Just the Facts, Ma'am: A huge second half from Dovile Miliauskaite, who finished with 18 points and 14 rebounds, propelled the Towson Tigers to a win over the Delaware State Lady Hornets. Sheree Ledbetter also had 18 for the Tigers. Kianna Conner was the only player to break double digits for the Lady Hornets, with 13 points.
For harrowing adventures, really vague impressions with no backing statistics, half a game's worth of notes, the kindness of strangers, souvenirs, and the power of technology, join your intrepid and weary blogger after the jump. (Don't worry, if you're sick of me, I'm done until January 8th.)
Internet, let me tell you, the next time we get a hare-brained idea about trying to go from College Park to Towson via Maryland public transportation, you will hear us concussing ourselves to keep from doing it. I think I'm still getting the blood back into my face. What scared me was less the rows and rows of boarded up buildings we passed on the rail through downtown Baltimore- but the parts of town that they were trying to gentrify with antiques stores and art galleries that still had to roll up their sidewalks before 7PM. I always thought The Wire was an exaggeration, but I'm really thinking it isn't now. When the nice man who's helping you find your way around says that the neighborhood is safe because there's a heavy police presence, your eyebrows go up a little.
It also does not help that no one in Maryland seems to know how to give directions. “Oh, take the 3 to the 8, it puts you right by the gym.” Right. If by “right by” you mean the other side of the campus, as a 3 goes by us as we hike all around Job's barn. The game started at 7PM; we made it into the gym with five seconds left in the first half. But damn it, we were there, just like we said we'd be.
I really like Towson's arena. It's pretty much all chair-back seating, except for bleachers in the upper endcourts. I had no idea Towson had such a strong women's gymnastics tradition, either; one entire side of their banners was made up of their gymnastics wins. Their band was incredibly into the game. I want a towel now. And they had a pretty good crowd for playing a pretty bad opponent. I know Delaware State traveled well, and maybe that had something to do with it, but there were a lot of people in the black and gold.
Apparently it was not a very good first half, so I think we were all right in missing it, but I'm not sure if y'all find the trials, travails, and travels of the Game Notes of Doom to be gripping reading. We also didn't find the rosters until after the game, so the notes in my head were along the lines of “that Dominique-Canty-looking player on the bench is really vocal” or “my God, 11 has hands of stone”. I mean, I knew the name and number of one player, since the whole reason we crossed Baltimore was to go see the former St. John's player on Towson, but that was it.
But now I know that the reason why it seemed like “that Kianna what's-her-name” for Delaware State was doing so well was that they have two different starters named Kianna. Kianna Conner was the one whose shots looked awfully good and who gave me the heebie-jeebies when she got open. Deanna Harmon showed a knack for getting to the line in the second half. Delaware State's uniforms are exceptionally ugly. At least they're not wearing prison stripes anymore, but no one should be attempting to look like the Montreal Expos.
#11 for Towson turned out to be Dovile Miliauskaite, who has one of the prettiest shots I've ever seen. Once she hangs on to the ball, the ball is going into the basket- but I can't count how many times the ball bounced off her hands on passes, rebounds, or dribbles. If she could handle the ball and hang on to it, she would probably be in a BCS conference. Krystal Parnell really needs to get herself under control. She has the speed and she has the instincts, but she has no control and little common sense. And of course we were keeping an eye on Sheree Ledbetter, the transfer from St. John's who decided to head closer to home. I forgot how animated she was on the floor, and what a great personality she has. Of course, we missed pretty much all of her offensive plays, since they were in the first half and most of her second half offense came on free throws, but it was nice to see her again.
Towson does ad hoc post-game autographs- you have to be quick, and you have to know what basketball players look like when they're leaving the locker room, and you should probably bring your own Sharpie, since they can't always find theirs. But we figured we'd stick around to either say hi to Sheree or give her the distinct sense that she's befriended crazy people, and an autographed poster is a nice souvenir to add to our wall. (For those of you who have come late to the Game Notes of Doom, we decorated our apartment in Late Modern Women's Basketball- posters, bobble-heads, yearbooks, ticket stubs, basketball cards, thundersticks, signed balls... our Christmas tree is decorated with basketball cards, and named after Katie Mattera, for the awkward way it looms.)
Thanks to the kind, kind lady who gave us a lift off campus and dropped us off at the Chipotle, where we grabbed soda and burritos that traveled in stealth on Metrobus through two routes, a harrowing walk between bus stops in East Baltimore, and a hike across the entire length of White Marsh Mall. And thanks to everyone who tried to direct us, even when it was clear that people who go to basketball games are not the same people who take public transit in the area.
After our trials, travels, and tribulations, I think the thing I am most grateful to is my Virgin mobile device. I was able to whip out my computer and get directions a few times in the middle of nowhere. I like not being lost in a strange place.
Friday, December 31, 2010
December 29th, 2010: Delaware State at Towson
December 29th, 2010: Liberty at LaSalle (Terrapin Classic)
Just the Facts, Ma'am: The Lady Flames of Liberty rode 19 points from Devon Brown and a double-double for Avery Warley to a 73-53 win over the LaSalle Explorers in the consolation game of the Terrapin Classic. Ebonee Jones of LaSalle led all scorers with 20 points, and got 19 from Ashley Gale, but no other Explorer cracked double digits.
For disappearing fans, lots of threes, and disappointingly light observations, join your intrepid and grungy blogger after the jump.
This might be the most pointless game of the day. Most of the Maryland fans left for various reasons, the championship trophy was awarded with about as much fanfare as one lonely kazoo in a forest, and as of 19 minutes before tip-off, LaSalle has not been seen. But we're still here. Somehow. For some reason. I think I might love this game a little too much.
Already Terrapins have slipped out of the tunnel. Natasha Cloud and Alyssa Thomas have been circulating, along with the alumnae. Our fellow Johnnies have pretty much all packed up and headed home. I guess not everyone's into getting their money's worth.
At half, Liberty is up 10 after fending off a small LaSalle run. I'm starting to think that there's some weird cultural quirk in Maryland, some perverse combination of DC gossip-mongering and Southern aggressive friendliness, that causes everyone around you to take the slightest sign of friendliness as an excuse to talk at you incessantly about things that are not necessarily related to the game, even during game play, even when your goddamn point guard is lying on the floor clutching her leg, no, I really don't care about your experiences as a St. John's men's fan in the Lapchick days, my starting point guard is in the ACL position, SHUT UP OKAY?
Emily Frazier got things started for the Lady Flames, hitting their first five points. Devon Brown had the game I was finally expecting her to have, but most of her drives and shots were in the second half, when Liberty had a big lead. I still love her mohawk. Why does such awesome hair have to represent such a reprehensible school? WHY? Jalena Antic was active on the boards, though she didn't bring a lot of offense. Off the bench, Dymond Morgan worked her way down the lane for some nice baskets. Avery Warley had some nice moves in the paint, and a couple of emphatic blocks.
Play of the game had to be Nikki Ortiz's block on Avery Warley. I don't care that she had brought it down low, when a 5-5 player gets a block on a 6-3 player, it's the play of the game. I don't care that that's the only really good thing she did that game, it's the play of the game. She and Michele McCaughern were the only two players to come off the bench for the short-handed Explorers.
