Pirates bring new coach, new hope to 2019-20 season!

The 2019-20 season for the Orange Coast College women's basketball program kicks off a new era for the Pirate program with new head coach Sammy Doucette as she and her small, but feisty roster of players look to keep alive the winning tradition of years past.

"We've affectionately called ourselves the 'misfits' … it's a group with a bunch of different personalities, but it's a group that's working incredibly hard and we are getting better and better each day," Doucette said. "I love their attitudes and they're all getting along as friends, which is great to see. We just all need to get on the same page and build that trust and familiarity. We started late as a group and we are still learning. For now, it's about getting people on the court and all working as one collective unit."

OCC has two players back from last year's program – guard Violet Cisneros and center Monet Oncu. Cisneros, a 5'5 sophomore from Santa Ana Valley HS, played in 22 of 24 games for the Pirates last year with 13 starts and averaged 4.6 points and 5.2 rebounds per game. She was playing some of her best basketball near the end of last season, with a 19-point, 10-rebound performance against Copper Mountain on Feb. 12 and a 12-point, 11-rebound effort against Saddleback just two nights later.

"Violet came in lacking a little confidence, but now, she's really coming out of her shell and it's really helping her game," Doucette said. "We will need her to be one of our leaders this year and help the first-year girls get acclimated with playing at this level."

Oncu, a 6'0 sophomore from Fountain Valley HS, was a steady force for the Pirates last year, averaging 11.6 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. In 16 games played last year, Oncu reached double figures in scoring 12 times, including back-to-back 19-point nights against Santa Ana (Jan. 11) and Riverside (Jan. 16).

"Monet has been banged up a bit, but if we can keep her healthy, she will be a big part of our team," Doucette said of Oncu. "Both of our returning players have bought into the new system since Day 1 and both weren't too happy with last year's results so they are out to help return the program back to where it was."

Among the newcomers for the Pirates this year, one to keep an eye on is 5'5 guard Gracelynn Figueroa, who came to OCC after playing at powerhouse Mater Dei HS. "Gracelynn is the type of player that just gets everything done," Doucette said. "She shows up every day ready to play and get better and she has been doing just that."

Joining Figueroa on the Pirates this year is 5'7 guard Anna Hollister, who transferred to OCC from Holy Names University. As a standout at Quincy HS, she was an all-league selection and two-time team captain her junior and senior years and she led her conference in 3-point shooting. "Anna is a high-energy type player who, when she's healthy, goes on the court with a lot of confidence," Doucette said. "We are looking forward to some big things from Anna at OCC."

After a three-year layoff from basketball, freshman forward Lea Adame comes to the Pirates after playing at Great Oak HS in Temecula. She also averaged 10.5 points per game playing for the Temecula Triple Threat club basketball team, where she was a shooting guard and forward. "After being away from basketball for three years, Lea's game is really coming together fast," Doucette said. "There was a time where she hated basketball, but she's come here with a fresh start and she's got the makings of being a captain for our team."

Adding to the depth for the Pirates are freshman guards Kayleen Huang and Edna Medina and 5'8 freshman forward Crystal Hernandez.

"All three of these girls bring energy and an incredible work ethic and on a team this small, we will be relying on everyone to give us quality minutes night in and night out," Doucette said. "It's just a matter of getting as many reps as possible and finding that right combination for us."

With the season quickly approaching, Doucette still is looking for that finished product for the Pirates this year, but there's no denying the effort she sees from this group. "They do the things I ask of them and that's all any coach can ask for," Doucette said. "We will all keep working hard and learning as a group and hopefully, this will be the start of something special here at Orange Coast."