Scottbluff's Ysac stays close to home, signes with WNCC women's basketball

SeLina Ysac knows what it takes to win and that is what she did four years at Gering and Scottsbluff High Schools.

And, after helping guide the Bearcats to two winning seasons the past two years, including a the school’s first state tournament appearance in 2006, it wasn’t hard for Ysac to decide where she wanted to continue play.

Friday, Ysac made it official as the 5-foot-11 guard signed a letter of intent to play for Western Nebraska Community College, a storied program rich in national exposure including seven trips to the national tournament in coach Dave Harnish’s 19 years at the helm, including four straight appearances.

“I wanted to stay close to home and I know WNCC has a really good basketball program and I wanted to be a part of that,” Ysac said about her college choice. “Coach Harnish is a really good coach and I wanted to be a part of that, too. I really wanted to go here to start off. I know they have a really successful team and I wanted to be a part of that.”

Harnish is pleased to be getting an athlete of Ysac’s caliber.

“It is a great honor anytime you have a local athlete come up here and really want to play for Western Nebraska. It means a lot for me and I think the community and the program,” Harnish said. “SeLina is going to give us some great athleticism. She is a player that plays with a lot of heart and is accustomed to winning, being at the state tournament three of her four years, two at Gering and one at Scottsbluff. She comes in as a proven winner.”

What impresses Harnish the most is her offensive skills from the perimeter and driving the lane, as well as her quickness on defense.

“I watched her since she was young starting with Gering and I thought defensively she was very solid her freshman and sophomore year and that is how she made the varsity team as a freshman and contributed. She was very successful defensively on the ball and getting a lot of steals,” he said. “[At Scottsbluff] under coach [Rod] Ehler, she has gotten a lot better offensively. She has proven that she can shoot the 3-pointer, and has done a good job with that. Her offensive skills under coach Ehler have progressed and she has progressed year in and year out. I have seen her grow in four years.”

Ehler said he has enjoyed coaching Ysac for the past two seasons.

“It was very good to have her come across the river to Scottsbluff because she brought a lot to the table to Scottsbluff,” the just recently retired head coach said. “She fit in very well and is very much a team player. I think she has a lot of game left in her. She is very athletic and there is a lot of opportunities out there for her to step up to the next level.”

Ysac is ready to make that leap to the next level.

“It will take a lot of work and it is not going to be easy,” she said. “I am not guaranteed anything, so I will have to go out there and start all over again.

“I know he basically expects a lot out of me and he knows I can go out there and do it. It is all in my mentality. So, I know if he gets on me, I can do it. Basically, my role is to go out their and do my best and be committed to it.”

Ysac started playing basketball when she was five years old at the YMCA. From those young years, she continued to horn her skills on the court, earning varsity playing time as a freshman and sophomore for Gering High School. Ysac then transferred to Scottsbluff and continued excelling, helping the team to their first ever state tournament as a junior.

Last season, the senior guard averaged around 16 points a game while earning Star-Herald first team all-region honors. The Bearcats finished with a 13-9 record falling to Ogallala in the district tournament.

Ehler said that she scored nearly 350 career points in her two seasons with the Bearcats, but added that Ysac is not the type of person worried about many records.

“She is a good team player and offers a lot to the game,” he said. “Her passing skill is well and she sees the floor well. She has the individual speed to get it done.”

Harnish is looking to use Ysac’s talents at either the 2-guard or on the wing.

“She has very good size for the 2-guard position and we could also use her more on the wing,” he said.

Ysac is excited for the coming season. WNCC first games will be the first weekend in November at Williston, N.D. The team’s first home games will be over Thanksgiving.

“I would like to [play after here] but I am not guaranteeing anything. If all goes well here, I will do it,” she said. “I know it will take a lot of hard work and dedication. You have to love the sport and want to do it [to be successful]. That is what you need with the basic fundamentals of basketball.”