Her squad is 0-6, but Hancock College women's basketball coach Sheri Bates has no discouraging word to say about it.

“We're absolutely making progress,” she said.

“We still have a ways to go. Defensively we're still missing switches. But we're making progress every game, every practice we're out there.

“This is my 14th season as head coach, and (there has been one other team) that's worked as well together as this one. We'll keep getting better, and then the wins will come.”

Bates said, “You know, we're staying competitive longer and longer. It was an eight-point (halftime deficit at College of the Sequoias) the last game.” The Giants pulled away in the second half and won 73-54.

“We just have to put it all together the whole time,” said Bates.

The Bulldogs' program has five returnees. They are forward Irene Maldonado; guard-forward Hollyann Deparini; guard Nicole Crisosto; guard-forward Tiffany Feliz; and sophomore Corina Leyva. The first four played. Leyva red-shirted.

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The Bulldogs are trying to work through injury problems. Maldonado has been their leading scorer this year at 16.3 points a game but, “She's been out the last three games,” said Bates. “It started out as an achilles heel injury.

“We hope to get her back next week. She just did some light jogging Monday.”

Feliz had off-season shoulder surgery, and she hurt her shoulder again when she went down in the first half of a home loss to Reedley. Bates said she's not sure what Feliz's long-term status is.

“She's back in Bakersfield and she's going to get an MRI,” said Bates. Feliz graduated from Garces Memorial in Bakersfield.

Maldonado and Deparini both graduated from Santa Maria High School. Deparini has given the Bulldogs some good scoring and rebounding. A freshman, Sasha Auldridge from Kenai, Alaska, is Hancock's starting point guard.

Graduation hit the Bulldogs hard. All-everything Brittoni DeWitt (another Santa Maria grad) was a sophomore last year. So was Louise Madrigal (Righetti graduate), another top team scorer and rebounder. Madrigal plays for Menlo College now.

Righetti graduate Elisa Ayala leads Hancock's rebounders with 10.5 rebounds a game. Deparini is next at 7.5.

Righetti alumnus Monica Valencia has broken into Hancock's starting lineup as a freshman. She's given the Bulldogs some solid scoring and rebounding. Valencia averages 8.5 points a game. Ayala and Auldridge average 8.3 and 8.2 respectively.

Hancock needs to improve on its shooting, which was 33 percent from the field after last week. Still, “We're not going away. We're still in there fighting,” said Bates.

“Against East Los Angeles, we just were not there. In every other game, we've been out there competing.

“We're making more of our switches on defense,” said Bates. “We just need to be more patient on offense, not be in such a hurry.” The Bulldogs average 31 turnovers a game.

Ventura has been the team to beat in the Western State Conference North Division in the past. Bates said the Pirates should be even “stronger this year.”

She thinks Ventura could have company at the top. “I think Santa Barbara and Los Angeles Pierce should be improved,” said Bates. Both were solid last year.

Arch rival Cuesta, meanwhile, is off to a nice start. “Cuesta looks strong this year,” said Hancock's veteran coach.

Tournament time is approaching for the Bulldogs. Hancock begins play Thursday in the Cuesta Tournament. Hancock will host its annual Lady Bulldog Classic Dec. 6.

November 24, 2007