Just the Facts, Ma'am: St. John's put four players in double figures and led wire to wire in their 75-38 win over Boston University. Eugeneia McPherson and Shenneika Smith each had 15 to lead the Red Storm, with McPherson adding six steals. Chantell Alford had 12 for the Terriers, while Rashidat Agboola had eight points and eleven rebounds.
For cool hats, exhaustion, ennui, and unexpected points in the paint, join your intrepid and ringing blogger after the jump.
The last Game Notes of Doom of 2011! Hard to believe, isn't it? The year's gone by so quickly...
I have to give BU fans credit- they took advantage of the three-day layover in New York and came in force. There were a lot of them. I also like their player-family gear. Johnny Thunderbird was almost too friendly to them- he darn near ran out of hats by the time he got to our section. (Yes, we got New Year's hats. Mine was red. /preens)
Our band has a gnome. Your argument is invalid.
BU looked exhausted. They were a step slow for most of the game; we're a good defensive team, but I've never seen us stay with a team through as many moves as we did. They would fake one or two or three times, and we'd be with them every time.
We saw a lot of their bench in the second half, because, y'know, thirty-point game, even a Terrier knows when to lay off. The spelling of Troi Melton's name makes me wonder if her family were Trekkies (but that's just because I'm a Trekkie myself). She gave them some good minutes. Whitney Turner was the first one off the bench in both halves, bringing them some size and physicality. Kristen Sims played a lot, but wasn't able to accomplish much. Greenberg started mixing in her deeper bench early in the game, so we saw a lot of players for short spurts.
Chantell Alford played well. She has a nicely balanced game, which I like in a player. Caroline Stewart didn't have a boxscore kind of game, but I like the way she took up space and the defense she brought. Rashidat Agboola did not demonstrate the world's greatest ball control, especially in the first half, when she had two bad turnovers in a row. Alex Young tried to make something happen, but it didn't happen. Mo Moran, who I dimly recall from her freshman year being someone to keep an eye out for, wasn't much of a factor.
Maybe someone gave Kelly Greenberg downers, maybe she's gotten one too many technicals, maybe she was wiped after three days in New York, but she was a lot calmer than I remember her being. I'm not sure if this is a good thing for her team or not.
Jennifer Blanding! The most popular woman in the room and the namesake of our Christmas tree, she got in late and made an impact. Big girl takes up a lot of space in the middle, and I wish Kim Barnes Arico would use her in those situations more. Briana Brown can't shoot straight, but she hit a three in an attempt to light the tree (alas, Mallory Jones went scoreless, meaning that Jennifer Tannenbaum is the only St. John's tree lit up today). Tesia Harris played surprisingly well, coming up with more loose balls than I think even she was expecting. Keylantra Langley was solid but unremarkable except for the one three that beat the shot clock. (Her flair for the dramatic usually annoys me, except when it has to do with the shot clock.) I think someone clued Mary Nwachukwu in to the fact that she needs to get her act together if she's going to get minutes, with Da'Shena's return and Amber's improvement. Either that, or she's still BC enough to get up for a game against BU, and she'll go back to soft mediocrity against Providence. But it was nice to see her hitting shots and going for loose balls.
Oh, hey, Nadirah McKenith! Nice to have you back. She's still a couple of steps slow, and the knee's bothering her, but she's going to be back, and I'm quite glad of it. She and Amber Thompson hooked up for a couple of beautiful plays. Amber was more assertive on offense than I've seen her in a while, and kept up her hustling for rebounds, even if she wasn't always able to get her hands on them. Shenneika Smith was quiet and a bit fumble-prone early in the game, but as time went on, that dagger-like shot showed up for the party. Eugeneia McPherson went for the shot instead of the foul, and her game was better for it. This is the Gina I enjoy watching- the one who goes to the rack without fear, who gives up her body without hesitation, and who strips the ball from her opponents like a pickpocket working Times Square. Da'Shena Stevens was bothered by injury- she was noticeably slow getting up and down the floor, and her shots were way off to the right.
The offense was a little loosey-goosey, and I think the coach got a little frustrated with the way they weren't taking care of the ball. But I liked the defense. Defense is good.
The officiating was the usual combination of confusing and solid. I'd really like to see more of an emphasis on tripping in the women's game, though. Too many knee injuries for us not to be careful with that.
It was hard to really get into this game after the big run in the first half. After it was 7-6, things got rapidly out of hand, which was refreshing and much needed. Now the hard part begins...
Saturday, December 31, 2011
December 31st, 2011: Boston University at St. John's
Sunday, December 18, 2011
December 18th, 2011: Memphis at St. John's (Chartwell's Holiday Classic)
Just the Facts, Ma'am: It was tight at the end, but St. John's came out as champions of their holiday tournament with a 64-60 win over Memphis. Shenneika Smith had 18 points for the Red Storm, while Brittany Carter had 23 for the Tigers.
For jackets, the incandescent rage of Kim Barnes Arico, Panthers (or possibly Seawolves), and the show-the-ball trick, join your intrepid and decorated blogger after the jump.
