LA MIRADA, Calif. --- "It's only a matter of time." Biola Women's Basketball stamped that optimistic phrase all over the 2020-21 academic year with the way the team pressed through adversity by banding together. It's basically their riff on "trust the process" and it's put the Eagles in a strong position ahead of their scheduled return to competition next month.

Head Coach Alan Nakamura's team found themselves in a pretty unfamiliar position when they returned to training at the start of the fall semester. On top of practicing while wearing cloth masks, initial phase-one screening meant the Eagles could not share implements across individuals, so passing basketballs was temporarily off the table. And practice indoors was temporarily pushed back too, so the Eagles had to turn to the outdoor basketball court outside of the Hope dormitory while they waited for an official return to Chase Gym in phase two. 

But credit is due to the coaching staff and the roster for their response and embrace of this situation. The blessing of being back together and being able to practice wasn't lost on the Eagles and that's what they focused on. 

In the face of these challenges, the Eagles dug into the pillars of the program they leaned on most. Led by upperclassmen calling out their drills on the Hope court, the roster attacked the skill work they were allowed to do with the tenacity that is characteristic of their "Like A Champion" team motto. They refined dynamic footwork, worked through the team's fundamentals on the floor and, of equal importance, Biola Women's Basketball set the tone for the coming weeks by energizing drills with positive team chatter. 

Although you may not have been able to see it directly during those early practices, the commitment to "Family" was the other major aspect of Coach Nakamura's program that set a tone from the very beginning. Loyalty and the resolve to support each other through all aspects of the college experience run deep in Biola Women's Basketball. That, more than a relentless determination to win, is what makes the program strong. It's what kept the Eagles together while they pressed through unfamiliar aspects of early safety precautions, and it's the reason that the team's newcomers felt like immediate members of the family. 

"Being an incoming freshman, I was really nervous to meet my team. But I had nothing to worry about," said freshman guard Esther Naum. "This group of girls are the sweetest teammates anyone could ask for. They treated me like their own sister and welcomed me very well. My coaches also played a role in me feeling so welcomed. They check upon us and make sure all our questions were answered regarding our classes and basketball."
 
Fellow freshman Madilyn Meadows echoed Naum's sentiment and spoke to how much the immediate support of her team meant to her. 
 
"I really appreciate how supportive my team is: everyone is super caring and we're like a big happy family. That's been really nice to have as an incoming freshman especially during a time like this," said Meadows. "The first couple of weeks were hard because of being homesick and missing my family, but my team was always there for me and that meant a lot. Working with my coaches has also been amazing. They are also always super supportive and I love how they push us to be better in the classroom and on the court."
 
With that collective strength carrying them through practices in the open air, the Eagles knew it was only a matter of time before they got to return to the hardwood. And when that day finally arrived on October 20, it was only a matter of time until shots started falling with regularity and until Biola developed some serious pace. Nakamura's group just had to get reacquainted with the rims and with the squeaking beneath their feet first! 
 
Soon enough, the newcomers who were able to return to campus for training showed how much depth they were bringing to their new collegiate team. 
 
The five guards who the Eagles added in the last recruiting cycle brought skill sets that presented their team with exciting prospects for the coming year. Coach Nakamura could literally play lineups where all five women could bring the ball up the floor, catch and shoot, or drive to an open lane. It certainly looked that way in practice by the time November rolled around. And after this semester's work, Biola Women's Basketball is vehement about running opponents out the gym when things eventually tip off. 

"Our Class of 2020 is off to a great start! They have received a warm welcome from our veterans, and they adjusted well to a unique first semester of college," said Coach Nakamura. "They are studying hard, do a good job with their health and wellness, and they are playing with confidence and energy! With their variety of personalities, enthusiasm, and talents they have added a wonderful dynamic to our program."
 
The newcomers themselves also expressed a lot of gratitude for being able to return to indoor practices. Even with the addition of masks and sanitization procedures, the return to the gym brought a comforting familiarity that many had not experienced since closures started in March. And for the sake of the student-athletes psychological well-being, the training was well worth the effort of balancing practice on top of a semester of remote learning. 
 
"Practicing during the current COVID-19 circumstances took a little while for me to get used to. It was tough wearing the masks at first, but as we kept practicing, I adjusted better," said Naum. "And it was just amazing being able to transition from outside courts into the gym. This was my first time in an actual gym since COVID-19 started, so I was excited to be back."
 
"Practicing and studying during COVID-19 has definitely been challenging but I'm getting the hang of it. I wasn't the biggest fan of learning through Zoom but I have come to terms with it and I have learned a lot in all my classes," added Meadows. "I think all of us were just super happy and eager to get back in the gym because for a lot of us we haven't been in an actual gym since our last basketball season. It felt really good to hear my shoes squeak on the hardwood floor again, I missed it so much!"
 
Understandably, the semester was still mixed with its share of adversity that required the team to really lean into its close-knit values. Several injuries hampered or temporarily sidelined a few of the new additions to the roster over the course of the semester. And the Eagles were very cognizant of the absence of forwards Jana Thomas-Reid and incoming freshman Olivia Dijkstra, who were unable to travel to La Mirada in the fall and were sorely missed.
 
But if anything is for certain, Biola Women's Basketball walks with teammates through both high and lows, and that commitment was exhibited in heartwarming fashion on graduation day. The Eagles took time out of practice on Thursday of finals week to go to Metzger Lawn and celebrate recent alumna Mikayla Greens' completion of her nursing degree. Even though they hadn't played with Greens, the newcomers still waited with their teammates for almost an hour to see Greens walk and joined in the loud cheering for another member of the women's basketball "family." 
 
The Eagles will probably do more of that cheering when Jana and Olivia arrive and the team is finally all together. It's only a matter of time until the team will get to incorporate those forwards' talents. And it's only a matter of time until the Eagles get to return to competition and display all the hard work they invested into the fall semester. 
 
Until then, the Eagles will keep working like champions in the hidden places of the practice court, the weight room and the classroom. And they'll stay committed to being one family that presses through challenges and adversity together. Those two things will keep them planted until the time to celebrate and play ultimately comes.