By Staff
NILES – Bethel College basketball put together a thrilling start to their season as they stand at 14-0 and are ranked eighth in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Division II national poll.
The Lady Pilots are also ranked No. 1 by the National Christian College Athletic Association.
Coach Jody Martinez's team has also put together some amazing statistics as the lead they NAIA in free throw percentage at 82.5 percent and are near the top in many other NAIA stat categories, including scoring offense, assist/turnover ratio, scoring margin and field goal percentage.
Among Bethel's team members is Niles' Ashley Spriggs.
Spriggs, a sophomore, has played in five games this season off the bench.
"Ashley works very hard and does a great job filling her role on the team," Martinez said. "She is great to have because she is a player that makes our other guards better by the way she practices everyday."
Spriggs, a 2004 graduate of Niles High School, helped the Lady Vikes varsity basketball team to its seventh straight district title, its seventh straight regional championship game and a 21-4 record.
Spriggs was a four-year varsity letter winner and averaged 5.4 points, 3.2 rebounds, 1.4 assists and shot 70 percent from the free throw line as a senior.
During Spriggs' four years at Niles, the Vikings compiled a record of 80-19. She has also competed on the track and volleyball teams at Niles.
She was a team captain during her senior year for both basketball and volleyball.