Ebonee Jones still needed a lot of shots and free throws to get her points, so her numbers don't impress me as much as they should. Ashley Gale found her shot in this game. She was just putting in three after three after three. It was crazy. That was really the only offense they could get going for much of the game. Jess Koci let her drive get the better of her, and she fouled out of the game without being able to get going. Chelsea Conner got a lot of encouragement from her teammates and coach, but her shot was really heinously off line.
The guy in front of us was hilariously not impressed with some of the referees' calls, usually on travels and out-of-bounds calls.
Since these notes are a bit light, I'll take the opportunity to thank the Maryland fans and staff for being gracious hosts. People were a little too friendly to the point of cloying sometimes, but we appreciated the well wishes for next year, and extended them back to the Terps.
Thursday, December 30, 2010
December 29th, 2010: St. John's at Maryland (Terrapin Classic)
Just the Facts, Ma'am: A 20-8 second half run and 25 points off the bench from Eugeneia McPherson weren't enough for St. John's to overcome a sluggish start, and Maryland used a strong first half from Diandra Tchatchouang and a solid second half from Lynetta Kizer to pull out the 66-60 win.
For crowd noise, older Terrapins, cool uniforms, and the calling out of starters, join your intrepid and extremely annoyed at the neighbors blogger after the jump.
Day 2 dawned bright and early- brighter and earlier than before, thanks to Maryland football being in a bowl game later that day. We made it to Comcast with less trouble than before (but I don't think you want to hear about the crazy rude singing bus driver from yesterday who tried to whiz past the stop and then not let me get on when my fiance was already on). It's always good to know where you're going.
We got some reinforcements- Buzz's family made it down from Brooklyn. So we're expecting a little more noise. We'll see how that shakes out as the game goes on.
I don't envy the Maryland band and dance team. They've got a triple-header today. Well, so do we, but theirs is a bit more physically intense- the St. John's-Maryland women's basketball game, then the ECU-Maryland bowl game, then the North Florida-Maryland men's game. That's intense. That's dedication. That also means we get to see their cool uniforms with the yellow and red capes and sashes. I'm not sure if the baseball caps go quite as much.
Unlike yesterday, Team Tyler had a representative in the house, and we happily passed along twenty bucks to Laura Harper. Hey, just because we're St. John's fans, and just because we're obnoxious and lacking in class, that doesn't mean we don't feel bad for kids with cancer. Apparently, she was shocked. I don't think schools realize the network among fans. We hear about local causes, and we get involved.
At halftime, it's a five-point Terrapin lead, but I'm feeling a little more comfortable than you might think. Our defense has been pretty solid, and though our offense has mostly been predicated on Eugeneia McPherson drawing fouls, we're scoring enough to stay in the game- plus Shenneika Smith and Da'Shena Stevens haven't really gotten started. If we can get one of them going, I think we've got a shot. We might also gain back some of the atmosphere, because although the Terp fans are getting more into the game today with the chants of “DEE-FENSE”, the band may be leaving for the bowl game. That's the problem with overbooking, I suppose.
In addition to Laura Harper, who I think is doing radio for the Terrapins today, Crystal Langhorne and Marissa Coleman are in the house. Harper's knee still hasn't recovered- she's still on crutches. Something tells me she's not suiting up in the W this season unless it's late in the year and someone is really desperate for a spare post.
Just for the record, we're not the loudest St. John's fans in the arena. We're not the ones who are disconcerting the Maryland shooters- we recognize that this is not our house and it is extremely rude to disconcert the home shooter. That's mostly Buzz's family who's really letting them have it. You gotta love that Brooklyn sass. Now, if someone would please find the Sky Lindsay who actually knows how to play basketball, I think that would be very awesome and much appreciated.
That was the game I was expecting. That's what happens when you get two teams that are closely ranked, who are playing for poll position and to stake a claim against one of the few quality opponents that they'd be facing out of conference. That's what happens when you get two teams who have different style and a need to establish their style before they can get started. Now, if Shenneika would have shown up for the entire game instead of the fourth quarter, we might have had a chance.
This was not the game to give Keylantra Langley long minutes. The freshman was not ready, and more than once we heard Coach yelling at her about being out of position. She and Buzz teamed up on a great trap, and the two of them work well together defensively, but I don't think Key's ready yet. Amanda Burakoski was not the right player to bring in for this game either. Coach has this weird fixation with using Buzz as a power forward, and against a team that puts 6'3” people in the backcourt, this is not the world's most brilliant plan. She gave it her all, but she's six-foot and slim. Going against Alicia DeVaughn or Lynetta Kizer is not going to end well for her. Eugeneia McPherson kept us in the game in the first half, with her ability to get to the line and hit her free throws. Her defense was not up to par- that's something I've noticed a lot about St. John's, that they don't tend to play both ends of the floor well. If they're focusing on one thing, they're not doing the other. Jennifer Blanding came in for size and committed her usual stupid fouls. I think she could have done a better job of establishing position, but that's me judging from the outside. I don't know what it was like for her down there.
I really do think it would have been nice for Shenneika Smith to show up sometime before the fourth quarter. Well, technically, her first field goal was at 10:02, but that's close enough. Sure, she came on big in the last four minutes with her shots and her rebounding and her defense, but that was after we had gotten ourselves down fourteen, and I would have much rather not been in the position to claw back to 6, you know? Sky Lindsay continued to be awful, and I think she took offense to Coach noticing she had been awful. Gee, Sky, if you could hit your shots, your free throws, or even play decent defense, Coach wouldn't be stashing you on the bench for Gina or Key. So prove to me that you aren't just playing out the string, or that the incompetent in your jersey is an imposter, because I like you as a person but right now I can't stand you as a basketball player. Nadirah McKenith looked lost when she was in, and that's never a good thing to see out of a point guard, especially when you're counting on that point guard to spearhead your defense, but we looked even more lost when she went out with her ankle injury. We really need her, even more than some of our better players. Coco Hart couldn't get started early, which is understandable against the size of Maryland, but she started to kick it up late, in between the spate of bad decisions. Da'Shena Stevens came on in the second half, though I question some of her shot selection. I think I may have mentioned this a few times, but we really missed having Day on the floor. I'm glad she's back.
I don't know if anyone on St. John's noticed this against LaSalle, but Kim Rodgers can shoot it. You can't leave her open. You have to at least get a hand in her face. Once the hand is in her face, she's much less effective, but you have to get it there first. I still like Natasha Cloud, and I think once some of the logjam around her clears, she'll be a very valuable piece for the Terrapins. She did a magnificent job of splitting a steel trap on one play that had me going WOW. Laurin Mincy made a brief cameo and hit a shot. Alicia DeVaughn really put in work on the boards and on defense. She had a couple of emphatic blocks to go with her fierce rebounds and putbacks. I shouldn't be judging her by her mother, and I'd like to think I'd be saying this even if I didn't know her lineage, but I can see her developing into, well, Baby Yo- or the way Natalie Williams played later in her career, someone who feasts on other people's garbage. Which is a horribly gross way to put it, and I'm sorry for that.
Diandra Tchatchouang started the game red hot for Maryland. She canned a three to open it, and I started to suspect that this wasn't going to be our day when she did that. She was matching our point totals by herself for a good chunk of the first half. Anjalé Barrett ran a decent offense, and late in the game she started showing her offense; part of me thinks that has to do with her lineage through Seton Hall, but of course I'm biased. I remain quite impressed with Lynetta Kizer. Do I think Coco's inability to play defense on her was a factor? Yes. Do I think she's got the skill set to be a WNBA prospect and a pretty nice player if she wants to be? Absolutely. At this point, I absolutely cannot recall anything that Alyssa Thomas and Tianna Hawkins did, except that their presence might have affected Shenneika's shot selection. We're just not used to seeing people that tall in the back court.
