PORT ANGELES — Peninsula College’s Alison Crumb was named North Region Women’s Basketball Coach of the Year, Madison Pilster was named Most Valuable Player and eight other Pirates were honored by the Northwest Athletic Conference.
Crumb, in her fifth year as head coach for Peninsula, was named the North’s Coach of the Year following her team’s first conference championship since Crumb was a Pirate herself in 2005.
“In just five years, Ali has established herself as one of the top women’s basketball coaches in the NWAC,” Peninsula athletic director Rick Ross said.s
“She has worked very hard and she didn’t cut any corners. She is a tremendous coach, her players love and respect her, and we couldn’t be more proud of her achievement.”
The Port Angeles High School graduate admitted that the award is special to her.
“This award means a lot,” Crumb said, “because it shows growth in a program that I care a lot about.”
Following her graduation from Western Oregon University, Crumb spent one year as an assistant coach and then was promoted to head coach in 2009.
“I had no idea what I was doing, and over the years, and with a lot of help, the program has become a championship contending program and that is important to me,” she said.
“What is most important to me, however, is the ability to achieve this award with this group of women. We all care a lot for each other and they are as happy for me as I am for them.”
Pilster leads women’s honors
Pilster is the second Peninsula women’s player in three seasons to earn the North Region MVP award, joining Taylor Larson, who was co-MVP in 2013.
The sophomore from Blackfoot, Idaho, is the seventh-best scorer in the NWAC this year, leading the Pirates with a 16.6 average.
“Madison is very deserving of this award,” Crumb said.
“I said so earlier in the season and I still believe it to be true. I’m just glad that other coaches in the league agree with me.
“She defends hard, is aggressive, she can score inside and out, and she is a tough competitor.”
Pilster produced good numbers for a team that is loaded with scorers.
The Pirates were fourth in the NWAC in scoring this year with a 75 points per game average.
“She is the league’s second leading scorer in over 100 less minutes than the leading scorer, and is just a huge reason why we won the league title,” Crumb said.
“She was second-team all-league last year, and earning MVP just proves how hard she has worked and how much she has improved.”
Pilster also was named to the North Region All-Defensive team.
“She is a player who guards all positions and does it very well,” Crumb said.
“The energy she puts out on the defensive end should restrict her offense, but it doesn’t. She uses defense as a way to gain confidence and show her toughness.”
Also earning honors this year for the Peninsula women were Gabi Fenumiai, Imani Smith and Zhara Laster.
Fenumiai, a sophomore from Juneau, Alaska, was named to the North Region’s First Team
Fenumiai is the seventh-best rebounder in the NWAC this year with 212 boards, and is the all-time leading rebounder in Peninsula College women’s basketball history.
She also averaged 10.6 points per game this season.
“She is a force under the basket and is playing better defense right now than I have ever seen her play,” Crumb said.
“She is physical, she rebounds hard, and she is athletic. I think her presence inside opens up our guard play, and teams just have to figure out how to defend it.
“If she is in a one-on-one matchup down low, I pick Gabi every time.
“Not to mention she is a vocal leader for us as well as a great teammate. She deserves to be named as the best post in our league.”
Smith, a freshman from Ontario, Calif., who plays the point guard position for the Pirates was named to the North Region Second Team.
“Imani is a natural athlete,” Crumb said. “She is quick and aggressive and sets the tone in the way we play the game.
“We run the ball fast and play pressure defense. This doesn’t happen without Imani Smith.
“She has helped create this identity for us, and I’m glad she was rewarded for her ability to dictate the tone of the game.
“We are lucky to have her back next year, and will hopefully have her named higher in all-star balloting as a sophomore.”
Laster, a freshman from St. Mary’s County, Md., whose family now lives in Port Angeles, joins Pilster on the North Region’s All-Defensive team.
“Zhara is probably the best all-around athlete I have seen here in a long time,” Crumb said.
“She gets steals, lose balls, rebounds, and these are things that are flat out disruptive.
“She also shares with Maddy in the responsibility of guarding the best players on the team.
“She reads passing lanes well and anticipates very well.
“Zhara is our glue kid who just is after every ball. I am very happy she is rewarded with this award and it is very much well-deserved.”
Pilster, Schmillen, Nemelka earn All-Academic honors
The Pirates also had three sophomores named to the NWAC All-Academic team: Pilster, Miranda Schmillen and Whitney Nemelka.
“Basketball can only take you so far, and for those three to handle all the pressures we put on them, and the time commitment of playing basketball, and still achieve such high academic success is a true testament to their work ethic and character,” Crumb said.
“They each have the ability to prioritize and accomplish multiple tasks and have been great leaders for our freshman who need to understand the value of academics.
“I’m very proud of their accomplishments on and off the court. Their work ethic will get them far in life, not just in basketball.”
Three men honored
Peninsula freshmen guards Ryley Callaghan and Deonte Dixon were named to the North Division Second Team, and sophomore Jal Deng was picked for the region’s All-Defensive team.
“Both Deonte and Ryley are so fun to coach, because they want to be coached and enjoy competing,” head coach Mitch Freeman said.
“They both have a bright future and our supporters have a lot to look forward to.”
Callaghan, of Port Orchard, averages 17.9 points per game, which is 14th best in the NWAC, from the point guard position.
“When we needed someone to step up and make a play, Ryley was always ready,” Freeman said.
“He is like an extension of the coach on the floor and knows how to win.”
Dixon, of Bremerton, averages 16.7 points per game, and is arguably the most athletic player on the Pirates’ roster.
“There is so much that Deonte has been through this year and I can’t express how happy I am for him to be rewarded with all-conference honors,” Freeman said.
“He worked extremely hard to get to where he is today. He is one of the most explosive players in the conference with the ability to create his own shot when he needs to.”
The versatile and athletic Deng is a key component of one of the best defenses in the entire conference.
“J.D. has been terrific for us toward the end of the season,” Freeman said.
“We were able to have him guard multiple positions because of his size and athleticism.
“I’m very proud of all that J.D. has been able to achieve in the two years he has been here at Peninsula College. We will sure miss him next year, but we are excited for what the future as in store for him.”
Deng, from Anchorage, Alaska, has contributed in a myriad of ways beyond his stout defense.
He is third on the team in scoring (10.47 ppg), third in 3-pointers made (18), third in rebounding (6.88 rpg) and second in steals (0.94 spg).
