By: VINCENT MENDOZA / CO-NEWS EDITOR
It hasn’t necessarily been smooth sailing for LIU women’s basketball team this season. The Sharks have struggled throughout the winter, playing most of their season without the impact front court tandem of Amaya Dowdy and Shanaii Gamble; the pair have combined for just ten total games played, six and four respectively.
However, multiple players have stepped up for the Sharks. Namely, Sirviva Legions, Janessa Williams and Brianna Mead have all boosted their production on both ends of the floor to form a “big three” that provides fans with excitement night-in and night-out.
Legions, a junior transfer from Southern University, has grown into her new role seamlessly. In 25 games played, Legions has put up a team-best 14.5 points, which ranks fifth in the NEC. She also tallies over four rebounds, two assists and a steal-and-a-half per game – the last of which is sixth best in the conference.
This collegiate success has not always been the case however. In Legions’ first two seasons at Southern University, she averaged just around four points and a rebound in 13 minutes of action. In an effort to regain her confidence and showcase her talents, Legions decided to come back home to Brooklyn.
“I planned on coming back home to regain my confidence and being able to play like myself”, Legions stated. “Having family and friends nearby and at my games was a bonus. I knew they would come and support me and that gave me more motivation to be able to perform my best. This year was meant to be my separation season and I did just that with my best individual season coming this year.”
Legions’ play has been much needed for this Sharks backcourt, especially after losing Ashley Austin to graduation and Mariah Elohim to the transfer portal.
Williams has taken a massive leap in her second year with the Sharks, improving in every statistical category. She has averaged over 11 points, a team-leading eight rebounds, while tacking on an assist and steal per game. Despite only standing at 5 '9”, Williams ranks third in the conference in rebounds per game and has finished with at least eight boards in more than half of her total games played.
While Williams’ rebounding numbers should catch the attention of many, her biggest increases have come in the minutes and points departments. Last season, the Florida-native averaged around four points in just under 17 minutes of action. This season, her minutes have doubled while her points per game have tripled and then some.
When asked about her mental and physical approach to becoming a more prolific scorer and increased time on the court, she stated, “Physically, I’ve focused on improving my conditioning and making sure I’m ready to go for the entire game. Mentally, I’ve worked on staying confident and being more decisive when I get the ball. It’s about being in the right mindset, staying aggressive and knowing that the opportunities will be there if I just stay patient and stick to what I do best”.
Along with being a force on the court, Williams is the epitome of a student-athlete, striving to get a degree in nursing. “As a full-time nursing student and a primary player on the basketball team, my schedule is packed. I’ve had to get really organized and prioritize my responsibilities. It’s not always easy but having a solid routine and knowing when to push and when to rest has made a huge difference in managing both sides of my life successfully.”
In the other half of the backcourt, Mead has blossomed into her new role, quickly becoming one of the team’s most relied-upon players. In 23 games, the freshman guard is averaging about nine points, two boards, two assists and a steal per game with high efficiency.
Since the start of conference play in January, Mead has been a part of the starting lineup in every matchup and has taken full advantage of the opportunity. In conference play, Mead has tallied double-digit points in seven games, compared to just two in non-conference play.
When asked about her keys to success during this stretch, Mead stated, “I’ve gotten more comfortable with my team and learned how to mesh with other players’ play styles. I’ve also had the opportunity to receive more minutes, which led to an increase in my confidence. That then led to me being more aggressive and always looking to score the ball when I have the opportunity and trust in what I can do.”
In an 80-79 triple overtime victory against Wagner, it was the Sharks’ backcourt that led them to victory on the offensive end. Mead finished with 22 points and five rebounds, while shooting 5/7 from deep and going perfect 5/5 from the line. Legions ended with 23 points, 11 boards, four assists and three steals, while also scoring the game-winning basket. Both Mead and Legions played over 50 minutes in the victory.
When discussing the mental and physical toll that game had on Legions, she had this to say: “I knew my teammates and coaches trusted me to make the right play and help us win that game. This wasn’t the first time coach Rene (Haynes) trusted me to take the last shot of the game. I’m always mentally prepared to make that last minute play make or miss. I knew to push through the whole 52 minutes because my team needed me.”
As the Sharks approach the end of their regular season and prepare for the NEC Tournament, all three players provided similar responses when asked about the key focus area for the team's success – communication.
“As we prepare for the NEC tournament, the main focus has been on staying together as a team and really emphasizing our communication on and off the court,” said Williams. “We know that success in the tournament is all about playing as one unit, trusting each other and supporting one another no matter what. We’ve been working on keeping the energy high, staying connected and making sure everyone is on the same page—whether it’s in our defensive, offensive plays, or just staying positive when things get tough. It’s that team chemistry and strong communication that will be key for us to make a deep run in the tournament.”
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