The officiating was inconsistent, but in ways that made fans of both teams angry, so that works out in the end. The Maryland fans spent a lot of time furious at the and-1s; to be fair, free throws are how we stayed in the game in the first half. And we just never gave up. I have to give that to my team. We don't give up. Ever. We're stubborn, and tenacious, and really annoying if you're the opposing team.
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
December 28th, 2010: Liberty at St. John's (Terrapin Classic)
Just the Facts, Ma'am: The triumphant return of Da'Shena Stevens and a career effort from Shenneika Smith spearheaded a second-half comeback that allowed the Red Storm to beat Liberty University 81-66. Smith's 28 points tied a career high, while Stevens added 20 points and six rebounds. For the Lady Flames, Danika Dale and LaKendra Washington each had 13 off the bench.
For trials and travails, deep personal offenses, a lot of screaming, relief, over-exuberance, Pod People, and the frustration of Kim Barnes Arico, join your intrepid and exhausted blogger after the jump.
For pictures from the trip, watch this space.
Seeing Maryland is all well and good, but we didn't brave the Snowpocalypse, bus cancellations, or frozen doors on Amtrak to see Maryland whoop LaSalle. We're Johnnies, and that's who we came to see. A fair number of Maryland fans stayed for the second game, and we made friends with a few of them, in addition to our Board Junkie colleagues from the Rebounders. It's a wonderful feeling to be known by people you barely know. Thrilling, but weird.
We didn't travel as well as I think we could have if it hadn't been for the Snowpocalypse. Half our team is from Brooklyn, and they usually bring a lot of family; factor them out, plus Nadirah's family from Newark (which was affected by the power outage that delayed our train), and there aren't that many people in Storm gear. Some folks came out from the Island, if the #22 jersey in the next section is any indication.
We looked very rusty in the first quarter or so of the game, and Da'Shena Stevens looked far too exuberant about being on the floor for the first time since Southern Miss whammed her with an elbow and gave her a concussion. Things started to get back on the right track later in the first half and through the second, when Shenneika Smith made a valiant effort to match her jersey number. Honestly, in the second half, the only reason Liberty had a chance to stay close was because of some dicey officiating from Spence, Gulbeyan, and crew. It's a sad, sad sign when I recognize a ref in street clothes and know she's going to be calling the game, which in turn means that I know there's going to be extra emphasis on violations.
A warm, friendly, New York-style shoutout to the Liberty University fans who thought they could outdo New Yorkers, and especially to the one gentleman who called us obnoxious and lacking in class loud enough for us to hear, yet without saying it to our faces. Let me assure you, sirrah, that this proud New York agnostic-leaning-towards-atheist considers that a compliment from such as you.
LaKendra Washington's got some stroke, let me tell you. You can't leave her open, especially not from the near corner. She will kill you dead. We got so frustrated with our team's inability to defend her, you have no idea. Brittany Campbell hit a three off such a sweet pass from Tolu Omotola that we were all “okay, if she flips you the ball like that, you have to hit the shot, even if you're on a team we don't like”. I was also very impressed with Danika Dale, who showed a knack for being in the right place at the right time to get her points. While other Liberty players saw time, I don't quite recall anything they might have done.
I love Devon Brown's mohawk. I'm a sucker for mohawks, okay? I mean, I'm also a sucker for slick moves to the hoop like Brown has, but especially for mohawks. Avery Warley spent a lot of the game in foul trouble, but I really like the way she moves on the floor and the way she uses her body. Emily Frazier found her way to the line in the second half on some dicey calls. Jalena Antic gave us a little bit of a scare from outside, but mostly annoyed me for reasons I can't properly recall at the moment.
Nadirah McKenith played this game like she was personally offended about something. Maybe it was coming off the bench, maybe she isn't fond of religious fundamentalists, maybe she was just feeling it, but she drove the lane like she was trying to do her best Mark Jackson impression. She was showing off a little with her ballhandling too. Amanda Burakoski was out of it, having more than one blonde moment, but she redeemed herself a little with a three-pointer (of course, it was on a play where she should have taken the two, but we won't go there). Keylantra Langley looked very much like a lost freshman, though she made some good defensive stances. Jennifer Blanding was her usual slightly clueless self.
Have I mentioned lately that we really missed Da'Shena? Because we really missed Da'Shena. Clearly, she missed the floor about as much as we missed having her on the floor. She was a bit over-exuberant in the beginning, but when she settled down, she found her groove and looked like the rust was shaken off. More, she was hitting her free throws. You don't understand how rare that is. And when she hit that field goal to hit her thousandth point, we went nuts. Couldn't happen to a nicer kid. I just wish Sky Lindsay had remembered to get on the bus. This Pod Person who was wearing her jersey was really awful. She almost matched her jersey number, which is not good when you wear #1. Coco Hart started slow, and really needed a good thwack upside the head, but she stepped up in the second half, and she was willing to go at Warley when Warley got in foul trouble. Eugeneia McPherson stepped up her defense, but we're going to need her to be more of an offensive threat if we're going to take Maryland. Granted, we're also going to need Shenneika Smith to be the unconscious beast she was in the middle of this game. Near the end of the first half, she started a streak where she was hitting everything she looked at- she started with little shots inside, then moved back and canned four threes, then moved back in. When she's on, she looks like she could be in the WNBA today. She still needs to refine her game, but she was stupendous, and we need her to be that player again.
I don't know exactly when Kim Barnes Arico started going around and kicking referees' puppies, but she needs to stop. There were some sketchy calls against us that even the Maryland fans around us thought were questionable. To be fair, we made up for those with a plethora of and-1 calls. We must have had five or six hoop-and-harm plays. There was one play where Kim yelled to the ref, “Kathy, if you see it, you can change it!” because the call was that egregious.
I'm really glad we dug down, grabbed Shenneika, and hung on for dear life. I wasn't all that impressed with Liberty, but that might change if Brown is allowed to roam free in Big South play, or if someone else for that team steps up.
December 28th, 2010: LaSalle at Maryland (Terrapin Classic)
Just the Facts, Ma'am: A strong, balanced post attack led the Maryland Terrapins over the LaSalle Explorers, 83-45. Lynetta Kizer led Maryland with 15 points and 9 rebounds. Ebonee Jones of LaSalle led all scorers with 18 points, but on 21 shots.
For team colors, nifty cups, Starbursts, big bands, and bigger hair, join your intrepid and well-traveled blogger after the jump.
For pictures, watch this space in the next week or so.
I think this might be my first time in an arena with a big-time men's team that actually treats their home arena as, well, their home arena. For most of the places I've been, either they're so low on the totem pole that they don't have to worry about the amenities of a big arena, or they're so high on the totem pole that the men play at public arenas and we're back to square one. But the Comcast Center is absolutely gorgeous. Everything is in team colors, and everything is Terrapin. The cups are really cool. We're taking two of them home as tumblers to add to our collection of stadium cups. There's an entire section in the endcourts for the press. The other endcourt is completely devoted to the band. Completely, except for a couple of sections off to the side. But the band takes up three sections. I'm fairly certain I saw Megan Duffy looking at them and making a note to ask for more band funding from St. John's.
