Freshman exceed expectations of women’s hoops coach
Raegan Scott-Pebley is expecting.
The Utah State women’s basketball coach will give birth to her and her husband Keith’s first baby early this summer.
And although the pregnancy could be explained as a little unexpected — she said they were looking at a couple of more years down the road or even adoption — the timing turned out pretty well.
“You could not ask for better timing in coaching,” Scott-Pebley said. “There is really no good time to have a kid [in coaching] because there is such a cycle. There is always something going on and in that moment it feels like the biggest, most important thing that you can focus on.
“But this is, I think, a pretty decent time. It goes a little bit into recruiting, but recruiting for this next year is going to be a walk in the park compared to what we had to do this past year.”
And starting from scratch isn’t an easy task. Scott-Pebley, along with assistant John Bartleson, have exceeded the expectations of most everyone though, with the current recruiting class.
On Dec. 3, Utah State signed Tiffany Peterson (Orem High School) and Brittany Hagen (Gillette, Wyo.). Two days later, the Aggie inked Christina Zdenek (West Hill, Calif.) and Anne-Marie Torp (Louisville, Colo.).
“We are really excited about all of them,” Scott-Pebley said. “It’s a really good feeling when you sign some kids and — then after you sign them — you get more excited.”
Peterson, whose sister Stephanie Grant is already a member of the squad, has been having a lot of success in high school. The 5-foot-11 shooting guard is averaging 19 points per game and was the MVP of her four-team bracket in Phoenix’s Nike Tournament in December.
Scott-Pebley said Peterson did well holding her own against other girls who are likely going to major Division I programs.
“She’s not even close to reaching her potential,” Scott-Pebley said.
Hagen, who is known as one of the better players in Wyoming, turned heads at the Arizona tournament as well. Scott-Pebley said Hagen was playing in the top bracket against schools such as Christ the King, which produced stars Sue Bird and Chamique Holdsclaw.
“She was hitting 3s,” Scott-Pebley said of the 6-foot-1 power forward. “She was making awesome moves, getting steals — she was just all over the place.
“You could see college coaches checking their book, wondering who that Copy Ed 1/28/03 kid? kids was. After the game they went up to her coach, thinking she was unsigned, and that they’ve all found their diamond in the rough. The coach, who is a friend of mine, would tell them she’s going to Utah State and they’d say ‘Utah State, they don’t even have a program.’ I felt really good about that.”
Another player who is finding Copy Ed 1/28/03 success? successful on the court is the 5-foot-7 point guard Zdenek. Scott-Pebley said she is averaging 24 points per game for a team that has only lost two games this season.
Zdenek was also the MVP of a tournament held in Santa Barbara over Christmas Break.
“She’s turning a lot of heads and people are wishing they would have recruited her,” Scott-Pebley said.
Torp, who Scott-Pebley said she has known for a long time because of her involvement with camps in Colorado, is currently playing under Gail Hook. Hook is a former ABL and Purdue coach.
“I feel good about them all,” Scott-Pebley said. “There is no question in my mind that all four of them are going to be able to come in and contribute right away.”
Not only on, but off the court as well. Having her own basketball team lends to plenty of instant babysitters.
Currently on campus
Scott-Pebley said the five redshirting players on campus last semester, (Grant, Salli Fiefia, Jessica Freeman, Virginia Jennings and Brittany Tressler) combined for an average 3.2 GPA, and still putting in time on the court and in the gym.
This semester will be even more challenging, though.
“We were inconsistent in how many times a week we practiced,” she said. “It’s hard to do a lot of teaching when one week you’re practicing twice, another you are practicing Copy Ed 1/28/03 once or one time, not both? once time. It was because we were on the road so much doing recruiting that we just had to.”
She said the team will practice Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday for an hour and a half this semester. There are six guys who are good players that come in and condition with the team.
Scott-Pebley said the reason for the vigorous schedule is easy.
“I want to make it as similar to next year as possible,” she said. “I don’t want them to go a whole year without playing in a game-like situation.”
More coaches
Aside from Bartleson, Scott-Pebley still has two more assistant coaches to hire. She said Copy Ed 1/28/03 she the hiring? she the hiring would most likely happen around Final Four time when the domino effect of hiring and firing goes on.
If someone who comes across looks good though, Scott-Pebley said she would not hesitate to hire them.
And she’ll definitely need help. Because of her pregnancy, Scott-Pebley said she thinks she is starting to forget things and has noticed the difference in her physical abilities.
“There has been a couple of times where I go to demonstrate and then I’m like wow,” she said. “It probably will take more effect in June camp. You interact a lot in camp and I love camp. I’m curious to see how that is going to go.”
Scott-Pebley is currently at the end of her fourth month.