Minor league offers chance for women’s hoopsters to develop

Continuity can be an elusive thing along the backroads of the minor leagues. Especially for a sport like women’s basketball.

The Beaufort Bisons went most of the season without their top two players from 2015, who saw more time on the high-school sideline than in uniform. Three players came in after their college seasons were completed.

Perhaps it’s no surprise, then, that the Bisons notched a single win during the regular season of the Women’s Blue Chip Basketball League. However, there’s another number that owner Terry Singleton is quick to cite — three.

That’s the number of Bisons who have secured contracts to play internationally. And that could go up before the summer is out.

“The program is doing what it’s supposed to do — advancing young women to play professionally overseas,” Singleton said.

And just like in the college game, there’s always tournament time. The Bisons are the host for Saturday’s four-team Atlantic Regional at Beaufort High, with the winner advancing to the WBCBL nationals in San Antonio.

Beaufort will play the top-seeded Georgia Soul in the 10:30 a.m. opener, hoping to advance to Saturday afternoon’s final. The Capital City Cougars (Columbia) and South Carolina Storm (Spartanburg) square off in the other semifinal.

For one weekend, the Bisons — led by longtime Beaufort County coach Wilbert Bryant — will have most everyone together.

“It’s not where we expected, as far as the record,” Singleton said. “Because of the players that we lost, it created a gap in the chemistry. Last place in the conference, but we might have the most dynamic team.”

Leading scorer Shaniece Brown (15.3 points) is one of those making plans overseas, recently signing with Macedonia’s Club Badel 1862. Jackie Luna-Castro, one of two recent additions from College of Charleston, has a contract with Mexico’s Soles de Ojinaga.

The Bisons also will enjoy the return of Brandy Brown, a former Colleton County and Kansas State standout who played in Spain two seasons ago. She spent this past winter on the Colleton County sideline as JV coach, but suited up in two late-season games.

“It’s basketball at a high level,” said Singleton, noting that the WBCBL also has produced one WNBA player (Brandie Hoskins) and another now touring with the Harlem Globetrotters (Ariel Mitchell).

The Bisons’ roster draws mostly from regional talent Charleston to Savannah, including four players who played their high-school basketball in the Lowcountry.

Sabrina Drammis, the Island Packet/Beaufort Gazette Player of the Year in 2012 at Hilton Head Island, has averaged 11.3 points through three games. Her debut was delayed as she finished college — earning an engineering degree from MIT.

Three other area schools are represented on the roster: Forward Amber Johnson (Ridgeland-Hardeeville) and guards Arielle McPhee (Beaufort) and Riva Jackson (Bluffton).

“There aren’t too many ways to keep in touch with some of these players,” Singleton said. “This is a chance to see them back on stage.”

This story was originally published July 22, 2016 at 7:05 PM with the headline "Minor league offers chance for women’s hoopsters to develop."