The fans, at least so far in this undramatic game, have all the trappings of passion and all the off-court involvement in the world. Pretty much everyone who isn't here for one of the opposing teams is wearing Maryland colors. And there are a few people behind us who yell the way we do. (I was actually a bit worried about that, because we're front row center, to the point where we may move up during intermission because we can't see any of the lines.) But there really hasn't been any chanting yet. Of course, Maryland is up 22 at the half and LaSalle looks like they'd rather be shoveling the Snowpocalypse than being here, so there's that to consider. We don't exactly get involved when we're up that much either.
The anthem was very good. It would have been excellent if the singer wasn't trying to sing through her nose. Execution will be the death of me yet.
So far no one has looked too oddly at us in our St. John's jerseys, though it's pretty obvious we're not on the team. (For one thing, one of us is, um, not eligible to play women's basketball without some major changes I'd rather he not go through.)
I'm working on a new computer, and because I'm writing five sets of game notes in two days (possibly seven in three, if true insanity overtakes me and I head to Fordham on Thursday), much of this will be coming from on-site, so these notes might read slightly differently from their usual. I ask your patience.
LaSalle appeared to be playing short-handed. They only listed ten on their roster, and their starters played heavy minutes even when they were down thirty and close to forty. I think they only played one sub in the first half. That sub was Michele McCaughern, who registered a foul and some defense. The second half brought Nikki Ortiz as the first sub, who contributed a whole bunch of fouls. (Hmm. I'm wondering if that might be why LaSalle didn't substitute often.)
Ebonee Jones looks to be a pure gunner with a propensity for foul trouble. Sure, she scored a lot of points, but from here, it looked like she needed a lot of shots to do it. Ashley Gale came on in the second half. I like the freshman Jess Koci, or at least I would if she could figure out how not to flop on half her defensive plays. She seemed to be the only on that team with some spark, with a nice block and some hard work on the boards near the endline. Chelsea Conner's shot was very schitzophrenic. When it was on, it was a sweet swish. When it wasn't... I think LaSalle had something like four or five airballs, and at least three of them were hers. Not pretty. Not pretty at all.
The beautiful thing about a blowout is that you get to see the deep bench of the leading team. You get to see players you might not ordinarily see. Sequoia Austin reminds me of a few undersized guards I've seen in the past, who make up for their lack of height with an endless drive and the inability to stop. The crowd was rooting for her to score, but though her shots looked good, she wasn't able to get them to go down. Essence Townsend has the height to be successful, but absolutely none of the other aspects. She doesn't look comfortable on the floor, she doesn't take contact well, and she can't hang on to the ball. Honestly, I think she missed her calling- she looks and plays much more like a volleyball player. Yemi Oyefuwa got huge cheers from the crowd when she did just about anything, and when she went on her scoring run, the people around us went nuts. She looks like a player who was very good at one point, but the Creature from the Black Lagoon attached to her knee appears to have done her in. Kim Rodgers also looked like a player recovering from a knee injury, who used to be a very good shooter and still has a little bit of that stroke. Natasha Cloud got good rotation minutes and showed a knack for getting to the line. Dara Taylor's got some speed on her, and she set up a couple of nice plays- my favorite was the steal that led to her missed lay-up, which Laurin Mincy rebounded and put back. Mincy had herself a nice game. Hey, why do they have so many kids from our neck of the woods? Shouldn't we have been doing a little more about that? Alicia DeVaughn scared the hell out of me- not just because she's a pure defensive stopper who I wouldn't want to meet in a dark alley, but because it's very disconcerting to see someone with identical body language to anyone else. Yes, I know she's Yo Griffith's daughter, but she moves in exactly the same way. It's very, very strange, especially when you see around the face that they look nothing alike. Her hands were up everywhere.
Alyssa Thomas had herself one heck of a game, getting nice passes from her teammates and converting them. I think she missed a couple of chippies that she could have had, but with the game she had, I'm not arguing. Diandra Tchatchouang, in addition to being extremely hard to spell, showed some nice moves both inside and out. Anjale Barrett did a nice job running the team, but methinks they might have some trouble moving the ball if she can be stopped. It would take a team with very good defensive guards... Tianna Hawkins has insanely tall hair. I'm not sure if that 6'3” listed height includes the hair or not. I know she had a pretty solid game, but I keep being distracted by the hair. It's not quite Troy Polamalu, but you get the idea. Lynetta Kizer did a number on the Explorers inside, and early in the game she reared back and swished a three, and I think I spent the next minute of game time with my jaw hanging slack in shock.
Some odd calls in this game, but more judgment calls than questions about what exactly the referee was looking at and what universe it was in.
I was surprised the Maryland fans weren't more into the game. Maybe they'll be louder in more traditional ways tomorrow. They have a little competition to deal with, after all.
Sunday, December 19, 2010
December 19th: UCSB at St. John's (Chartwells Holiday Classic)
Just the Facts, Ma'am: Shenneika Smith scored 13 of her 15 points in the second half, and the depleted Red Storm used strong opening runs in each half to fend off the UCSB Gauchos 56-47. Smith also pulled down 9 rebounds, notched three steals, and swatted three blocks. Kelsey Adrian's 10 points and seven rebounds led the Gauchos.
For exhaustion, Starbursts, horrified stares, and incoherency, join your intrepid and completely wiped the heck out blogger after the jump.
And then it was championship time. People decided to show up. The Santa Barbara fans made it in. So did the usual suspects: Sky's mom, Nadirah's family, Buzz's Barn Brigade, the Arico family, those sorts of people.
We have to give a shoutout to the St. John's band. They've stepped their game up the last couple of games. They're doing stuff that is way above their previous level of difficulty and doing it well. I'm very impressed. They're also getting more involved in the games, and I'd like to think that we're influencing them. (Hey, Coach Barnes Arico let us know we were the best fans, so you never know.)
We've also sort of been adopted by the young Aricos. They gave us Starbursts. This is very serious; they take their Starbursts as seriously as mom takes her coaching. We're honored and flattered.
Nicole Nesbit reminds me a little bit of Jessica Bibby, with her incredible speed and inability to stop. That's not completely fair to Nesbit, because I think she's better than Bibby, but it's the best comparison I can think of. Sweets Underwood had a solid game, and seemed more omnipresent than she was by the statistics. The Gauchos also got some outside shooting from Destini Mason and Melissa Zornig.
Mekia Valentine got in foul trouble again, and she got her fouls at the textbook times for bad fouls. That kept her from being anything more than a presence to shoot around in the middle. Emilie Johnson's shots weren't falling the way they did yesterday, though we kept letting her have them. Margaret Johnson got more playing time, and I think I remember her getting a couple of rebounds, but that's about it. Another unremarkable game from Angelei Aguirre. Kelsey Adrian threw her body around as if she was under the impression that this was a hockey game. In case you are wondering why I keep making this joke, she's Canadian. Canadians and hockey go well together.
Keylantra Langley looked more like a freshman than she did yesterday- a little less sure of herself, a little less confident, a step slower than she had been, and she had no excuse to be a step slow, since she was one of the few players who was not injured. Nadirah McKenith came off the bench again and though she looked to be handling the ball a little more gingerly than usual, she looked like her thumb wasn't bothering anymore than it was before the second hit yesterday, if this sentence is making sense by this point. Jennifer Blanding had her usual array of stupid plays and missed shots, but she looked like she was growing into her body a little bit and seeming more comfortable.
