The UNBC Timberwolves were prepared to enter their first season of Canada West women's basketball with just one true post player in their lineup.
Now -- and cue the huge sigh of relief from head coach Loralyn Murdoch -- they won't have to.
Earlier this week, the Timberwolves received a commitment from six-foot-one Jasprit Nijjar, a Vancouver product who is a graduate of the powerful York House high school program. Nijjar's arrival in the UNBC camp means some of the pressure will be taken off the shoulders of Kellie Fluit, a five-foot-11 Washington State product who signed with the T-wolves in April.
Nijjar recently contacted Murdoch via e-mail and expressed interest in playing for the Timberwolves.
"It was a very unexpected e-mail that I received from her and a really pleasant surprise on how interested she was, right off the bat, in coming to UNBC," Murdoch said. "It unfolded very, very fast and we're excited to have her coming to UNBC now."
Originally, Nijjar was planning to stay home and attend post-secondary classes at UBC. If she managed to earn a spot in the lineup of the UBC Thunderbirds, she would have considered that a bonus.
But, as the new season kept drawing closer, Nijjar decided she absolutely had to play. She fired off a bunch of inquiries to coaches and got a quick response from Murdoch. Nijjar then came for a site visit and decided UNBC was the place for her.
Murdoch said Nijjar has a nice touch around the hoop. And, defensively, she's able to use her long frame to alter the shot attempts of her opponents.
"She has some skill," Murdoch said. "She played for York House, which finished second at the [2012] triple-A provincials so she has a lot of experience playing against the best players in the province."
If Nijjar hadn't surfaced, Murdoch would have used Fluit and returning veteran Emily Kaehn at post. Kaehn is certainly scrappy, but she only stands five-foot-nine.
"Emily's a very happy young lady now that she's got some height on her team," Murdoch said with a chuckle.
Nijjar will have a chance to learn from Fluit, who has already played two complete seasons of college ball in the States. But, there will be nights when the rookie will be thrown right into the Canada West fire.
"She's going to get an opportunity to see the floor, for sure," Murdoch said.
Murdoch was left in a bit of a post crisis when she lost two players to graduation last May. Then, to make the situation even more difficult, she found out that six-foot-two Nicole Schlick had decided to step away from basketball after concussion symptoms robbed her of her entire 2011-12 season.