Finally, after entirely too long, it was time for the second game, and nothing says “pressed for time” like the team going straight from the stands to the court. I think the long delay due to both the foul issues and the, y'know, triple freakin' overtime left both teams a little out of sorts.
Big games mean tight rotations. Ann Jones was the reserve post, coming mostly to shift the forwards and set screens. Danay Collier was the reserve guard, mostly there to give the guards a break. She was a little bit of a threat from the outside, but not much else.
I love the way Bilqis Abdul-Qaadir runs the offense. She's going to keep Memphis fun to watch for a couple of years; if she's this fast a year off a torn ACL, I wish I could have seen her at full speed. Jasmine Lee was shut down- she was able to get position often, but she wasn't able to get the ball and move on the smaller posts. Unfortunately for us, that meant letting Brittany Carter get loose and shoot, and shoot, and shoot some more. She's got a pretty stroke. I like her hustle and her work in the lanes. Nicole Dickson also had a good game. Fouls got her in the second half. Ramses Lonlack is very much a loose cannon, and there are times when I like a player like that, but this wasn't one of those days. Well, as a St. John's fan, it was, but as a basketball fan, it wasn't.
Memphis stays on you. You can't show them weakness. I look forward to their matchups with UAB. They're similar enough in attitude that those games are doing to be interesting, to say the least.
Da'Shena Stevens is back. Be afraid, Big East. Be very, very afraid. By the time she gets to you, her shot is going to be all the way back, and her defense is already on point. She's still getting used to her teammates again, but when she's got Nadirah spearheading the break... this is going to be good. Tesia Harris's on-ball defense could use some work, but she had a good stretch in the middle of the game where she was contesting shots and pulling down rebounds like nobody's business. She's going to be one of those players we don't necessarily expect a lot from, but expect a steady stream of something from.
If I had a wee bit more of an ego, I'd think Shenneika Smith read the GNoD this morning and decided that she didn't like being called out for being less active than usual in the last couple of games. She was much more assertive today, coming up with the big shots in the first half. She had a couple of boneheaded passing plays that she knew were bad, but you live with those with her. Keylantra Langley got entirely too cute with her ballhandling, which is not the greatest of plans when facing an opponent with very quick hands (nine turnovers, Jesus Christ, you know Kim Barnes Arico tore her a new one for that). She's a good substitute, but she's not a point guard. Amber Thompson had a rough start shooting, but was able to get herself in better position in the second half and hit some shots inside. I love how she works, I really do. Eugeneia McPherson put up some wild and ridiculous shots that had no business going up. At leats she got free throws for some of them in the first half, but I'm going to lay off my usual soapboxing vis a vis the focus on drawing the foul first instead of attempting to hit the shot. I'm tired and you've heard it all before. Which is also why I'm going to lay off Mary Nwachukwu; she didn't do anything she hasn't been doing all season, and by 2012 she's going to be coming off the bench anyway, so I'm going to do a little work for my blood pressure and let go of my frustrations about her inability and/or unwillingness to use her size.
I was waiting for Kim to kill someone. There was a point in the game where (I think) Keylantra was pinned against the sideline by a Memphis trap and about to be forced out of bounds or into a five-seconds-stationary call. Kim was screaming for a timeout loudly enough for those of us in the tenth row to hear... somehow, Bonita Spence and the crew managed to miss it. Kim was... incensed. To put it mildly. The same situation happened a couple of possessions later, and Kim called the timeout with such an exaggerated gesture that we nearly died of laughter. And then they missed it again. Combine that with some sketchy block/charge calls, and I was pretty sure that one of those stiletto heels was going to be turned into a weapon.
Memphis brought a very loud contingent for both games, including one lost lady who persisted in sitting in our section for the first half. Ma'am, if you have been informed that you're sitting directly behind the opposing coach's family, you might want to move, as if sitting next to the band and behind the cheerleaders wasn't enough of a hint.
Football is stupid.
I can't say I'm overjoyed with this result, but a win is a win.
All-tournament team: Jasmine Bendolph of Louisiana Tech, Brittany Carter and Jasmine Lee of Memphis, and Shenneika Smith and Da'Shena Stevens of St. John's, with Eugeneia McPherson as MVP.
My picks: Carter, Smith, Shantale Bramble-Donaldson of Louisiana Tech, Kiara Etienne of Prairie View, and Nicole Dickson of Memphis (or Kiara Young of Louisiana Tech), with McPherson as MVP. Etienne got screwed.
December 18th, 2011: Louisiana Tech at Prairie View (Chartwell's Holiday Classic)
Just the Facts, Ma'am: Down by 14 with 6:26 to go in regulation, the Lady Techsters fired off a 21-5 run to force overtime and (eventually) pull out a triple-OT 89-83 win over Prairie View. Kiara Young and Jelena Vucinic each had 21 points for Louisiana Tech, while Kiara Etienne led Prairie View with 24.
For entropy, exhaustion, chanting, attempted murder, and telepathy, join your intrepid and worn out blogger after the jump.