I don't care what you say, Shenneika Smith is Supergirl. In the first half, she looked pained, agonized, and at times doing everything but sitting herself on the bench to get out of the game. In the second half, she took the team on her shoulders and carried them to the win with athletic drives that shouldn't have been possible on her ankle the way it was. She was unbelievable. Sky Lindsay stepped up in the second half, though she was also a step slow and it was clear that her Achilles was flaring up a couple of times. Coco Hart looked a step slow, and it was clear that she was stopping short because of her ankle a couple of times. If this sounds like a recording, it's because that many of our players were injured and it was ridiculous. Eugeneia McPherson was playing more of the point today, so she wasn't looking for her shot as much, but she got to the line late in the game to salt it away. Amanda Burakoski got the start in place of Da'Shena Stevens, who watched the game from the trainer's room (and who presumably had a very good day, because she's a Philadelphia Eagles fan for some reason). Buzz canned a couple of nice threes and did good work tipping out offensive boards and boxing out. She's not a four by nature, but she does a pretty good impersonation of one.
I'm really not amused with Kim Barnes Arico right now. As injured as her team is, and as much as Zakiyyah Shahid-Martin showed in those minutes she had to play late yesterday, I would have thought we'd see Z get some time, but she was DNP-CD'd. I understand not putting in Briana Brown even if she was healthy, because she had been suspended for being stupid (that's the way I was told it, and while I can infer what "stupid enough to get you suspended" translates to, I can't explicitly state it without evidence), though I would think that this is a situation where you just use your healthy bodies no matter what. I'm sorry, but if your players are stopping short, coming up lame, wincing in pain, shooting short, not going for plays they normally jump on like piranhas on raw meat, and in general unable to move, TAKE THEM OUT. Don't berate them for not being able to make plays they are physically unable to make. It was heartbreaking how much pain Shenneika was in, and how she had to limp to the table to receive her award afterwards. That's one thing I've noticed about KBA- she'll run players into the ground. It's one thing to drive and drive and drive, the way Geno or Pat does. It's another thing to completely ignore the limits of the human body, especially after that wreck of a game yesterday.
All-tournament team: Jaleesa Ross of Fresno State, Sweets Underwood and Emilie Johnson of UCSB, and Sky Lindsay and Eugeneia McPherson of St. John's. Shenneika was MOP of the tournament.
I'm sure I'll remember other things I wanted to put in these notes, but I'm tired and it's been a long weekend, so I'm going to go crash, all right?
December 19th, 2010: Fresno State at Southern Miss (Chartwells Holiday Classic)
Just the Facts, Ma'am: 28 points from Jaleesa Ross and 21 from Rosie Moult led Fresno State over Southern Miss, 88-51. Rachel Vigers led Southern Miss with 18 points and 9 rebounds.
For line changes, accolades, three-point shooting, and random acts of St. John's fans, join your intrepid and ardent blogger after the jump.
Noon is too early for a basketball game to tip off. Of course, I'm biased, because I like to be there when the gates open, which means that I'm in my seat a little after eleven if it's a noon tip. And we left the house a little early, so we were at St. John's by 10:30, which gave us a chance to wish Fresno State good luck against Southern Miss. (Their coaching staff agreed that that game was rough. They also said we were the fans of the game, which I thought was a magnanimous gesture. So we decided to root for them.)
The place was deserted even at the first tip. Have I mentioned that noon is too early for basketball? Because St. John's wasn't in the first game, the cheerleaders and band and whatnot weren't in, so we got a recorded anthem and canned music. For noise, it was the two benches, the two of us, and a couple of band guys who came in early and joined us in cheering for Fresno State and against Southern Miss.
Adrian Wiggins was prepared for the Golden Eagles' physicality. Of course, he had more options than we did, but he was still willing to sub liberally, especially in the second half. Veronica Wilson set the tone by going toe to toe with Tanisha Washington and making it clear that if Washington wanted to play, she was going to find herself tangling with someone who used to practice against Carolyn Swords and Stefanie Murphy on a regular basis. She couldn't hit a bunny for love nor money, but she didn't need to. Emma Andrews showed a lot of nerve trying to guard Rachel Vigers, who has four inches and a lot of weight on her. Marnique Arnold showed no fear of anybody on her back-to-back and-ones. They got some decent minutes out of Bree Farley at guard. We got to see a few younger players, like Jeanna Furst, who put up a big block; Alex Furr, who showed impressive range from beyond the arc; and Blakely Goldberg, who played well inside. Wiggins kept his players fresh with wholesale subs in the second half- we're talking hockey style line changes.
Rosie Moult did a couple of things well. Her hands were active and her defense had bright spots. But the thing she did best was camp out on the wing and put up threes. She didn't make any of her own shots, but she didn't need to. Hayley Munro did a nice job of cleaning up on the offensive boards. Taylor Thompson's release continues to be funky, but her range is impressive, and her defensive intensity is unmatched. When a little bitty guard is defending big physical centers, and doing it well, that says a lot. Taja Edwards was in and out for Wilson a lot, and she wasn't much of a factor. Jaleesa Ross had the game that I thought she was going to have yesterday. Her shots were falling, her teammates were catching her passes, her hands were more active- all of that. I'm not sure I was thrilled with her taking threes late in the game with Washington on her- I thought for sure she was going to be targeted, and if I were Adrian Wiggins, that's a risk I wouldn't have wanted to take.
Fresno runs a couple of drills that I really like. One is a rapid change of direction drill, where the leader shouts out which way they're going and changes it on a dime, including diving forwards and backwards for loose balls. Another is a defensive drill, where the pass comes in low, and as the "offensive" player scoops it up, the "defensive" player is suddenly all up in her face, hands up and going "Ball, ball, ball, ball!" That one looks like a good way to show players how to put on pressure, and how to take it.
Southern Miss behaved themselves for the first half of the game, and then as the lead ballooned for Fresno, some of the misbehavior that reared its ugly head yesterday showed up today. Elbows came out a little more. Hips protruded. Players went flying for no good reason. Other such charming things. And over it all, the hoarse, high-pitched, heavily accented screech of the Southern Miss coach. Oh, it was glorious finally yelling "SHUT UP ALREADY!" at her near the end of the game.
She went a little deeper into her bench this time, but not as much as she could have. I really do think it would have made more sense to go deep into the bench on the second consecutive day of getting beat down like a redheaded stepchild, but no one pays me for this. Nia Bradford continued to overdo it, looking very much like a player who was looking for playing time by any means possible, and if that meant falling into line with what the coach wanted, then that was what she would do. Fresno did a good job of keeping Ewa Urbanowska from being much of a factor on the inside. Danielle Johnson continued to shoot and miss.
The diving by Washington and Geneshia Dunbar was hilarious. I'm sorry, but you're not getting any sympathy. Dunbar set a legal Screen of Death that people were screaming to be called a foul, but it was clean, it was legal, and if you're stupid enough to run into a screen after your teammate calls it out, you deserve to see stars. Brittany Johnson was mostly confusing, because she and Danielle Johnson subbed for each other. Washington continued to be overphysical, with the bonus of being able to mock her shooting. Rachel Vigers was a bit more aggressive on defense than she had been yesterday, and still very effective for her height in the paint. Jamierra Faulkner continues to impress me- she needed more shots this time, but I still like her style.
