Women with real Winn-er leading backcourt

When Pitt women’s basketball coach Agnus Berenato came to Pitt from Georgia Tech, she… When Pitt women’s basketball coach Agnus Berenato came to Pitt from Georgia Tech, she brought someone with her. Mallorie Winn, a 6-foot senior from San Diego, averaged 15.8 points per game in her first season with the Panthers.

Winn started in all but one game in the 2005-06 season, playing an average of 35.5 minutes in Pitt’s 33 games. She was the resident point guard, dishing out four assists a game while pulling in 4.2 rebounds.

According to Berenato, the 2006-07 season will be more of the same, with the offense running through Winn. Berenato pointed to her size and mental toughness, which make her the go-to guard on the team.

“Mallorie is just so good all around,” Berenato said. “She leads the team vocally and by example. But she also scores at will, plays extremely smart ball and always works to her most potential.”

Toward the end of last season, two younger players emerged as complements to Winn, as redshirt sophomore Shavonte Zellous and sophomore Xenia Stewart made major improvements, Berenato said.

Zellous – a 5-foot-10 winger – scored 7.7 points per game in 33 games. But Zellous contributed more as a defensive playmaker and athletic presence, finishing second in blocked shots and third in rebounding on the team.

“Shavonte is the kind of player that you love to have and hate to play against,” Berenato said. “Her athleticism and work ethic really make her a standout. She’s tough, and she’s ready to take over as one of the team leaders.”

In the first season after the departure of graduated team leader Cheron Taylor, leadership will play a key part in the chemistry of the team. And, according to Berenato, Zellous, Winn, Stewart and junior center Marcedes Walker will be the team’s core leaders.

Offensively, Pitt will need a third scorer to help Walker and Winn, who, combined, accounted for just two points fewer than half the team’s offensive production last year. Berenato believes Zellous could be that source.

“Shavonte has taken her game to a whole new level with trying to think about being an offensive threat,” Berenato said. “Every time she gets the ball, she can catch and sweep, then either get to the basket or pull up for a jumper.”

Stewart, a 6-0 guard from Bowie, Md., grew into a dependable role for the Panthers last year, helping to run the offense or finding space out on the wing and scoring off the dribble. Stewart started every game in her freshman season, totaling 9.7 points and 3.4 assists per game.

“Xenia has added an outside game,” Berenato said. “We already knew she could score from mid-range and handle the ball, but adding a three-ball will help her offensively. She is just so mature and cool on offense. She knows where she needs to be and knows where her teammates are.”

Along with Stewart and Zellous, Berenato expects junior Karlyle Lim to make an impact this year as well. Lim played in 28 games last season, fighting off nagging injuries throughout the year.

“Karlyle has just worked so hard this off-season,” Berenato said. “She’s showed due diligence, watching videos and really getting herself a higher basketball IQ. She is working harder, and keeping her healthy will definitely help this team.”

Adding to the depth in the backcourt are incoming freshmen Ashleigh Braxton and Jania Sims. The 5-10 Braxton should help from the wing, providing a deep threat and strong defense.

“Ashleigh is a great shooter,” Berenato said. “She is also a great weak-side defender. She is a tough kid and will definitely add some toughness to the wing.”

Berenato has been nothing short of impressed by Sims so far. The 5-7 point guard will spark the Pitt offense and make a major run at big minutes.

“Jania is going to make an impact right away,” Berenato said. “She’s smart, spicy and extremely quick. She has great handle and great awareness, but she just needs to get used to the physicality of college ball. Once she does that, she is going to be a heck of a player.”

With Berenato hoping to run more pressure defenses and a fast-break oriented offense, utilizing the six guards shouldn’t be hard. And with all six of them competing for minutes, Berenato expects the production to be great.

“This is a good group of guards that we have this year,” Berenato said. “And I know that they are capable of some really positive things and some really big things.”