Sam Waniewski and Amethyst Price are a long way from California, but the coach and player have made a home away from home at Southeast Arkansas College.
Waniewski, who grew up near Sacramento, learned about Price, a 5-foot-9 standout who can play all five positions, through his connections in the southern part of the state.
“I was mostly looking for an opportunity,” Price said. “I was doing good in San Diego, but if I stayed in San Diego, I would have just played everywhere in San Diego. I was looking to travel and meet new teams and see how it is competitively.”
Now in rural Arkansas, Price and the rest of the Sharks will soon enough begin SEARK’s first season of basketball and go across the state to test their skills, joining a legion of junior colleges that have established programs within the last 15 years as a recruiting tool for their schools. SEARK’s first official game will tip off at 5 p.m. on Nov. 1 against Champion Christian College, a four-year National Christian College Athletic Association program from Hot Springs, at H.O. Clemmons Arena. The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff facility will be the home venue for all SEARK basketball games.
As far as college life at SEARK goes, Price has the hang of it.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
“I got my own dorm. I’m doing good in classes. I have my own starting spot. Everything is going great for me,” she said.
Price is the lone Californian on a roster of 16 players, four of them from southeast Arkansas and one from North Little Rock. The others hail from either Texas or Louisiana.
All are listed as freshmen on the basketball court, although some have prior college experience academically.
“We will be a young team for sure,” Waniewski said. “As you can tell, even though they are freshmen on the basketball court, a lot of them are older. This is just their first year of playing, so we’re able to get the best of both worlds. They’re experienced in life and gone through college in some situations, but they’re freshmen on the court, so hopefully we’re able to have them for two years.”
Center Mahogany King is one of three players from traditional power Star City High School, but hasn’t played since graduating there in 2023. King said her high school coach, Becky Brown-Yarbrough, prepared her well for the next level.
“The running we did is similar to what we do here,” King said. “She held a higher standard to everyone. It wasn’t just coaching high school. She prepared us for the next level.”
Wearing the SEARK brand on her jersey will mean a lot to King, she believes, but with a purpose: “At the same time, it’s the next step to going further in my career.”
Amminesha Patterson won a state championship with another coaching great, North Little Rock’s Daryl Fimple, as a senior in 2022, and can handle whatever challenge Waniewski might give.
“If he comes hard at me, I’m already prepared for whatever he throws at me, whether it might be pick at me for the smallest mistakes or pull me to the side,” she said. “Instead of me getting mad or reactive, I can get full control, get back on the court and make up for what I did.”
Patterson will team up with Shreveport’s Za’Nyah LeFear in the backcourt. Before she could admit it, her teammates chimed in that LeFear is the most vocal on the team, a natural trait for a point guard.
But LeFear often hears what Patterson has to say on the court.
“She’s going to get on you, but is very caring,” LeFear said. “She will lead you in the right direction.”
Waniewski was hired as the men’s assistant coach shortly after Chad Kline was brought on as head coach and athletic director in early 2023, then was tabbed to lead the women’s team last November. The Shark women began practicing last month, but that may not entirely prove a disadvantage to other teams as tipoff draws near.
“It could in some situations, but in junior college, so many teams are starting fresh just about every year,” he said. “We get a lot of carryovers from freshman to sophomore year. Our girls have done a great job of getting along, getting to know each other. They’re all in the dorms together for the most part, so that’s helped our cohesiveness and team chemistry.”
The Sharks won one of two scrimmage games in Memphis recently. They will play two more in Little Rock this weekend.
Waniewski said the Sharks are big on defense and rebounding, as well as running their offense. He’s stressing the importance of playing hard daily and making progress.
“If we do that, we’re going to have a lot of success and staying together as a team,” he said. “They’re really doing a great job with everything I’m giving them.”
Za’Nyah LeFear
Amethyst Price
Mahogany King
Amminesha Patterson