So is the game over yet? With all due respect to Prairie View and Louisiana Tech, by the middle of the second overtime, I was approaching the game the way I usually approach baseball games- “please, for the love of God, let the team that's in the lead win so the game will end!” I'm pretty sure everyone around us thought we were insane, but we just wanted it to be over. Honestly, I found myself wishing that Cynthia Cooper was still at Prairie View so she and Spoon could settle it in a one-on-one duel after the second overtime.
With all due respect to the National Anthem, I'm not going to applaud a recording, especially not one that drags on forever. Pick one that doesn't go on forever.
I don't think I like Louisiana Tech's alternate road jerseys. They don't go with the rest of the color scheme. I understand that these alternate jerseys match the men's scheme, but come on. Spoon worked the all-black everything pretty well, though.
Change in the starting lineup from yesterday, which shuffled the bench around a bit. Kanedria Andrews became the first player off the bench, and she was not nearly as effective as she was yesterday. Courtney Hayes, she of the not-actually-existing on the roster, put in a first half bucket and was never seen again. Tavasha Anderson started to make her presence felt late in the game, once the rosters had thinned and she was needed. She threw her weight around, especially in the third overtime (which, I'm sorry, is a ridiculous phrase to end up typing).
I'm not sure whether Kiara Young was consistent, per se, but she was always in on plays, and her score line on my card is quite beautifully multi-colored. Jelena Vucinic, I humbly apologize for forgetting about you and your crazy spins yesterday. I'm sorry. I won't forget your outside shooting again. Please forgive me. Shantale Bramble-Donaldson played well in the second half, and when she fouled out in the first overtime, I thought Louisiana Tech was done for. Whitney Frazier got her shot going, and had a really nifty block in the first half. Jasmine Bendolph hit the shot to send the game into the first overtime, so I'm not thrilled with her.
I felt like I should have been rooting for Louisiana Tech, but somehow I wasn't. Strange, that.
Fouls, fouls, everywhere fouls for Prairie View. LaReahn Washington managed to foul out off the bench; her temper got a little bit the better of her. Asha Hampton-Finch played a lot off the bench, and her length was useful in getting to the basket. She had to do a better job of holding on to the ball, though.
Kiara Etienne didn't put on quite as much of a show as she did yesterday, but she didn't need to. She came up big in the overtime, but that was as much a function of three people fouling out as anything else. The coaching staff really worked on Jeanette Jackson all game; I thought that was an interesting point of emphasis. I like her willingness to penetrate, and her judgment will improve with time. Larissa Scott continued to set the screens that so intrigued me about her, plus was able to get into the paint and hit some lay-ups. I like her offensive rebounding, too. She's raw, but she's a freshman; it happens. Michaela Burton and Latia Williams shared the same problem- an inability, or an unwillingness, to handle the ball. At one point, Coach Wilson yelled, “Just keep dribbling, Michaela, you're a guard!” This is a very young, very raw, team- no seniors and only two juniors of consequence, so they're going to be more dangerous next year than this.
The officiating was administratively messed up. With nine seconds left, the officials had to take several minutes to settle up the foul count. Turns out they'd mis-allocated a Prairie View foul to Louisiana Tech. Because both books were wrong, no free throws for Louisiana Tech. The foul was eventually retconned out of existence (for the record, it was Larissa Scott over the back- I had it on my chart, which is why I chart fouls and use different colors for each period, which becomes a lot harder at the third overtime, darnit).
By the second overtime, I was sure that Kim Barnes Arico was going to ninja someone with one of her stiletto heels if they tied the game again. It was hysterical. We may have been loopy by then.
Prairie View's contingent got a lot louder today than they were yesterday.
Classy move by Spoon not to have Louisiana Tech huddle up directly at center court.
It might be a long season in Ruston. They looked more like a Teresa Weatherspoon team today, feeding on their opponent's weaknesses and flashing better ball movement, but Fresno State would eat this team alive.
Saturday, December 17, 2011
December 17th, 2011: Memphis at Louisiana Tech (Chartwell's Holiday Classic)
Just the Facts, Ma'am: The Memphis Tigers put the pedal to the metal and never looked back in an 86-67 win over the Lady Techsters of Louisiana Tech. Brittany Carter led all scorers with 24 points, while Jasmine Lee put in 23 for Memphis. Louisiana Tech got 16 points and 10 rebounds from Shantale Bramble-Donaldson.
For emptiness, awkwardness, team colors, and a ball of confusion, join your intrepid and sleepless blogger after the jump.
So then everyone left. The end.
I'm mostly kidding, but there's something painful about the neutral game in a hosted tournament. At least with the home team playing, you get the atmosphere of a game. But when the band packs up to go home and the cheerleaders put on real clothes and the bulk of the crowd leaves, things get quiet, and a little depressing. You can hear the referees communicating, the voices from the bench, everything.
Liberty fans, I am disappointed. You were enticed with the promise of Teresa Weatherspoon, and where were you? Shopping? You could shop tomorrow. Lucky you, the awkward choice doesn't have to be made.
