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Bench players lend a hand
 Media Credit: Christine Johnson/Editor Women basketball bench players Celestine Frank, Katie Huschle, Jonelle Streed, Molly Jensen and Kristine DeGroot play big roles for this year�s Huskies team.
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Early last Friday night at Halenbeck Hall, the Huskies were grasping to an early 10-8 lead against the 23rd ranked NDSU Bison with 16 minutes left in the first half. The substitution horn sounded and in came five new Huskies.
The NDSU coaches and players and everyone else in Halenbeck that hadn't been following the Huskies closely most of the year had a confused look on their face. They began to look at their surroundings. Although this is SCSU, the hockey team was playing next door at the National Hockey Center. Why the heck would coach Lori Ulferts make a line change in a basketball game?
Five minutes later, the Huskies had an 18-8 lead thanks to the Zoo Crew, their second squad made up of Kristine DeGroot, Jonelle Streed, Celestine Frank, Katie Huschle and Molly Jensen. They received loud applause as they went back to the bench and the starting five came back in with fresh legs and a 10-point cushion. The Huskies demolished NDSU 82-47 that night and everyone in Halenbeck Hall knew why� because Ulferts made a line change and the Zoo Crew responded.
The Huskies have such a deep and talented team that they have been able to do something that is a rarity in the sport of basketball: use 10 or 11 players consistently without missing a beat.
"It's a great strategy when it works," Ulferts said. "In 18 years of coaching I've never been able to do this successfully, but it's helping us tremendously."
Although SCSU's starting lineup stole everyone's attention at the beginning of the year, the Zoo Crew is taking the NCC by storm.
The two freshman guards, Jensen and Huschle, are the personality of the Zoo Crew. They are products of pure hard work and although they are only first-year players, Huschle and Jensen take full responsibility for their roles.
"Not only do we get to play, but we get to play together against high competition," Huschle said. "This is definitely a good learning experience."
Jensen has amazing ball handling skills and is being molded into the new starting point guard after Nicole Persby graduates at the end of the year. Huschle is a talented shooter who also has great speed and the ability to play either point or shooting guard.
Junior Celest Frank is the voice of the Zoo Crew. Although she doesn't run the point, Frank is the true floor general.
"She talks and tells everyone where they should be and she's so smart," Ulferts said. "She is really the organizer because our point guard, Molly (Jensen), is a freshman."
Junior post Jonelle Streed provides the flash of the Zoo Crew. Streed has a loaded offensive arsenal with the ability to shoot from anywhere. Blessed with great court vision, she also has the ability to make difficult passes look easy.
Sophomore transfer Kristine DeGroot, at 6 foot 3, is the only true center in a Husky uniform. Although she is still slowly being worked into the system, DeGroot has shown the potential to be the Huskies' post threat of the future.
Junior Jenny Peterson has been splitting time with DeGroot in the Huskies' second squad lately, but has seen limited action this year because of a shoulder injury. If she can continue to stay healthy, the Huskies will be 11 players deep with an experienced post threat.
Having an 11 player rotation, come playoff time, will be a huge advantage for the Huskies.
"It's awesome coming in and providing that spark for the team and it's kind of nice because the starters get them tired so we can come in and pound on them," Frank said. "If the second five can continue to come in and keep the game level and even bring it up a notch, we'll be fine because there is not a team in the league that can play as many people as us."
The Huskies will need to continue to get quality minutes from their bench for the rest of the year, as they close out their season Friday night at Morningside and Saturday night against South Dakota.
Bobby Hart can be reached at: [email protected]
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