Pair of area ex-high school standouts pace Cavaliers

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Johnson County Sun 01/12/2011

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Pair of area ex-high school standouts pace Cavaliers 5:-&3 $6/%*5) SPECIAL TO THE SUN

In early November, the basketball season tipped for the Johnson County Community College men’s and women’s teams. Both carried expectations to be in the run for a national tournament appearance. Two years ago the men captured the NJCAA Division II national championship, and last year the women reached the elite eight at nationals. Now it is January, and both teams are living up to those lofty expectations. The Lady Cavaliers opened the season 12-1, holding down the No. 1 ranking for seven straight weeks. The men, meanwhile, got off to a 12-2 start and ranked seventh, marking the ďŹ rst time in school history both teams have been in the top 10 at the same time. Two major reasons why both teams’ head coaches are optimistic about playing deep into March have been the return of two area players, 6-3 sophomore guard Ryan Magdziarz out of Blue Valley High School, and Liz Smith, a 6-2 sophomore forward and Blue Valley Northwest product. As freshmen, both players were signiďŹ cant contributors to the success of their teams. Magdziarz started all but one game and averaged 12.3 points and 4.7 rebounds while dishing out 105 assists, second most on the team. Smith nearly averaged a double-double, ďŹ nishing the season at 11.9 points and 9.5 rebounds per game. She also earned all-region honors and was selected to the National All-Tournament Team. Through the ďŹ rst half of their sophomore seasons, both are the top players on

*/4*%& '03$& +$$$ TPQIPNPSF GPSXBSE -J[ 4NJUI B QSPE VDU PG #MVF 7BMMFZ /PSUIXFTU )JHI 4DIPPM JT BWFSBHJOH QPJOUT BOE SFCPVOET QFS HBNF XIJMF IJUUJOH QFSDFOU PG IFS TIPUT GPS UIF -BEZ $BWBMJFST +$$$ PQFOFE UIF TFBTPO BOE SBOLFE /P JO /+$"" %JWJTJPO ** GPS TFWFO TUSBJHIU XFFLT their respective teams. Magdziarz is averaging 17.4 points and 5.1 rebounds per game and is shooting 52 percent. He also was selected the NJCAA National Player of the Week in early December. Smith averages 13.8 points and 9.5 rebounds per contest and is knocking down 60 percent of her shots. That is tremendous production, but both say it is their work ethic and desire to succeed that has helped them get to that level of play. “I call Ryan a gym rat and a weight room rat,� men’s

head coach Mike Jeffers said. “I have not had a player who works as hard every day as he does and is so dedicated to always getting better.â€? Magdziarz realized after his junior year at Blue Valley that he needed to get to the weight room if he were going to improve as a basketball player. “I began lifting and going to the gym before my senior year because I wanted to get better,â€? Magdziarz said. “I saw the beneďŹ t of lifting my senior year and last year. I am always working hard, and I am never satisďŹ ed.â€? Smith also had a realization that for her to reach her

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"$$0-"%&4 +PIOTPO $PVOUZ $PNNVOJUZ $PMMFHF TPQIPNPSF HVBSE 3ZBO .BHE[JBS[ B GPSNFS QSFQ TUBOEPVU BU #MVF 7BMMFZ )JHI 4DIPPM BWFSBHFT QPJOUT BOE SFCPVOET QFS HBNF GPS UIF $BWBMJFST +$$$ PQFOFE UIF DBNQBJHO *O FBSMZ %FDFNCFS .BHE[JBS[ FBSOFE /+$"" /BUJPOBM 1MBZFS PG UIF 8FFL IPOPST goals she, too, needed to improve how she played the game. “I was always the tallest in high school, so I had an easier time getting to the basket,� Smith said. “Once I got here I realized I needed to work on my skills.� After the fall portion of the season last year, Smith began working with JCCC assistant coach Doug Schakel on her post moves.

The two continued working through the season, summer and this fall. Smith also has spent a lot of time working on her shot. All of her effort is geared toward one thing. “I want to go back to nationals,â€? Smith said. “Last year we really didn’t know what to expect. This year we have players back who have experienced playing there and that will beneďŹ t us.â€?

Magdziarz also has aspirations of leading his team deep into the post-season. “I didn’t know what to expect my freshman year – how we practiced, how the game day was – so I looked to the sophomores for leadership,� he said. “We are well-rounded and have a lot of players who can contribute this year, but I want to be the guy our freshmen look up to.�

,"/4"4 83&45-*/( $0"$)&4 "440$*"5*0/ 3"/,*/(4 Sun Country Only St. Thomas Aquinas Class 6A 130 (Through Dec. 30, 2010) 5. Tommy Williams, junior, 112 St. Thomas Aquinas 6. Matt Paxton, sophomore, 160 Blue Valley West 4. Johnny Perz, sophomore, 125 St. Thomas Aquinas 2. Tre Humphrey, senior, SM 215 South 2. Eric Mason, junior, St. 3. Ross Whitmore, senior, Thomas Aquinas SM Northwest 130 Class 4A 6. Mitchell McCulley, senior, (Through Dec. 30, 2010) Blue Valley Northwest 103 135 5. Reece Cokeley, freshman, 1. Zack Tanenbaum, senior, Blue Valley North St. James Academy 152 135 501 4105 4U +BNFT "DBE 4. Chase Woofter, senior, 4. Dustin Vielhauer, senior, FNZ TFOJPS 5BZMPS .PFEFS SM East St. James Academy IPMET EPXO UIF /P SBOLJOH 160 140 JO UIF QPVOE XFJHIU DMBTT 4. Blake Hill, junior, SM 1. Taylor Moeder, senior, St. JO UIF MBUFTU ,BOTBT 8SFTUMJOH East $PBDIFT "TTTPDBUJPO SBOL James Academy 5. Cody Carson, senior, SM 152 North Copyright Š 2011 NPGJOHT GPS $MBTT " Newspapers - Sun Publications. All rights 1. Ryne Cokeley, senior, reserved St. 285 171 James Academy 4. Arbanas Elliott, senior, 4. Blaine Hill, junior, SM 160 Blue Valley Northwest East 5. Rory Haug, senior, St. 5. Jeff Lyons, junior, Blue

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