We could have ended up with an awkward situation if both the family of Memphis guard Bilqis Abdul-Qaddir and the family of one of the Louisiana Tech assistants had stayed in our section. But the Memphis folks moved along behind the road bench, and we scared off the Louisiana Tech family. I'm okay with that. I like my space to yell at the refs.
There's something very 21st-century about hijab accompanied by a Memphis supporters' scarf.
I was more impressed with Memphis than I was expecting, but then, I've been skeptical of Memphis since around the time Tamika Whitmore gave up on being a consistent player. So sue me. I hold grudges sometimes. They play a lot taller than they are, and they're fast.
Lauren McGraw had a tendency to play a bit out of control- lots of fun flash, but a lot of moving faster than she was ready for. Danay Collier got a fair bit of playing time in her homecoming, but I can't recall much of what she did- I was surprised to find she had played that much, to be honest. Ann Jones came off the bench as sixth woman in the first half and showed a little touch, though the illegal screen she drew as one of her first moves was not exactly a promising portent. McFerrin only threw in most of her bench near the end of the game, so they weren't in a position to do anything exciting or interesting.
Jasmine Lee impressed me, though I can see the flaws in her game. Her stamina and conditioning could stand some improvement, but I like her instincts. She worked hard in the paint. Bilqis Abdul-Qaadir ran a nice offense- she's small, but she's effective, and fast. Brittany Carter's athleticism impressed me- she had a resounding block that we could hear on the other side of the court. Nicole Dickson displayed a little range, but also athleticism. I was most intrigued by senior guard Ramses Lonlack- she plays a lot taller than she is, and she has the footwork of a soccer player. Control wasn't great, but Memphis seems to like to play fast and frenetic.
Spoon, give Sophia back her 1999/2000 hair. Some things just aren't right.
Louisiana Tech went deep into their bench- everyone played at least five minutes, but I don't think Savanna Langston's five minutes were terribly impactful. Tavasha Anderson moves well for a big girl. Kanedria Andrews got into a lot of plays late in the game, but I think they were expecting her to do a lot more earlier in the game. Kiara Young brought speed, and offense, but not much else.
It's probably for the best that Courtney Hayes didn't do anything of note, because somehow she didn't make it onto the roster that St. John's printed up. So now I'm confused and don't know anything about her. Jasmine Bendolph showed a nice stroke, but I think she might be having back problems- she looked a little pained, and I thought I saw a heating pad come off her during one timeout when she was about to check in. Shantale Bramble-Donaldson did a good job establishing position down low, but Memphis was able to make her less of a factor in the second half. Whitney Jones can play- nothing spectacular, but a nice all around game from her.
Ah, the peril of double-headers when I can't bring the computer to the game. Things get vague, especially when people keep distracting me.
My husband/viewing partner/distraction pointed out that Louisiana Tech threw a lot of high passes, and wondered whether there's just that little height in the WAC. They were fast, and had great ball movement, but I'm not sure whether they are really her team yet. They made a lot of stupid mistakes and couldn't hit a lot of easy shots. I expected a lot better out of them, and maybe they were just off their game today. We'll see more tomorrow. Or today. Time travel tense trouble here.
The officiating bothered me- not necessarily because of the quality of the calls, but because it looked like they weren't sure who was the crew chief. Spence and Aliberti got into a debate early in the game.
Crowning Moment of Funny: Shantale Bramble-Donaldson grabs a rebound. Bilqis Abdul-Qaadir rips it out of her hands cleanly and promptly falls over on the endline. The whistle blows. Teresa Weatherspoon explodes, charging off the sideline to protest the call. The funny part? It was a travel on Memphis for Abdul-Qaadir rolling with the ball. Nothing says WTF like screaming bloody blue murder at a ref who's making a call in your favor... even as your team inbounds the ball.
Hello, Chris, you poor unfortunate bastard! Did you miss us? Because we miss you. I have no idea whether anything did go on at Taffner Field House; we had a long walk home to look forward to.
Tomorrow's matchups will be fun, and Lordie, do I wish Cynthia Cooper was still at Prairie View right about now.
December 17th, 2011: Prairie View at St. John's (Chartwell's Holiday Classic)
Just the Facts, Ma'am: St. John's held the Lady Panthers of Prairie View scoreless for stretches of five and seven minutes in the second half to claim a 66-50 comeback win. Eugeneia McPherson led the Red Storm with 20 points, also notching five steals. Kiara Etienne led all scorers with 27 in a losing effort for Prairie View.
For debuts, excitement, lots of purple, eyebrows being raised, and really good-looking wings, join your intrepid and chilly blogger after the jump.
There's something discomfiting about being down by a hefty margin to Prairie View in the early going. We were sloppy, and we missed having a steadying hand at the point to keep us from doing too much stupid stuff.
Attendance disappointed me greatly. Promotion needs work. Even luring Liberty fans with the tantalizing promise of Teresa Weatherspoon doesn't appear to have worked.
