College Athlete of the Month: Nancy Hatsushi

Steve Virgen

When freshman Nancy Hatsushi finishes her career at Orange Coast

College, Pirates women’s basketball coach Mike Thornton says she will be

among the best point guards in the 13 years he has coached at the school.

If there was a turning point in Hatsushi’s quest to prove her coach’s

words correct, it came in late January.

Before the Pirates took on Orange Empire Conference leader Santa Ana,

Jan. 29, Thornton told Hatsushi she was the best point guard in the

conference. OCC suffered a 63-62 loss that night, but, ever since, it has

been Hatsushi-mania for the Coasters.

The 5-foot-5 starting point guard led the Pirates to seven wins in

February, as she scored 82 points (11.7 ppg), knocked down 21

three-pointers and earned All-OEC laurels.

“I was surprised when he told me that I was the best,” said Hatsushi,

the Daily Pilot Athlete of the Month. “In college, I think every player

is as good or better than me. When he told me that, I was just shocked.

It gave me a lot of confidence. It helped me perform on the court. It let

me know that he trusts me when I’m out there.”

Hatsushi’s big night came Feb. 13, when she scored a game-high 20

points, which included a 6-for-9 shooting performance from behind the

three-point line en route to a 53-45 win over visiting Cypress. The

victory gave Hatsushi and the Pirates added confidence in their mission

to meet their goal of sweeping through the second round of OEC play,

including a 63-55 win over host Santa Ana that ended the Dons’ 24-game

OEC winning streak Feb. 22.

“We ended the season real strong,” said Hatsushi, who also starred at

Costa Mesa High. “We played real good and we came together as a team.”

Team chemistry was one of OCC’s biggest challenges entering the

season. Hatsushi, since she plays the point, has been the catalyst in the

Pirates’ meshing of young players. Coast has four freshmen starters.

At first, the thought of a young team worried Hatsushi. But she met

the challenge and ditched the thought of playing for Irvine Valley, where

she practiced briefly last year.

“OCC was just better and seemed more friendly,” said Hatsushi, who

scored 14 points, including 4 for 4 from beyond the three-point arc, in a

72-40 win over the Lasers Feb. 6. “I knew one or two sophomores were

coming back to the team. I was kind of worried at the beginning. But

everything turned out OK.”

Overall, Hatsushi has been hot from three-point range, where she has

shot 47% (34 for 73) during conference play. Further, she has averaged

just 1.5 turnovers a game and, on defense, she has amassed 40 steals. She

had 73 steals in the regular season, helping guide the Pirates to a 23-8

record, 10-4 in the OEC.

“She’s improved a lot defensively,” Thornton said. “She and Lindsey

Galasso, they have both improved dramatically. The pressure they put on

other teams has been a key to our team improvement.

“Nancy has had a great year. When she leaves here, she’ll be among the

best point guards I’ve ever had. The only thing she lacks is that

jet-quick speed, but she has everything else. She can shoot, dribble past

people, pass and she plays aggressively. She’s the whole package.”

Hatsushi, typically soft-spoken, is not shy on the court. She credits

her coach and her teammates for her successful season. She said she is

playing better than ever because the talent level is higher than that of

high school.

“As each game goes by, I get more confidence because of playing with

them,” Hatsushi said.

Hatsushi plans to transfer to an NCAA Division II school after next

season.