Each week we will be putting out our NAIA Hoops Report Game of the Week, with a breakdown of the game and what to expect. For this week, we put it out a little later, with the rankings coming out today and games tipping off tomorrow! Generally, this will be a Sunday post this season!
Week 1 Game of the Week: #2 Westmont @ #22 Lewis-Clark State
Probable Starters
Westmont
#10 Stefanie Berberabe 5’4 Sr
#23 Kate Goostrey 5’6 Soph
#11 Laila Saenz 5’8 RS Soph
#0 Destiny Okonkwo 5’11 Jr
#21 Sydney Brown 6’0 Sr
Lewis-Clark St
#21 Callie Stevens 5’6 Jr
#3 Adyson Clabby 5’6 Sr
#30 Hannah Broyles 5’8 Sr
#14 Maddie Holm 5’10 Jr
#12 Sara Muehlhausen 6’3 Sr
Outlook
Westmont features the early season favorite for the Women’s National Player of the Year, Stefanie Berberabe. Berberabe was the 2020-21 NPOY and was Co-GSAC POY and 1st team All-American last season. Westmont returns 4 starters, but will have to find a way to fill the production void left behind by fellow 1st team All-American selection, Iyree Jarrett. Early on look for Saenz and Brown to fill those voids, but Westmont will also be looking to Kate Goostrey (Citrus College) and the incoming Freshman to produce and help bring home another National Title this season.
Lewis-Clark State also brings back 4 starters from last season. Led by 3rd team All-American, Callie Stevens. Stevens averaged 18.3ppg last season and is always super tough to slow down. If you are a young guard, and want to see two very good guars go back and forth, this game is for you! If LCSC is going to pull off the upset here, they are going to have to use some of their size to make scoring tough on Westmont. That is easier said than done though. It is an early afternoon game for those in the East or Midwest, so if you want to catch a really fun Top 25 game to start the season, this has the makings of just that!
Other Notable Matchups
We will still have every game posted on our Schedule and Links Article each day, but to get you hyped for the weekend, here are some other notable games to look out for:
Thursday:
9pm CT – D2 Azusa Pacific @ #18 The Master’s
Friday:
6:15pm CT – RV Pikeville @ Olivet Nazarene
Saturday:
2pm CT – Langston @ LSU-Alexandria
5pm CT – Briar Cliff @ #8 Clarke
6pm CT – #15 Georgetown @ #22 Indiana Tech