Prairie View looked like they were going with a short roster, and banking on the success of SWAC bowling in the design of their warmups. (Which is not to disrespect SWAC bowling; I had an acquaintance who bowled at a SWAC school, and it's SRS BZNS there. But bowling and basketball have different design sensibilities.)
A fair whack of the band was at the Holiday Festival at the Garden for the men's game, so they filled in with alumni and other substitutes. They didn't do a bad job, which is good. Our band has been hit or miss, to put it delicately. They did the anthem, and it wasn't bad.
Our PA announcer wasn't quite sure how to pronounce LaReahn Washington's first name when she first entered the game; as near as I can tell, it's a variation of Lorraine. She demonstrated a fondness for diving that would have made Mery Andrade proud. We didn't like her very much; she was rather fond of plays that were just this side of dirty. Kathryn Jackson played briefly near the end, and she moves pretty well for a big girl. Asha Hampton-Finch was in a lot, and I remember her being tall, but I can't think of anything else she did in the game.
Larissa Scott was rendered a non-factor because of the fouls. She positioned herself pretty well as a screener, opening up shooters, but not much else. Kiara Etienne stole the show, especially in the first few minutes, when she had 13 of Prairie View's 15 points. She impressed me with her shooting, especially from outside, but doesn't seem to know when to stop. Reaching with six seconds left in a game you've lost by 16, and then complaining about the call, is perhaps not the brightest move in the world. I seem to recall Latia Williams having a decent defensive game, but too much time has passed and I'm easily distracted. Michaela Burton looked pretty good for the Lady Panthers as well.
I have no idea how Tesia Harris's shot goes in. She puts it up like a shotput, and for a fair amount of time, it doesn't go in. But I don't understand how it ever does. She and Briana Brown both got additional time because of the injury to Nadirah McKenith, and I think Tesia made better use of it than Briana; Briana looked too much like a player who was rusty and uncomfortable with actual playing time, which is one of those cycles that has to be worked through, because yanking her makes the problem worse. Jennifer Blanding, folk hero of the masses (or at least the pep band) got to make a cameo, and it always impresses me how well she calls for the ball- the way she establishes position is almost textbook. Zakiyyah Shahid-Martin put in a little time, and tried to do some good stuff. But most importantly of all, St. John's got Da'Shena Stevens back. I won't deny that it did my heart good to see her back in uniform. She's still rusty, but her defense is on point. We've missed her quick hands. Haven't missed her sketchy free throw shooting, though. Come mid-January, we'll be fine.
Especially if Keylantra Langley keeps maturing. I've given her a lot of flack over the last season and change, but she's coming into her own. She's much more suited to a 2/3 role than the point guard role she'll be playing while Nadirah's out, but she's stepping up to the plate there. I also like what I'm seeing out of Eugeneia McPherson. She's choosing her spots and she's stepping up. She played the passing lanes hard today. Shenneika Smith's always a threat, and she'll come up with the big shot, but she seems to be receding lately. Maybe it's just that there hasn't been as much opportunity for her to get to the rack, which is her strength. Mary Nwachukwu, I am starting to give up. Stop staring at rebounds. Grab them. I like the little midrange shot, but we're going to need more than that, even with Da'Shena Stevens back. Amber Thompson couldn't hit the broad side of a barn in the first half, though she was getting good shots. She got better in the second half.
I don't know what was said in the Red Storm's locker room, but they need to bottle it and keep it for the BEast season.
I squeed a lot at our new assistant, but I have kvelled at length in the past about Joy McCorvey, so I will save you from my fangirling of the player whose jersey I wear.
I'm not sure what to think of Prairie View, beyond being duly impressed with Kiara Etienne. I suppose we'll know more tomorrow.
Sunday, December 11, 2011
December 11th, 2011: DePaul at Tennessee (Maggie Dixon Classic)
Just the Facts, Ma'am: The Lady Vols of Tennessee induced 24 turnovers and 47 missed shots on their way to an 84-61 win over the Blue Demons of DePaul. Glory Johnson led Tennessee with 16 points, while Cierra Burdick and Alicia Manning both added double digits off the bench. Jasmine Penny led DePaul with 16 in reserve.
For exhaustion, wandering eyes, blurs of color, and a lot of orange, join your intrepid and sore blogger after the jump.
Tennessee is home for this game, so we're behind their bench with a lot of people in orange. I especially like the Tennessee-colored lei over in section 106. Tennessee is up 12 at the half, and it doesn't feel like it should be that much. DePaul's shooting well, though they'd be a lot better off if they could hit some of their bunnies. Tennessee's been rebounding well, and their defense is on point.
I love how John Whisenant talks about how there are WNBA prospects in all four games. Yes, maybe if you include the class of 2013, but I don't think a single senior played a significant role in the Baylor-St. John's game. I also don't think it's a good idea to talk draft strategy when the Seattle coaching staff is in attendance scouting (oh, and the Connecticut staff, too, though Thibault is a wee bit biased).
Kara Lawson is across from the Tennessee bench. There was a lady who looked a little bit like Loree Moore, but much girlier, so I don't think it was her.
