Gonzaga women, led by last year’s WCC Freshman of the Year Allie Turner, take court Saturday for FanFest

It is likely to smell like McCarthey Athletic Center has had a new coat of paint when the Gonzaga women’s basketball team takes the court for its annual FanFest on Saturday.

That is what a roster including four transfers and three incoming freshmen – and just one returning full-time starter – will feel like.

“I’m excited to be back here with a whole different group of girls but the same intensity,” said sophomore point guard Allie Turner, the Zags’ returning starter and the reigning West Coast Conference Freshman of the Year and a First Team selection.

FanFest begins at 3 p.m. Doors open at 2. Among the activities are an intrasquad scrimmage divided into four 5-minute quarters and a 3-point shooting contest.

Headlining the departed Zags is forward Yvonne Ejim, who rewrote the Gonzaga record book in her dazzling career.

Turner has been asked to step into a leadership role vacated largely by Ejim. Turner is thankful that by virtue of the position she plays, point guard, she has some natural leadership abilities.

“As a point guard, it’s a little easier, because you already kind of have a ball a lot on the floor,” the 5-foot-8 Turner said. “You’re telling people where to go. But last year (Ejim) would tell me where to go pretty much every possession. That was easier for me. But this year I’m trying to take more of that role.”

Turner’s voice didn’t have to be the loudest last year for a team that earned a share of the WCC regular-season championship and finished 24-11.

“We had like five seniors last year (and) that left (Ejim) and (Maud Huijens) being two of the main leaders,” Turner said. “They were really really good in that role and I’m just trying to be more like them every day.”

Turner set a single-season record for made 3-pointers (105).

The player charged with filling Ejim’s position – redshirt 6-3 forward Lauren Whittaker – is not necessarily new since she has been at Gonzaga for 20 months. Her first moments of play will be Saturday after she took a medical redshirt last year after having knee surgery.

“It’s super fun playing with Lauren,” Turner said. “She’s like another (Ejim) basically.”

So what will the fans see when Whittaker takes the court Saturday?

“A lot of versatility,” Whittaker said. “I love to shoot the 3, but also a lot of our game here at Gonzaga is playing down low. So being physical down low is what I’m going to bring to the group.”

Fans can start putting names with uniforms Saturday.

“I’ve been impressed by the physicality of some of our forwards,” Gonzaga coach Lisa Fortier said. “We have a lot of talent.”

A returner vying for a starting job is senior Ines Bettencourt, a 5-9 guard who transferred to Gonzaga last year after two years at UConn. Bettencourt started 16 games, averaging 6.3 points.

Bettencourt’s best game may have been the Zags’ last when they lost in overtime to Minnesota in the WBIT. She came off the bench to score 13 points with six assists.

“We have a lot of different people that can do a lot of things,” Bettencourt said.

Much of it will begin to be unveiled Saturday.