The referees had a better grip on this game than they did yesterday. I think they were aware of what happened yesterday, and what could have happened, and didn't want it to happen again. I only saw one or two Fresno players go off injured, and they were only small injuries.
Some of the St. John's players drifted in and out during the game, in various states of uniform and health. I think we scared the daylights out of Briana Brown when we were going full throttle for Fresno. We waved at a few of them, and at least on Twitter Jennifer waved back.
It was very cathartic to see Southern Miss get their comeuppance. I never said I was fair, or neutral, or anything like that.
Saturday, December 18, 2010
December 18th, 2010: Fresno State at UC-Santa Barbara (Chartwells Holiday Classic)
Just the Facts, Ma'am: 58.8% shooting by UC-Santa Barbara countered a 23-5 free throw differential in favor of Fresno State, and the Gauchos pulled out a 64-62 win. Emilie Johnson led all scorers with 21 points, while Sweets Underwood notched a double-double of 14 points and 11 rebounds. Hayley Munro's 16 points and seven rebounds led Fresno State.
For star power or lack thereof, shiny objects, swarming defense, potential Russians, and scouting, join your intrepid and intrigued blogger after the jump.
Californians, you'll have to pardon me if these notes are not as coherent and exhaustive as they are most of the time. Between the lateness of the hour and the insanity of our game against Southern Miss, I'm wiped.
I'm not lying or being polite when I say that this was the matchup I was most looking forward to in the Chartwells. I had heard a lot about UCSB, Lindsay Gottlieb, and Mekia Valentine; I had heard a lot about Fresno State, Adrian Wiggins, and Jaleesa Ross. I knew this was an even match of two good teams and programs with solid track records, teams I might never see again unless I traveled west.
And of course, when you know to watch a player, someone else steps up. Nicole Nesbit came off the bench like a bolt of lightning to energize a swarming, relentless Gauchos defense in the first half. She was flying on the fast break. Sweets Underwood stepped up with a pretty awesome block in the first half and some key baskets in the second, but she also made some fairly stupid mistakes. I don't even remember Melissa Zornig playing. I'm very sorry.
Mekia Valentine's foul trouble really hampered her in the first half, and it almost seemed like her teammates weren't sure what to do with a big girl in the middle. Either that, or Fresno State was very prepared for the repeated attempts at alley-oop passes that the Gauchos tried. I'd love to see her be more assertive, just not tomorrow. She did have some monster blocks, and as a presence in the middle defensively, she's formidable- but with her build and height, she could be more. Emilie Johnson put up the quietest points I ever saw; I remember filling out my scorecard and at one point going, "When did Johnson score 17?" She was just quietly and mercilessly effective. No plays that made me go "ooh!" or even "No!" There and competent. It sounds like a backhanded compliment, but it's not meant that way. There's nothing backhanded about it. Margaret Johnson spent so much time in foul trouble that she played less than the bench players. Angelei Aguirre played all right- not badly, not amazingly, but solidly. Kelsey Adrian occasionally appeared to be under the impression that she was playing hockey, judging from the physicality of some of her moves on defense. She was really going at it with a couple of the Aussies from Fresno State.
I'm not sure how enamored I was of Coach Gottlieb in the second half. Her team lost composure and got rattled by a defense very similar to the one they used in the first half, and her endgame was very sketchy. I understand the rationale behind trying to run clock with nine seconds left, a two-point lead, and the one-and-one coming up on the next Fresno foul. However, if you have a player open in the front court, it makes more sense to throw it to her and get the two-possession lead without having to worry about the free throws. You know why? Because Nesbit missed the front end of the one-and-one, and the only reason it worked out for Santa Barbara was because the refs screwed Fresno State of about a second, and their only shot was a halfcourt heave that had the distance but not quite the aim. If they'd set up Valentine the way the entire booster section was screaming for them to, they wouldn't have had to worry.
And yes, the Gauchos traveled exceedingly well. They brought two sections of people in blue and yellow. They brought signs, some streamers, and some little signs. One guy had a very cool supporter's scarf (you know, the ones they have in soccer). Of course, it was not as cool as my fiancé's St. John's scarf, but they can't help it.
Fresno State has a lot of Australians. It's sort of hilarious. Who knew California was so inviting to Aussies? And Adrian Wiggins's animation intrigues me. I like a man who's passionate about his job.
Taja Edwards got her time in the second half, and helped spearhead the comeback by the Bulldogs. Fresno State really didn't rely on their bench much, and didn't get much out of it (though they did need to make a sub for Ross early because of foul trouble). I had to look at the box score to remember that more than two reserves played, so again, there's little I can say about them. Sorry, Fresno fans.
I get the idea that a lot of Jaleesa Ross's plays are much cooler in her head than they turn out in the real world. She reminds me of Ticha Penicheiro in her drive and dish ways, especially with the flair she puts on them. Unfortunately, a lot of those times she reminded me of the young Ticha who would sheepishly say that she put too much mustard on the hot dog sometimes. With Taylor Thompson in the game, Ross was playing a strange sort of combo guard, with Thompson setting up the offense but Ross doing the dishing inside. Not sure if it really worked, because by the time Fresno started really learning to read her passes, so did Santa Barbara. For a freshman, I really like Thompson. She's spunky. Not afraid to get up in anyone's business or to take the big shot. Rosie Moult alternated moments of great plays and big shots with moments of sketchy ballhandling, stupid fouls, and an absolute fascination with staring at what Ross was going to do next with the basketball. Kayley Munro was willing to mix it up inside- she and Kelsey Adrian were going at it hammer and tongs all night. Marnique Arnold's shot wasn't falling in the first half, but in the second, she was able to get things going with some help from the swarming, intense defensive pressure of the Bulldogs' defense in the second half.
The scoreboard operator was a bit punchy by the time this game was into the second half- there were score irregularities at two different times in the half, and I was called upon to straighten out the score by some Gaucho family.
The refs got a bit tired near the end, too; guys, I'm pretty sure it's a foul when Mekia Valentine sits on someone, and when that someone is much smaller than she is, it's not a pretty sight. I mean, they had better control of that game than the other refs did, but that's small consolation.
You can see how Fresno State got into the tournament in this team; you can see the ghosts of Gauchos past in this team. It was all that I hoped it would be- but for different reasons.
We were rooting for Fresno State simply because they'd be a better matchup for our MASH unit, because I didn't really like the idea of facing Valentine with both of our starting posts injured. We were, however, sitting in one of the UCSB sections, because we had to move, because Southern Miss decided to colonize the section next to the band. I didn't trust myself when it was just the fans; when the players moved into that section, I was relieved we had moved, because otherwise the GNoD would be coming from the inside of a jail cell because I'd be arrested for assault and stupidity. You don't mess with my team and then go sit in a section that's traditionally home turf.
Sometime in the middle of the game, a couple of women wandered over to the section and we did double-takes. If not for the giant hoop earrings, the slightly higher voice, and the fact that I can't think of any reason she'd be chilling with UCSB fans/boosters/family, I'd have sworn on a stack of media guides that one of them was Becky Hammon. Dead ringer for her in body language, in looks, in build, and in style. So weird. Also, not fun. I sort of don't like her. But I didn't want to move again.