Full disclosure: between looking for my team, gossiping with Ray, working on the Baylor-St. John's notes, and chatting with the people next to us, I found myself not paying as much attention to the game as I should, so these notes are not up to par, and I'm sorry.
Tennessee fans have some of the niftiest gear. They traveled in large groups, but the biggest group in orange... well, we spotted them during the first half, wearing the “We Back Pat” shirts. My husband went to talk to them at the half to see where we could get the shirt. Turns out the group in the “We Back Pat” shirts wasn't from Tennessee and weren't Tennessee fans. They were UConn fans who'd come for the doubleheader, basically to prove that UConn fans shouldn't be judged by the worst of their fanbase. We saw a couple of stray UConn fans, a lost UNC fan, a very lost South Carolina fan, and far too many Penn State fans.
Live by the three, die by the three, DePaul. Tennessee wasn't that much bigger than you are. Maureen Mulchrone (just a wild guess, what with the pale skin and the red hair and the name, she's of Irish descent) came in as a shooter off the bench. Jasmine Penny came in and played big minutes for the Blue Demons with Keisha Hampton and Katherine Harry both dealing with big foul trouble. I was impressed, though I wasn't thrilled with the way she knocked out Glory Johnson at one point. I don't remember much of anything else from the DePaul bench. My apologies.
Anna Martin looked like she was looking for shots she could get against the minor D-I teams of Chicagoland, but that she wasn't going to get against a team like Baylor. Brittany Hrynko couldn't hit the broad side of a barn, but she always seemed to be in a good place on the other side of the ball. Keisha Hampton never seemed comfortable, though that might have been because of the foul trouble. I didn't even see most of the calls; I blinked and she was out of the game. Katherine Harry showed off a pretty hook shot, but I don't remember much else she did. And I don't even know who Kelsey Reynolds is. I'm sorry, Kelsey Reynolds.
Alicia Manning put on a show. She was in a lot of places, and I think she had the move of the game with her pretty spin move. Briana Bass is adorably tiny, but not much else. Cierra Burdick went on a run in the second half that helped bury DePaul for good. Not much time for Isabelle Harrison.
Vicki Baugh's knee, or shoulder, or whatever, must have been acting up, because Burdick and Manning shouldered the load for her. Glory Johnson was everywhere on the court. Taber Spani looked a little out of sorts, like she wasn't quite with the program. I'll admit that when watching Tennessee on television, I tend to mix up Shekinna Stricklen and Glory Johnson, and when not looking at a roster, it's possible to mix players up. You have to understand that my perception of the game was less detailed than usual, and fading hours later; I have impressions of fast-moving orange and blue missing shots.
DePaul fell apart in the second half, and that's uncharacteristic of a Doug Bruno team. I guess that says as much about Pat Summitt as it does about Doug Bruno, though.
December 11th, 2011: Baylor at St. John's (Maggie Dixon Classic)
Just the Facts, Ma'am: 23 points from Eugeneia McPherson and a halftime lead weren't enough for the St. John's Red Storm to overcome the Lady Bears of Baylor. Brooklyn Pope led Baylor with 19 points in the 73-59 win.
For dizzying heights, depressing lows, hustle, pride, and supporters' scarves, join your intrepid and drained blogger after the jump.
Good morning, everyone! (Words that should never open a game report from a sporting event. It is too early for this.) But we're tipping off early due to a Ranger game at 7PM, making this the only time I've ever hated my Blueshirts.
I'm not sure I like the new Garden yet. It's very slick and very professional, but I miss the whimsy of the old Garden. The navy seats with their mahogany-colored armrests are very dignified, but depressingly dark. I'm sure it'll develop a soul over time, but right now it's... sort of generic.
A fair number of Baylor fans are here, though I'm not sure how much of that is connected to last night's Heisman presentation. Fortuitously, the Liberty section is right over the home tunnel. Hiiiiiii, St. John's band! Hiiiii, St. John's! You thought you'd escape us, didn't you? You thought you'd get a little peace and quiet, didn't you? Fuhgeddaboutit. I've seen a lot of orange, not enough red, and not a lot of blue. Maybe the flight from Chicago is late.
Baylor is tall. Not just that Griner kid, either. And there's a lot of them!
Very nice anthem by Maggie Dixon's cousin.
WE ARE LEADING THE NUMBER ONE TEAM IN THE COUNTRY AT HALFTIME. This isn't the best moment of my life, but that's only because I was at the Bethany Donaphin game and I was there when we beat Notre Dame. And we may get slapped around like a red-headed stepchild in the second half for our audacity, but we'll always have a two-point margin on the scoreboard at the half. St. John's is playing fearless and tenacious. Nadirah McKenith and Eugeneia McPherson and Shenneika Smith and all of them- my team, I love them. I love them so much.
