OBSERVER File Photo by Scott Kindberg Jamestown Community College coach Ken Ricker talks to his players during a timeout in a recent NJCAA game at the Physical Education Complex in Jamestown.
In the spring of 2007, Ken Ricker, Bill Canfield and Chris Koselny hopped in a car and drove to Grinnell (Iowa) College, which is located halfway between Des Moines and Iowa City.
At the time, Ricker was the girls head basketball coach at Jamestown High School and Canfield was his assistant. Koselny was then the girls head coach at East Aurora High School. All three were/are fanatical about hoops, so the more than 1,500-mile round trip mattered little to them. Nothing, in fact, was going to stand in the way of the trio attending a clinic by Grinnell men’s basketball coach David Arseneault.
“I ordered his book and I read it in one day,” Ricker said Monday afternoon.
He continues to practice what Arseneault preached to this day.
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Grinnell College, according to its Wikipedia page, is known for its rigorous academics, innovative approaches to teaching, and commitment to social justice. For basketball enthusiasts, it is also known for a style of play that Arseneault created more than 30 years ago, known simply as “The System,” which relies on shooting 3-point field goals, applying constant pressure with a full-court press, and substituting players frequently.
“All these (Jamestown High School) kids were (graduating),” Ricker said of his thinking at the time. “The options were to go to a Princeton style, play really slow and run every set for two or three returning players, or try and find a way to incorporate all these freshmen.”
So Ricker opted to go the Grinnell way.
“Everybody gets to play, everybody gets to shoot and everybody gains confidence,” he said. “Whether you win or not, it’s a lot of fun.”
Fast-forward 14 years.
Now in his first season as the head women’s basketball coach at Jamestown Community College after two years at Dunkirk High School, Ricker has installed that same philosophy with the Jayhawks. Ranked third in that nation in scoring (89.5 points per game), they are 2-4 overall, 1-1 in NJCAA Region 3 Division II after holding off perennial national power Niagara County CC, 119-111, in overtime on Monday night. For perspective, Thunderwolves coach Nate Beutel entered the season with a 195-53 record, including 61-3 the last two years. Furthermore, Niagara County CC, which is second in nation in scoring (91.5 points per game) knocked off Jamestown CC by 26 last Friday night.
” … We didn’t practice between Friday and Sunday,” Ricker said. “We let them have the weekend to work on their studies and said we’ll take another shot (against Niagara County CC) on Monday.”
And they took care of business.
“As long as we keep doing what we’re supposed to do, at the end of the day we’re going to be really, really good,” Ricker said.
The Jayhawks are showing signs of that already.
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It’s an admittedly small sample size — COVID-19 has limited its regular season to 10 games — but since Jamestown CC played its first game a month ago, it has held its own against some of the best NJCAA programs in the country, including Pennsylvania schools Harcum (a Jayhawk victory) and Lackawanna (a Jayhawk loss).
“Harcum beat Lackawanna, who was No. 20 in the country, and Harcum also beat Niagara County by double digits,” Ricker said. “Everybody on our schedule is really committed and really solid programs.”
It’s apparent Jamestown CC is, too.
Freshman Nadara O’Dell (Dunkirk High School/Dunkirk) is fourth in NJCAA Division II in scoring, averaging 24.7 points per game; freshman Jessica Beehler (Dunkirk/Dunkirk) leads the nation in assists (8.0 per game); and freshman Hannah Hicks (Cleveland/Cleveland Heights) is second nationally in both rebounding (18.0 per outing) and blocked shots (4.0).
“Hannah is the most surprising, I guess,” Ricker said. “She’s just a rebounding beast. She had 23 (Monday night) and she also had six blocks. … When she finally understands how good she can be … “
Ricker paused.
“It’s just a lot of fun.”
Few are having more fun than O’Dell, who followed Ricker from Dunkirk High to Jamestown CC, along with Beehler, freshman Kymi Nance and freshman Amari Carter.
“Nadara scored a lot last year (for the 24-1 Marauders),” Ricker said, “but almost always because she was hustling and playing hard.”
A year later, O’Dell is scoring in a variety of ways, and has tallied 30 or more points three times in six games.
In addition to the Dunkirk natives, the five other girls on the Jayhawks’ roster have all contributed. They include freshman Kate Tedquist (Penrose, Colorado/Canon City), sophomore Marisa Schuppenhauer (Jamestown/Maple Grove), freshman Sydney Burk (Jamestown/Southwestern) and sophomore Macey Lundmark (Jamestown/Jamestown).
“I use the word all the time — you ’empower’ the kids,” Ricker said. “It’s their team. I’m still standing there, yelling like a fool, but I have no control, other than the substitutions.”
The Jayhawks, who have surpassed the century mark in two of their six games, play only their second home game of the season at 5:30 p.m. today. No spectators are allowed.
“Our record is not going to be stellar, but we’re playing great teams and we’re getting better, and that’s all you want,” Ricker said. “We’re laying the groundwork.”
All systems go.