Arizona Western College women’s basketball season preview

Chelsea Dewey takes over at AWC as the Lady Matadors look to return to the NJCAA tournament.

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - After 24 seasons as the only head coach Arizona Western College women's basketball has seen, Patrick Cunningham called it a career and officially retired. Now the keys to the house have been turned to Chelsea Dewey, who has spent the past three seasons under coach cunningham's wing.

In that time, Dewey helped the Lady Matadors to the program's second ever trip to the NJCAA tournament.

However, the start to the 2023 season has been an up and down one for AWC with Matadors currently sitting at 2-3. They have struggled closing out games in the second quarter.

"Its kind of when the game gets tough, executing when the game is on line," AWC interim head coach Chelsea Dewey said. A'nd getting stops when timing matters. We have our backs against the wall without big numbers, but that is on me to get in plays down the stretch."

With only 10 players on the roster, the Lady Matadors will need to overcome the challenge of playing with low numbers 

"Slow down the game a little bit and not have to push on the offensive end," Dewey said. "So we can really d up and get rebounds. Really just play possession basketball." 

Aside from conditioning, AWC will rely on a strong mentality to overcome a short bench 

S"I'd like to say that we are a very hard working team," Dewey said. "Effort everyday, every possession."

That grit will come from leaders on the team like sophomore guard Alynna Palacios.

"I play very scrappy," Palacios. "I like getting rebounds. I like playing defense. I like doing the hard earned points so that the offense comes easy."

As the season moves along, Dewey expects her team and star players, which includes the return of Alliance Ndiba, to improve and showcase more of theirr strengths.

"Our post play, but it hasn't shown yet," Dewey said. "Alliance is very dominant, but she is a year out of playing. Once we get playing a couple more games, I know we have 5 games under our belt, but the more reps we get the better we will be in our post play."

"Time to get to know each other and learn to play with each other," freshman guard Dyvine Harris said. "As the season goes on we are going to improve. We just have to put a full game together."

The Lady Matadors will have a great opportunity to continue to gel during the Chapman Automotive Thanksgiving Classic this Friday and Saturday at Arizona Western College.