This game breaks your heart. That's what it does. That's what it's meant to do. I'm sitting here near tears not because we lost, because I can take losing with dignity, I can take showing effort and pride, because we gave Baylor much more of a fight than we rightfully should have. No, I'm about to cry because I can't get the image of Nadirah crumpled on the court, holding her knee, being carried off, out of my head. It's not fair. It's not right. It's not fair. And it breaks your heart. I've seen ACLs. I was there for Rebecca Lobo and Meg Bulger and Becky Hammon and Stephanie White, and I know what it means if a player stops in a stretch and crumples to the ground holding her knee, what it means if they're testing the knee for flexibility and she has to be carried off the floor with no weight on her leg. I know what it means. And it hurts. (I mean, it hurts more for Nadirah, since it's her knee.)
So I don't know how to put the thoughts into words. I don't know how to talk about X's and O's and lay-ups and WHY ARE YOU SO TENTATIVE MARY and players I've never seen when I'm looking around the stands to see if Nadirah's back, if she's okay, if she's moving all right. It also doesn't help that the Maggie Dixon program had no scorecard, so I wasn't able to keep track of stats by half the way I usually do, with color-coded pens for each half and squiggly arrows connecting steals to assists to field goals, with running foul counts for both halves and starters marked. I had to make do with the back of a spare piece of paper and my trusty four-color pen. So if I'm a bit vague about who did what, it's because I couldn't balance both the makeshift scorecard and the program on my lap. And then there's the whole distraction of a point guard holding her knee, and I've seen that on the Garden floor before, I've heard that silence and wanted to pop someone for laughing during it.
Sorry. I'm dwelling, and if you're in Waco, you probably want to hear about your team. I was surprised that Kim Mulkey didn't take the opportunity to go deeper into her bench; I suppose she was expecting to do so in the second half, forgetting that past performance is not an indicator of future results. Sune Agbuke came in briefly for a lay-up, maybe for a little size. Apparently Destiny Williams went out a wee bit too late last night and got suspended for the first half, but I'm inclined to think she was showing the effects in the second half. She did a good job matching up athletically with Shenneika Smith, but Shenneika matched up equally well with her. I'm going to give Makenzie Robertson the benefit of the doubt and assume she's a better player than she showed today, because otherwise, I'm going to scream “NEPOTISM!” at the top of my lungs. Scrappy hustle players who play a little defense and not much else should not be your primary bench players.
I was surprised Brooklyn Pope got so much support from the crowd as she did. Given the way she left Rutgers, I would have thought the crossover fans (the confused folks in section 105 with the Rutgers gear on) would have told her to stick it where the sun don't shine, but she got bigger cheers than anyone except Griner. She played well in the first, but faded back a little in the second as Williams and Griner stepped up. Brittney Griner is an amazing player- I hesitate to use the term 'freak of nature' because someone's going to think I'm alleging something along the lines of what got Jordan Barncastle popped in the face, which I most certainly am not and would not. But that combination of speed and height is amazing. She did a great job on the boards simply by being able to reach up and pluck rebounds out of the air or tip them away from opponents. That being said, she won't make your jaw drop if someone plays her without fear. There's something about Kimetria Hayden that I like that I can't quite put my finger on. Well, other than the flop. I don't like that. But she was in the right place at most of the right times and took most of the right shots. Jordan Madden has an appropriate name for sports, and she just kept shooting. I'm not sure if Odyssey Sims is Baylor's point guard or not, or if they really have one, or if they really need one, but even the Baylor fans behind me were wondering why she was in the game at some points.
Zakiyyah Shahid-Martin came in, got a couple of offensive rebounds, and proved that she couldn't shoot over someone that much bigger than she is. Tesia Harris came in for a couple of stretches when we were a bit short on guards, but did nothing of note. Keylantra Langley played the bulk of the minutes off the bench, and Lord, I hope she's ready if Nadirah's injured. She played the passing lanes well, but I do wish she'd work on her shooting form if she's going to shoot at that kind of pace.
You know what I like most about Amber Thompson? She's not afraid of anyone. She's only a freshman and she's going toe-to-toe with Brittney Griner. She's going into the paint and taking opportunities when she can find them. And I repeat: she's only a freshman. I'm so looking forward to watching her mature and develop. She might be something special. Eugeneia McPherson stepped up, and I'm starting to think she might be turning into one of those people who steps up in big games. (Which is good. We need someone like that.) Shenneika Smith had a flashy defensive game and hit a couple of big shots, but she's more of a slasher, and there was a 6'8” presence in the paint who might have gotten in the way of her usual route. Nadirah McKenith was up and down at points, sometimes a step slow and a thought behind the defense, but she was starting to heat up when there was a confusion of bodies and a black and green blur and Nadirah on the floor holding her knee. She got a little fancy sometimes, but she was fearless. They were all fearless, except for Mary Nwachukwu, who needs to be less tentative. Don't tell me you're scared of Brittney Griner when you used to scrimmage against Shields and Swords, okay? Not getting the rolls didn't help, either.
