If basketball teams were just like The Simpsons, the ETSU Lady Buccaneers would be in good shape because they could come back as long as they wanted to.
But unfortunately for ETSU, this is not a cartoon.
The Lady Bucs will be replacing headlining stars like Angie Fickes, Erica Babb, Shawn Thompson and Rachel Glass from last year’s squad that finished 15-12 overall and advanced to the semifinals of the Southern Conference Tournament.
ETSU has only two seniors on their squad, leaving them with many question marks.
ETSU Head Coach Karen Kemp was reluctant to say that this would be a rebuilding season.
“Let’s call it a reloading year,” Kemp said. “We’re going to be extremely young after graduating those four we had last year. I don’t anticipate being world-beaters at the beginning, but I think as we get some games under our belt, we will improve and hopefully be ready for our conference games. But yes, this is definitely a rebuilding situation.”
Matters have been complicated even more by the loss of senior Leslie Burleson to an anterior cruciate ligament injury she suffered in the Southern Conference Tournament last season. She looks doubtful for this season, but only time will tell.
“I’ve been in rehab for the injury and scar tissue keeps building up.” Burleson said. “We’re trying to break that loose so I can get back to playing. I hate standing there watching them practice because more and more I want to be out there on the floor and I know I can’t until I get better.”
With Burleson out, the senior leadership falls on Chris Forman. She is entering her fourth year as a starter. Last season she averaged 8.3 points per contest.
Forman was a point guard in high school, but moved to shooting guard when she arrived at ETSU. She may go back to playing point with the loss of Fickes, but the jury is still out on that.
“I don’t know if she will be at the point or if she will be at the two,” Kemp said. “She’s become accustomed to the two. She’s gotten real comfortable with that spot, but she’s one of those players who would try to play post if I asked her to play post. If we need her at the point that’s where she’ll run.”
Forman is excited about her increased leadership role.
“I look forward to being a leader,” Forman said. “It feels natural to me.”
Kemp is impressed with her freshmen class that includes Lauren Trantham and Raquel Ellis. Trantham is expected to start when the Lady Bucs open their season at Tennessee Tech Nov. 21.
Starting at post will be Misty Copas. She was a major scoring threat in high school at Sullivan North and now looks to do the same with the Lady Bucs.
“She has really looked good in practice,” Kemp said. “She can definitely put points on the board.”
Having Thompson and Babb around last year helped Copas become a better player.
“Having two really good post players will naturally make you better,” Kemp said. “This year she realizes that we need her and she has stepped it up.”
Megan Jackson will be the other post as she returns from a foot injury that sidelined her most of last season. Erin Thurman will join Forman in the backcourt.
The rest of the ETSU squad includes Samantha Copeland, Ann Marie Gates, Shona Johnson, Kiya Verdell, Joi Anderson and Jessica Lonon.
Kemp expects this smaller ETSU squad to be more of a perimeter team.
“We’re not as big as we have been in the past,” Kemp said. “We have always been up tempo, but this year it will probably be a lot more. Defensively we will probably do a lot more full court pressing. Overall we’re probably going to be quicker, but we just don’t have the size.”
Kemp was one of nine Southern Conference coaches to pick Chattanooga to win the Southern Conference. ETSU was picked fifth by her coaching counterparts.
“When you graduate Angie Fickes, Shawn Thompson, Erica Babb and Rachel Glass, you lose a lot of points,” Kemp said. “With a young team you don’t expect to be picked real high.”
It will be a while before ETSU fans get to see the Lady Bucs in Johnson City.
They will be on the road until Dec. 30, when they will open their home campaign against the Wofford Terriers at 3 p.m. in the Memorial Center.

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