I admit to being easily distracted during this game, because I kept looking around to see where my team was, and if any of them were walking, and if Day had any notion of what planet she was on (no, seriously, when they're doing the finger test, it's a bad sign).
In conclusion: great game, could have been a little better, and I sort of want that Gaucho fan's scarf.
December 18th, 2010: Southern Miss at St. John's (Chartwell's Holiday Classic)
Just the Facts, Ma'am: St. John's built an early cushion in the second half and used it as protection in an 81-50 win that ended with only four players on the floor for the Red Storm. Eugeneia McPherson's career-high 23 points led all scorers, with Shenneika Smith adding 19 points and 8 rebounds. Rachel Vigers led Southern Miss with 19 points and 13 rebounds.
For an accounting of the injured, carefully controlled seething rage, acts of awesomeness, and eligibility questions, join your intrepid and infuriated blogger after the jump.
It's never a good sign when one of the assistants asks you if you have eligibility left... and you're not sure if she's joking or not. It was that rough of a game. (And to be fair, I'm one of maybe three people she could ask who at least comes with her own jersey.)
I don't know how often I've told the story of the Iona game, the one where I fell in fandom love with Joy McCorvey, the one where we were down to five players in the second half due to surgeries, ineligibility, injuries, and random disappearances. It was even weirder today.
There are fourteen players listed on the Red Storm roster. Elón Sidney hasn't been seen all season. Tesia Harris and Mary the Redshirt are both sitting out their transfer year. So that brings us down to eleven active players. For whatever reason, Briana Brown was sitting out this game in street clothes. Okay, down to ten players. Still a fairly good rotation, right?
Then Da'Shena Stevens was knocked to the floor and concussed; out for the game and down to nine. Then Coco Hart twisted her ankle; out for the half. Halftime. Coco was tripped again and wrenched her ankle; out for the game and down to eight. Then Sky Lindsay twisted her ankle; out for the game and down to seven. Then Jennifer Blanding fouled out; out for the game and down to six. Then Nadirah McKenith was hit in her already-injured thumb; out for the game and down to five. Then Shenneika Smith was slide-tackled and her ankle twisted badly; out for the game and down to four.
You heard me. We played the last two minutes with only four players. And as far as I'm concerned, Eugeneia McPherson, Amanda Burakoski, Keylantra Langley, and Zakiyyah Shahid-Martin are now certified BAMFs.
No, I am really not amused by Southern Mississippi right now, whatever gave you that idea? It might have been the bit where Tanisha Washington was gooning like she had a checklist. Or the bit where they were fouling hard down 30. Or the part where the coach sent the aforementioned Washington back in with forty-odd seconds left, who started the game, when we were down to four players. Or the bit where they were trying to throw down with Eugeneia and Key at the four-player mark. Or the part where they were rolling the ball with nine seconds left and down 30.
Started out nice, too. We were in good voice, the band was on their game (a marching band version of Barenaked Ladies' "Brian Wilson"? MADE OF WIN!), the anthem was good, it was a nice if cold day, we got our Christmas tree (and named it Katharen for its height and awkward looming ability), certified BAMF Eugeneia was on the poster... and then five minutes in, Da'Shena hit the floor and it all went downhill from there.
Nia Bradford looked like a woman desperate for playing time, and she was overzealous in her play almost to the point of cheap shots. It's one thing never to give up, it's another thing to throw hip checks down 30. Ewa Urbanowska showed reasonable physicality for a Euro, but her shooting form could use a little work. I'm assuming that Danielle Johnson hits more of her shots on most days, because she seemed like a jump shooter who was just off her game. I know Niesha Pierce and Bianco Heard played, but I don't remember what they did.
I'll be nice. I really like this freshman they've got, Jamierra Faulkner. I like her spirit, I like her instincts, and I like that she's classier than most of her teammates. She's got moves, she's got smarts, and she's got good hands. Some of her passes were a bit off, but I started to wonder if those were apologies for her teammates- and I thought it was interesting that she touched the ball early when they were trying to roll it. I also like Rachel Vigers. She's rough, but she's clean. She works hard on the boards and knows how to get her points in the paint. She's got a funky free throw routine that involves throwing the ball so high in the air that it could be a false shot. Geneshia Dunbar's foul trouble kept her from being much of a factor. I don't even remember the existence of Brittany Johnson. And then there was Tanisha Washington, who hooks arms like Plenette Pierson, throws elbows like DeLisha Milton-Jones or Lisa Leslie, and would probably have felt right at home with Bill Laimbeer's Bad Girls. The part where she was swaggering back down the court after Coco went down the first time was sickening (and there was insult to that injury, but to be fair, I don't think she could have known that Coco's family flew in from Memphis). She took shots at all of our post players, plus Keylantra and Shenneika. And it was almost like she had a checklist: "okay, Stevens is out, go after Hart; okay, Hart is out, go after Blanding; Hart is back, go after Hart; Hart's out again, go after Blanding; got a hit in on Blanding, go after Shahid-Martin".
And their coach allowed all this to happen- and from her play-calling and sub patterns, encouraged it. Sickening. Obscene. Embarrassing. Unprofessional.
Because of her thumb, Nadirah was coming off the bench anyway, and she did a nice job of setting things up and making the plays she needed to make. Jennifer played reasonably well, and for the first time in the year and change she's been here, really threw her weight around and made it clear that she and her team were not to be trifled with. She still can't hit a bunny to save her life (or without hopping- one basket was wiped off the board for a fairly blatant travel), but I liked that she didn't let us get pushed around. Zakiyyah played well, especially when she had to step up and be a certified BAMF- needs to work on her ballhandling and grip, especially under pressure, but she's a freshman, and you can let that pass to an extent with the last player off the bench. Keylantra also really impressed me, and if you've been following the Game Notes of Doom for any length of time, you know that I've been very hard on her. Her defense was better than I've seen it all year, and she made it clear that she wasn't taking crap from anyone. Buzz had an amazing tip-in at the first-half buzzer (which I thought came after the buzzer, but I'll take it) and had very active hands. She also stepped up her shooting when our numbers really began to dwindle. I like that kind of leadership out of a sophomore.
Da'Shena hardly played- her concussion came less than three minutes into the game! If this were Twitter, I'd have hashtagged that #cmonson. Coco was overdoing it in the first half, trying too hard to look good for her family, and she was knocking away a lot of stuff she could probably have gotten her hands on, but she looked a little better before the first trip and shortly after halftime. Sky's shot selection was a bit more questionable than usual, but her defense was pretty good. Shenneika went for style points on a few too many shots (I wonder if she thought there were scouts). Her work on the boards was great- there was one play where Sky got the steal and blew the fast break- but Shenneika was there with the putback.
Eugeneia gets her own paragraph, because she was just that awesome. Her shots were falling, her defense was good, her hands were active, she took no crap from anyone, and she made all the plays she needed to make. As much as Buzz's tip-in would normally have been the play of the game, her hoop-and-harm after Shenneika went out to bring us down to four was just what the doctor ordered. She was the rock that steadied us when everyone was falling. This game, and especially that second half, really showed her mettle. Buzz, Zakiyyah, and Keylantra showed what they were made of too, but Eugeneia especially proved that she can be a leader if she's called upon.
I'm not happy with this officiating crew. They let things get out of hand, and didn't steady it until after half our team was out with injuries. If players are tripping, slue footing, undercutting, elbowing, and hooking, perhaps it should be called before the last regular starter leaves the floor? Just as a thought?
