide team leadership.
“Right now, it’s leadership by committee,” Taylor, now in her second season leading Georgia, said. “I wouldn’t say we have a leader. We lost four seniors that were great for us from that standpoint and that’s been our message all summer and fall – who’s going to lead us? I’m not ready to say yet who the leaders are, so we’re leading by committee.”
Also, Taylor and her husband Darius are expecting their first baby, a daughter, on the same day the Lady Bulldogs open the season, Nov. 11 against South Carolina State. Although Karen Langley will be in charge in Taylor’s absence, Taylor was adamant that all coaches will play a key role.
For the first game, “I’m either going to be in the hospital or I’m going to be coaching a game,” Taylor said. “The plan is for me to be on the floor, and if she does come on the 11th, then Karen and the other coaches will coach the game. We’ve transitioned that way all summer.
“What’s good about that for us we’re coached by committee. It’s not me — it’s all of us. They’re used to hearing Karen’s voice and Chelsea’s (Newton) voice and Rob’s (Mosley) voice. It’s not going to be anything unusual for them to be given direction that’s not from me. They’ll be the ones making the calls and decisions when I step away.”
And the final committee will no doubt be a joyous one, as Taylor’s baby will no doubt have a strong presence among the team.
“(We’re) just taking it day by day,” Taylor said. “We’re excited and the team’s excited. We’ve tried to put a plan in place for this year. She’s going to be around and it’s going to be babysit by committee, and I think everybody’s excited for that.”
Even with a baby and without those four seniors, the campaign already figured to be a challenging one as the Lady Bulldogs will only suit up eight players for what promises to be a rugged season.
• View more photos from the practice session.
Fortunately for Georgia, there are some steady hands in seniors Pachis Roberts (5 ppg, 4.3 rpg), Halle Washington (3.4 ppg, 3.1 rpg) and Shanea Armbrister (2.2 ppg, 1.1 rpg), and the Lady Bulldogs also have seasoned returnees Caliya Robinson (8.0 ppg, 5.7 rpg), Haley Clark (1.7 ppg, 1.4 rpg) and Mackenzie Engram (7.9 ppg, 4.8 rpg).
“I’m most excited about starting my senior season. I’ve actually made it,” Roberts said.
“I’m excited because I’m ready to see what it’s going to be like,” Robinson added. “I know it’s going to be harder than it was because we’re down a couple of people, so I’m just ready.”
Although Engram is not a new face, it’s like she’s starting over as she was only able to play in 16 games last season before being felled by pericarditis, a fluid buildup on the membrane surrounding the heart that caused her considerable chest pain when her heart rate increased.
Taylor said Engram had a bit of a setback a week ago but expressed confidence the 6-foot-2 junior would be 100 percent by the time the season begins.
“Last year, when she went out, it was devastating for all of us,” Taylor said of Engram. “But I think it just lit her on fire even more this summer. She’s been great all summer in terms of what she’s doing on the practice floor. Her conditioning is really, really good and she’s one of those kids that’s trying to be a leader. She’s obviously going to help us from an experience standpoint.”
An SEC All-Freshman Team selection in 2015, Engram prefers to consider the silver lining rather than the dark cloud that characterized her sophomore year.
“It was so tough, especially not being able to play with the four seniors we had,” she said. “I took it as a learning experience and I think it was a blessing in disguise. It allowed me to sit back and view the game a lot more. I feel my IQ has increased and overall I’m a better basketball player because of it.”
And even though the Lady Bulldogs may be short on numbers as the season begins, Taylor has not wavered from her desire to see her team get up and down the floor. In fact, Georgia’s slogan for the season is “Run As One.”
“That is still who we are — that is still our philosophy,” Taylor said. “Obviously we’re still short on players this year, but that’s not going to be an excuse. Nobody’s going to feel sorry for us — we don’t. We’ve already talked about what we can do with those numbers and how everybody’s going to buy in and contribute so we still want to run and play fast.”
