Landing Page
Special Projects
This story is part of a series of specially designed stories that represents some of the best journalism The Post has to offer. Check out the rest of the special projects here.
05.31.18
Taylor Agler was an important player for Ohio. A redshirt senior last season, Agler knew how to run coach Bob Boldon’s offense.
While Agler’s leadership will be missed, the Bobcats are still positioned to be a competitive team in the upcoming season. Agler was the only senior the Bobcats lost, but the rest of the team’s core is coming back. A starting lineup of Amani Burke, Cierra Hooks, Gabby Burris, Katie Barker and Dominique Doseck is possible for the upcoming season.
The Bobcats lost to Miami in the quarterfinals of the Mid-American Conference Tournament last season. Last season was the first time since the 2013-14 season that Ohio didn’t finish with 20 or more wins. The Bobcats played inconsistently on offense, and they didn’t shoot well.
While lacking a true interior defender, the Bobcats had one of the best perimeter defenses in the MAC. Hooks was the team’s leader on defense in her freshman season. She was named MAC Freshman of the Year.
Emilee Chinn | PHOTO EDITOR
Ohio University's Amani Burke makes her way to the basket during Ohio's game against Northern Illinois on Jan. 24, 2018. The Bobcats defeated the Huskies 77-75.
With her quickness, she could stay in front of players. On top of that, she showed an ability to rip the ball away from players for steals. Hooks broke Ohio’s single-season steals record, tallying 100 on the season. She also finished ninth in the country for steals per game.
Along with Hooks coming back to lead the Bobcats on defense, Burke is primed for a breakout year. Burke wasn’t consistent on offense when she started the season, but she closed the season well. In her last nine games, Burke averaged 13.8 points per game and shot 44.3 percent from the field.
Hooks and Burke were the team’s top two scorers last season, so it’ll be important for them to continue producing on the offensive end. They both drive to the basket well, and Boldon’s offense is predicated on quality spacing.
This is where shooters such as Barker and Doseck come in. Burke and Hooks can make defenses collapse because of their ability to score at the rim.
But when defenses start to defend the drive more, Burke or Hooks can pass the ball out to a shooter such as Barker or Doseck for open jumpers.
Aside from the Bobcats’ core, their depth should prove to be viable again. The Bobcats will have Kendall Jessing and Olivia Bower, two players who averaged career highs in minutes per game last season.
Jessing started 25 games, and she provided energy on both ends of the floor. She got easy baskets in transition whenever the Bobcats pushed the ball up the floor. When Bower got on the floor, she proved that she can make open jump shots as well as run the offense for spurts.
Alexis Stover, who was a freshman last season, will also be another key player. Stover averaged 10.4 minutes per game, and her greatest strength was defense.
Stover is 5-feet-11, but she showed quality lateral quickness and was able to defend guards on the perimeter. Stover’s set of skills is only one example of how skilled the Bobcats are. Boldon likes having multiple ball handlers on the floor, and he also likes having shooters to space the floor.
Though the Bobcats lost Agler, their modern offense and solid defense is set to help them succeed in the upcoming season.
Landing Page
This story is part of a series of specially designed stories that represents some of the best journalism The Post has to offer. Check out the rest of the special projects here.