In case it was not clear from other game notes, the young Aricos very much take after their mother. Trevor was lecturing the referees from his seat in the bleachers after Coco was injured. "I'm not talking to you, I'm talking to them."
Monique McLean sighting! By the end of the game, I thought Kim was going to ask her to grab a jersey. (And we had a spare white one, too. Sure, it was meant for a broad-shouldered post player, but we can work with that.)
I love my team far more than is healthy. They were amazing today.
Thursday, December 9, 2010
December 8th, 2010: Seton Hall at St. John's
Just the Facts, Ma'am: Eugeneia McPherson led all scorers with 20 points on 8-11 shooting, and St. John's pulled away from Seton Hall in the second half for a 71-52 win.
For bricks, sore throats, and surprisingly dodgy starters, join your intrepid and hungry blogger after the jump.
I love rivalry games. I love conference games. I love trying to out-yell the entire opposing bench and the fans behind it. I love the release of shrieking at the top of my theater-trained lungs after a long, exhausting week. I love finally being back on my hard plastic bleacher after nearly two weeks away, surrounded by familiar faces. I love teaching the young how to disconcert a free throw shooter, and hoping that Daddy Arico doesn't think we're a bad influence.
I don't love the Q31, but that's because it took too long to get to the stop. HopStop, why must you lie to me?
We got a very good crowd for a mid-week game. I was surprised not to see any blatant Liberty fans there. I would have expected someone there, either to cheer Anne Donovan or to boo her. (No, Lisa White, you and your family don't count.) There were even Seton Hall fans, a subspecies I was not aware existed in large enough numbers to migrate. And they tried to disconcert our free throw shooters. In the words of Erin Thorn, unacceptable. This is why I have a sore throat right now.
Beautiful anthem. The singer definitely felt some passion for the song.
I have to give a shoutout to the girls from Our Lady of Lourdes, because that was one of the best halftime CYO games I've ever seen. Arguably, one of the best fast breaks by a team in a dark jersey tonight was run by these kids. Excellent passing and surprising range. When Seton Hall came out a few seconds early for their warm-ups, we joked that they were doing some scouting and recruiting.
Anne Donovan is definitely more interested in working with her freshmen than in trying to make huge strides this year. When the game was in hand, the five on the floor weren't the five deepest on the bench, but her freshmen and the lightly used sophomores from last year- in other words, the players that she wants to develop and give time to, not the players who would win her games this year. Of course, that mindset might have been more evident because of whatever injury kept Jasmine Crew out of this game. She's been a big part of what little success they've had this year.
Elaine Swaby is terribly uncoordinated. Maybe it's just that she's not used to her legs or something, but she slipped up a lot in this game. She showed flashes of nice defensive potential, and she's the kind of player I can see Donovan being able to develop. Ditto for Alexandra Maseko, whose emphatic block of Da'Shena Stevens was one of the few notable plays for the Pirates. I like her hustle. We got to see Nicosia Henry early, but she didn't look as comfortable in the game as a lot of her classmates. It continues to boggle my mind how Whitney Wood has stayed on a Big East roster. Yes, she's tall, but she's also slow and doesn't have that much basketball IQ, and because of my own girth, I won't even go into her conditioning. Tiffani Blackman only came in at the end of the game, and her entry was the signal that it was time to clear the benches, because the game was out of hand.
Kandice Green, just... just stop talking, okay? With all due respect to your rebounding ability and your questionable shot selection, stop talking. She was still complaining about fouls from the first half when she came out for second half warm-ups. Just because your hands are up does not mean you did not throw a hip check that would make Sean Avery blush. That goes for you too, Brittany Morris. I respect your hustle and your nose for the ball, but if you hit someone in the face, don't act surprised that you got called for the foul. Seriously, Miss Morris. You hit her in the face. Ka-Deirdre Simmons, I must again stress, is 5'8" in the same way that Big XII post players match their listed height. It's always a bad sign when a nominally 5'8" player is noticeably smaller than someone who's nominally 5'7". She was really getting fancy, but sometimes went a little too far. Arm locks are not legal basketball moves, though I suppose if Seton Hall had a wrestling team, they'd be interested in that sort of thing. Tajay Ashmeade had herself a nice game, going hard on the offensive glass and showing some nice moves in the paint. She looked a lot better than she did against LSU.
I can't help but wonder at Kim Barnes Arico's back end rotation sometimes. Keylantra Langley has shown me slightly more than nothing in the minutes she's gotten, but she's getting into the game ahead of Briana Brown, who at least hustles the way I thought Kim liked. The pattern held tonight: Keylantra's main contribution was a dangerous and stupid foul, while Briana's was a jump ball. Jennifer Blanding and Zakiyyah Shahid-Martin also got to see some time in the last couple of minutes, and Zakiyyah made a nice defensive play. Amanda Burakoski was not her usual self on offense, but her hands were busy on rebounds, and I do wonder if she ever played volleyball. The star of the game, though, was Eugeneia McPherson. She apparently wasn't happy with her shooting and practiced it earlier in the day. Holy sweet hypothetical baby Jesus, did it pay off. She was hitting everything she looked at, even when there was no way on earth you'd think the shot was going in. And defensively she was pretty well on her game too. She was bound and determined that as few passes as possible were going past her.
Da'Shena Stevens? Paging Da'Shena Stevens? I'm not as worried about the scoring as I am the lack of rebounding. Or defensive effort. Or general interest in the whole basketball thing. She just doesn't look like she wants to be out there. Maybe it's just something about her face that makes her look that way, but as a fan, I'm a little bit worried. Coco Hart looked like something the cat dragged in, but she hit her shots and found her way onto the glass, so I can't complain too badly. Shenneika Smith was quiet defensively, but her stroke was still pretty good. Sky Lindsay is occasionally hilarious; when she hit a jumper at the free throw line that she shouldn't have taken due to the hesitation in her dribble, even her mother looked like "WTF was that, and whatever it was, don't ever do it again!" (Still not the best maternal scolding I've seen from a St. John's parent... the best also came against Seton Hall, though on the road: after Kia Wright took a gods-awful shot or made some other egregious error, Mama Wright belted out, "KIA! You're walking back to New York!") Nadirah McKenith, back in the starting lineup, got the offense flowing the way she always does, and her quick hands did a number on Seton Hall's offense.
Coach Barnes Arico was still not happy with a lot of what the team was doing. Her shrieking was in full voice tonight. I almost wished I had a tape recorder so I could scare some of the former players with it. It might have caused flashbacks.
Bonita Spence was the crew chief, so we expected a lot of travels to be called. What we didn't expect was for rugby scrums to break out. I was very disappointed in the referees' inability to control some of the physicality. I know Coco Hart has a bit of a reputation for being a flopper, and she does overdo it a bit, but that doesn't mean she isn't getting hit out there, and that doesn't mean the refs shouldn't be calling the contact. I was starting to think that Kandice Green and Whitney Wood were never going to stop complaining.
Thank you, Storm fans. The Seattle kind, not the St. John's kind. We were 3/5 on using the "BRICK!" move last night to disconcert the shooter. By the third or fourth time, there were a few of us doing it, and I'm thinking it might be more effective in a smaller arena.
Right now, my biggest fear for the season is that one of the Arico parents thinks we're a bad influence on the kids and asks us to leave. But I don't think that's going to happen. :)