New Arrivals: Freshmen hope to make immediate impact
Ten underclassmen will take prominent roles on the Central Michigan women's basketball team this year.
Head Coach Sue Guevara welcomed freshmen guards Presley Hudson and Jaeda Robinson and forwards Reyna Frost, Gabrielle Bird and Aaliah Hill into the program. It marks the second handful of freshmen, last year CMU also added five to the roster.
“This group works very, very hard,” Guevara said. “There’s not a Crystal Bradford in this class, but they work very, very hard.”
The freshmen are led by Hudson, who starred at Wayland Union High School. She averaged 21.9 points per game for the Wildcats to become a finalist for Michigan Miss Basketball.
“I was really nervous because I’m close to my family, so I thought I would miss them," Hudson said. "Coming here, everyone is kind of like a family. They’re all friendly and we have good team chemistry.”
Hudson scored 65 points in the first three games, while also leading the team with 97 minutes played and eight steals. She is also shooting .558 percent from the floor (24 of 43). She was rewarded with a High-Major Madness National Player of the Week nod by College Sports Madness.
Her 3-point shooting (10 of 20) and passing (15 assists) have caught the eye of Guevara.
“(Hudson) is making it very difficult for me to keep her off the floor,” she said. “The good thing about her is she can shoot it (and) she can create for other people. It does help me play two point guards if we need to.”
Hudson played as a point guard through the first three games, a position held by senior guard Da’Jourie Turner last season.
“Presley can do it all,” Turner said. “She’s great around the perimeter. Her 3-point (shot) is great, but she can also handle the ball.”
CMU has been aided in the frontcourt with the addition of Frost, a standout at Reese High School. She set all-time school records in scoring and rebounding.
Frost is also hoping to set the rebounding record at CMU. After grabbing 19 rebounds in three games, she has her sights set on the 1,089 rebounds pulled down by former Chippewa Julie Roberts. The record has been Roberts' since 1981.
“Right now, I’m working on getting stronger so I can finish my moves,” Frost said.
Frost has been the first post player off the bench each game and has already made a strong impression on the coaching staff in her short time with the team.
“She’s a sponge,” Guevara said. “Reyna Frost is a sponge and she is getting better and better every day, and a big part of it is because of the work she puts in every day.”
Frost will be mentored by sophomore Tinara Moore, who is excited to play more games with the young freshman.
“Reyna has been finishing a lot down low,” Moore said. “She’s a great rebounder. There’s a lot of passion I think in the freshmen group.”
Jaeda Robinson also has received some playing time at the guard position. Robinson was a two-time state champion at Bloomfield Hills Marian. She is ready to get to work with her freshmen class.
“Our group covers every position,” she said. “We’re a full-package kind of thing. I enjoy playing with them. We all share the ball. It’s a lot of fun.”
Robinson has come off the bench in the first three games and in 20 minutes has a 3-point field goal at Oakland and an assist.
Guevara decided to redshirt Bird and Hill this season. Bird is the all-time scoring leader at South Lyon East High School (879 points), while Hill was a First Team All-State selection while starring for Flint Hamady.
The two have been seen on the Chippewas’ bench this season, but have not been in uniform.
“With the amount of perimeter players we have and who we have at the four and five, I think this year we could do a whole lot with developing (Bird and Hill), so they will be more of a factor next year,” Guevara said.
Hudson, Frost and Robinson will look to make an impact on the team from the get-go, including pushing other people for playing time. It starts with just showing up, Guevara said.
“This freshman class (are) the first people in the gym every day,” she said. “I think this freshman class has really helped our sophomores and our few juniors. We have to make sure they are all in the gym because it is very competitive.”
