When Capilano University women's basketball coach Ramin Sadaghiani is looking for proof of his team's power and potential this season, his first glance isn't onto the floor at his starting five, but rather down onto the bench.
That's where third-year forward Carmel M'Bikata has been stationed at the start of games throughout the preseason, now coming in as the first substitute after playing as a starter earlier in her career. Though the move may have been viewed as a demotion by some players, potentially causing a dip in performance, it's been the exact opposite for M'Bikata, according to Sadaghiani.
"She's had an amazing start to the year," he says. "She's been our most consistent player, every game we've played her.... It's not like she's getting less minutes, it's just a different role for her. She's accepted it and she's kind of thrived under it. It's been great."
That performance typifies this year's team, Sadaghiani says, giving him high hopes for what the Blues will be able to accomplish in the tough PacWest league. "It kind of shows the character of the team - no one really cares about their own individual success," he says. "I think this year with our team I get a different feeling in that sense where everyone is willing to sacrifice a little bit of their individual success or fame or whatever you want to call it ... for the betterment of the team. That's kind of the difference between this year's and last year's teams. I felt last year we were maybe a bit more selfish, our chemistry wasn't as good, and this year the girls are all on the same page and all we care about is the final score and trying to win each game."
That culture change comes with a team stocked full of veterans, including seven players who have already played at least two seasons of post-secondary ball. "I feel like we're more mature, we've got a lot more leadership. For some of our girls this is their third or fourth year, so I feel like we're kind of gluing as a team. Our rookies from a few years ago are now veterans," he says. "I definitely think it's the best chemistry we've had as a team off the court. The girls are best friends off the court, they really get along in the locker room. On the court their chemistry has been really good as well. Everybody understands the system now. They've been here before."
The wisest elders on the team are Michelle Errico and Jennafer Palma, both entering their fifth and final years of eligibility. Palma missed all of last season with a knee injury so she's actually been a member of the Blues for six years.
"She brings so much leadership," says Sadaghiani. "It's kind of that instant respect in the locker room.... She was part of a championship team in her rookie year. She understands what it takes to win a PacWest championship and I think the girls really look up to her."
Errico, meanwhile, will be counted on as the lead gunner in Capilano's balanced offensive attack.
"Michelle can score in so many different ways," says Sadaghiani. "We're pretty balanced but at the end of the day your scorers have to be your scorers when the game is on the line. I think that's what we lacked a bit last year, in the playoffs especially. When we needed somebody to score or take a big shot, we didn't really have that. I think Michelle understands it's her fifth year, she's playing with a lot more urgency. I think we are going to kind of rely on her when the game is on the line. She's shown that she can do that so far in preseason."
She'll have a new scoring threat alongside her that she is very familiar with: her younger sister Sherrie Errico, who transferred to Capilano after a year at the University of Victoria.
"I guess it runs in the family," says Sadaghiani with a laugh. "She's a very talented offensive player, can shoot the ball. Very similar to Michelle in that way.... Michelle and Sherrie have been wanting to play with each other for a few years now. They have great on-court chemistry together and I think they're having a great time. I know Michelle, being in her fifth year, really appreciates the opportunity to play with her sister. I think they're going to make the most of it."
Karyn Nelson will start at centre for the Blues coming off a season in which she joined Michelle on the PacWest second all-star team. "She's a bit of an undersized post but she's got great footwork, great post moves," says Sadaghiani. "She's a very skilled player. I think she gives opponents fits because she has a lot of different tools in her repertoire." Rounding out the starting lineup will be third-year guard Ashley De La Cruz Yip, who led the league in assists last season, and forward Amber Kavanagh, a versatile fourth-year player who transferred from Kwantlen to Capilano.
Last season the Blues made a strong run to the provincial championships but were upset by Camosun in the opening round. With the core of that team back and new weapons added, this year's squad appears poised to better that result, although Sadaghiani isn't keen to make any predictions.
"I think we have the ability to compete for a championship, but we don't want to be talking championship or anything like that," he says. "There's a lot of strong teams. I wouldn't be able to tell you who is the preseason favourite. VIU is strong, Camosun who beat us in the playoffs is strong again, Douglas College is strong. I think we're going to be challenged every night."
The Blues will be challenged right off the bat when they play Douglas in the season opener on Halloween night. They'll stay close to home for two more tough games the following weekend, hosting Camosun Nov. 6 and Vancouver Island University Nov. 7.
"Those are three of the tougher teams in our league," says Sadaghiani. "It's going to be like, let's see where we're at."
The season opener will be held at the Capilano Sportsplex Oct. 31. Tip-off against Douglas will be 5 p.m. for the women with the men to follow at 7 p.m.
