Cyclones Head Coach Delwyn Jones summed up the season saying that he coached a group of talented, young women whose abilities were not defined by the season's final record and results.
When the Cyclones were on, they were on. In January, they defeated Oakton College – a nationally ranked team, undefeated at the time. In the NJCAA Region 4 quarterfinals, the Cyclones took down a team they had not yet defeated in either of their regular season matchups – Prairie State College. However, they were not consistent from game-to-game and lacked the physical size compared to some other teams.
"I still think we have a very talented team, but we did not capitalize on what we had. We had great shooting, tremendous slashers who could get to the basket and score, solid defense and speed. Normally that's the key to a 20-win season. However, this is the most competitive this region and conference has been in my 25 years coaching. We didn't have dominant teams like in the past, but the depth of the top 26 teams was such where No. 20 could beat No. 1," Jones explained.
The Cyclones finished the season 15-16 overall and 7-5 in the Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference for fourth place. The team's freshmen experienced a lot of growth, and individual honors were earned by several players.
Freshman forward Jadea Johnson (Romeoville) made a statement this season as the team's leading rebounder with several national rankings. She was No. 3 in the NJCAA Division II for field goals (242-596), No. 4 for free throws (162-228), No. 4 for defensive rebounds (229) and No. 4 with total points (646). She earned All-Conference and All-Region first team honors. "Jadea is one of the best athletes I've coached. She plays hard, 100%, gives everything she has and was always hustling," Jones said.
Freshman guard/forward Shakila Brownlow (Bremen) was another leader on the team, finishing No. 19 nationally for free throws (115-162) and earning All-Conference and All-Region second team honors. "Shakila was another one of the best players I've coached. She was so skilled and unselfish. I know she'll get even better next year," Jones noted.
The three returners – Olivia Baxa (Oak Forest), Deniza Fuentes (Richards) and Robin Stevenson (Shepard) – gave their all these last two years, which Jones said he will miss. The trio each earned All-Conference honorable mention. "Deniza was like a second coach on the floor. She made smart decisions and suggested plays. She shot consistently all year. She played tremendous defense and had strong rebounds for a 5-5 guard. Olivia, you can't find a consistent three-point shooter like her. She also played underrated defense and shut down other teams' best shooters," Jones explained. "Robin was one of the top defenders I've worked with. At 5-10, she could play every position. We were versatile because of her."
Jones expects most of the freshmen to return next year, which bodes well for the program. Freshman guard Lily Hernandez (Reavis) is a speed demon, and freshman guard Isabel Lopez (Reavis) is a solid shooter, while freshman forward/center Keira Clancy (Oak Forest) has height, all strengths which should boost the Cyclones' productivity next season. Additional incoming players also give Jones plenty to be excited for this fall.
"It was a wonderful experience with these players, a joy to coach, and all of them were coachable," Jones said. "I'm really going to miss the sophomores, but I have high expectations for the returning freshmen. Next year is going to be a great team."