WSU women’s basketball team to continue rebuilding project

Perhaps the toughest test of coach Kamie Ethridge’s gradual rebuild at Washington State lies ahead.

In Year 3 guiding the Cougars’ women’s basketball team, Ethridge must replace the bulk of last season’s production — her three highest scorers, three leading rebounders and three of her four top passers.

The legendary former Texas point guard and Olympic gold medalist knows the expectations won’t be high in a stacked Pac-12, which features six top-25 teams.

“But I can guarantee you we’re going to compete at a higher level than we ever have,” she said last week in her season-opening news conference.

WSU will start against a to-be-determined opponent Nov. 25. The Cougs, who finished 11-20 overall and 4-14 in league action in 2019-20, hope to play three regional nonconference foes at Beasley Coliseum before diving into a Pac-12 schedule that’s sure to be daunting.

“Pat Chun, our athletic director, he said besides the Seattle Storm and Las Vegas Aces, that’s about the only way we could get two better teams on our schedule other than the ones we’re playing,” said Ethridge, whose Wazzu team last year faced arguably the nation’s most difficult schedule, including stalwarts like No. 1 South Carolina, second-ranked Baylor and No. 17 Gonzaga, which the Cougs will not play this year.

Borislava Hristova, WSU’s all-time leading scorer, now is playing professionally in Poland, and All-Pac-12 floor general Chanelle Molina — WSU’s only five-star recruit ever — is starring in Sweden.

The duo, mainstays for four years in Pullman, combined for 33 points and 11.2 rebounds per game last season.

Ethridge also must fill the shoes of key contributors Jovana Subasic (8.4 points, 4 rebounds) and Johanna Muzet, who transferred to Oregon State and Rhode Island, respectively, to finish their careers.

“But the point that we’re in such a better spot is (because) we just have a lot better depth,” she said. “Every position, we’re not so dependent (on one or two players). We can handle foul trouble. We don’t have to play people to death.

“We have a lot of talent and players that ... bring different skill sets to the game, and make us a little bit harder to defend, and a better basketball team overall.”

In the backcourt, Ethridge can spread out the touches between “more ballhandlers, more playmakers,” than just the two of years past.

Graduate student Krystal Leger-Walker sat out because of transfer rules last season after playing point guard for Ethridge at Northern Colorado. Leger-Walker, a three-year collegiate starter from New Zealand, is more of a “pure point guard” than Molina, Ethridge noted.

She registered 8.9 points, 5.5 assists and 4.6 rebounds per game with the Bears in 2018-19.

“Krystal is more of a pass-first, set it up, high IQ,” Ethridge said. “She gets people in the right spots, but also has the experience and competitiveness to lead our team well.”

Her sister, guard Charlisse Leger-Walker, is “going to be a star.” Ethridge called the freshman from St. Peter’s School-Cambridge of New Zealand “one of the best players I’ve ever been in a gym with.”

Charlisse Leger-Walker already was appearing on New Zealand’s national team at age 16.

“She can play a lot of positions, and just has kind of an otherworldly IQ,” Ethridge said. “Just understands the game, has played at a very high level and is very college-ready.”

Newcomer combo guard Johanna Teder, an Estonian who transferred from South Plains College (Texas), is a candidate to start in the backcourt by way of her hoops smarts and versatility.

“Those three players, any of them can bring the ball up ... they’re interchangeable, they can all shoot it, they all are really special passers,” Ethridge said.

Cherilyn Molina and Seattleite Grace Sarver are speedy and savvy enough to contribute off the bench, and Shir Levy — a 28-game starter last year — presumably will find the floor too.

Underneath, Ethridge expects to start 6-foot-5 Rwandan Bella Murekatete, a graduate of Genesis Prep in Post Falls. She’s developed her fitness after a shaky introduction to top-level college play.

Australian Ula Motuga, a consistent starter at stretch forward in 2019-20, should take on a bigger role after logging 7.4 points and four boards per outing last season.

Fortunately, WSU’s many international players didn’t hit any virus-related snags returning to Pullman, and the Cougs have been able to establish a practice routine, which started in July after a period of only Zoom sessions.

Along the way, Ethridge has been “seeing some real positives” in terms of her team’s maturity and the culture within her rebuilding program.

“I feel like we’re better prepared, top to bottom, culture-wise and skill set-wise, and experience- and depth-wise,” she said. “We’re really in a better place than we ever have been, and I think we’ll be competitive because of that.”

Colton Clark may be reached at cclark@lmtribune.com, on Twitter @ClarkTrib or by phone at (208) 848-2260.