Emporia State coach Brandon Schneider sees the potential of freshmen Jocelyn Cummings and Rachel Hanf, and he pulled each aside at different times Tuesday night so he could get the most of that talent.
Learning on the job they may be, but both responded to Schneider’s lessons with performances not usually reserved for freshmen in the Lady Hornets’ 89-49 season-opening win over Benedictine.
Cummings recorded a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds, the first Lady Hornet freshman to do so in her debut since Emily Bloss in 1997, a player whose number hangs in the White Auditorium rafters.
Hanf scored 12 points and had four assists and five steals.
“I think all of our freshmen made some plays tonight that hopefully the crowd was thinking, ‘I can see why they recruited those guys,’” Schneider said. “We’ve said all along that we’re excited about our freshmen class. They’re skilled. They’re athletic, and all three of them are going to have the opportunity to be contributors in Year One.”
Cummings provided the best numbers and the best highlight of the night. Late in the first half off a steal, she dribbled down the middle of the floor, started toward the left side of the basket and spun to the other side of the rim, finishing with her right hand — and she’s a lefty.
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