It would not be reasonable to blame the referees for a 14-point loss. Baylor has more talent and more height than we do. I can accept that. To be honest, I can even accept bad officiating. I'm used to it. But I cannot abide uneven officiating. I cannot abide undercutting, hammer blows, and tripping not called on one end and ticky-tack calls made on the other. I cannot abide 20-4 free throw differentials and 16-7 foul differentials. You're going to tell me it's okay for people to get slammed with no call? And Dee Kantner let this go on, that's what shocks me the most. That, and I'll say the same thing I said after one of these debacles last year. Baylor is a very good team, currently the best in the country according to the polls. They don't need the officials' help to score. They can do it all by themselves. Don't let the way things “should” be dictate what you do.
All in all, we did exactly what I wanted us to do: we impressed a bunch of potential, neutral fans. We proved that, yes, there's a team out there worth watching that's a lot closer to most Liberty fans than Rutgers is. We showed heart and fire and passion and grit and talent. We made it a much closer game than it should have been according to all the stats, brought it under the spread, even led them at halftime. People know we exist now. People are interested. I should be happy.
But I just keep seeing Nadirah on the Garden floor...
Sunday, December 4, 2011
December 4th, 2011: Hartford at St. John's
Just the Facts, Ma'am: Amber Thompson's 19 points and 13 rebounds powered St. John's in a 70-45 win over the visiting Hartford Hawks. Daphne Elliott led Hartford with 12 points.
For imaginary Girl Scouts (and no damn cookies), validation, adventures with Sharpies, swag, and short-term jersey loans, join your intrepid and most squeeful blogger after the jump.
Hartford is not the Hartford they once were. Maybe somebody didn't pan out, maybe Rizzotti didn't get someone she was expecting to get, maybe the pipeline shut down, but this bunch of Hawks didn't impress me. Something seems not right about it, though. But I'll take a 25- point win anywhere I can get it.
The anthem singer definitely knew how the anthem should be done. I don't know if she had the voice for it, but she had definitely gotten some training. I think after last time, they weren't going to stand for a bad anthem, especially when ROTC was presenting colors. (The ROTC instructor doesn't tend to appreciate that kind of disrespect, and he's the only person at Carnesecca Arena louder than we are.)
There was supposedly a Girl Scout event going on that day, but I didn't see many Girl Scouts. /Girl Scout salute from Junior Troop 4839/ Apparently my high school's team put in an appearance too. Nostalgia day much?
Hartford got some rough play off their bench. Alyssa Englert has one of the fastest free throw releases I've ever seen, and she uses her elbow brace like a weapon. I'm minded of how Barry Bonds used his pads and protectors to draw HBPs. She took Nadirah down pretty badly with no call, and got a little bit of her own medicine right back when Eugeneia ran into her and drew a block on her. Milana Gilbert was not making friends with her elbows and physical play down low. Cherelle Moore came on as an offensive spark, but didn't spark very much. I seem to recall Taylor Clark being small, fast, and annoying, but not much else.
Daphne Elliott fired off three quick baskets in the first half, the second off a gorgeous Ruthanne Doherty screen, but we clamped down on her in the second. Doherty has the strangest pronunciation of her surname I've ever heard. She went in on us in the second. Amber Bepko sounds familiar from somewhere, which is really odd, because she's a freshman and I haven't seen Hartford this year. I'm wondering if she has an older sister or something. She's got a nice little shot. Nikkia Smith has the most potential out of those starters, in my opinion. I'd like her to lay off the elbows when she makes that strong spin move to the basket, but as a basketball fan, I like strong spin moves to the basket. Alex Hall didn't do anything that I recall. I assume that Jennifer Rizzotti looks for distributing point guards.
I like Hartford's drills with the weak hand, and if their three-point shooting gets hot, they could be a dangerous opponent, but while this is a team that can compete against any non-BCS team you care to name, they look like they'll have trouble with teams that either have more size or more talent.
It was nice to see all the kids get into the game. Given how physically Hartford was playing, I might have put Mallory Jones in earlier- she's a big guard, and she's not afraid to use her body, so the Hawks might have thought twice about some of their shenanigans. Briana Brown didn't score, but pulled down a couple of nice defensive rebounds. Keylantra Langley brought clutch shooting, including a buzzer-beating three to end the first half, and strong defense. I think this is the kind of game I'd like to see from her on the regular- I don't necessarily need her to beat the clock every time, but I'd rather she take fewer shots and have them count, then focus more on her defense, than go crazy shooting. Jennifer Blanding and Zakiyyah Shahid-Martin worked together on one offensive rebound that chewed up a lot of time and resulted in a lay-up for Jennifer. Tesia Harris was back to looking lost, simultaneously not assertive enough and too aggressive.
I'm starting to think that Eugeneia McPherson is getting a reputation for diving and throwing up junk to draw a foul, because she was getting fewer calls than usual in the first half. She's starting to step up her offense, and if she can stabilize her shots, she might get more respect on them from officials. It was nice to see Mary Nwachukwu back in town, and I hope things are better for her. She looked a little tentative, which makes sense given how long she's been away from the team, but she seemed to adapt to that and focused more on boxing out and doing the little things to help her team win. Shenneika Smith's rebounding has been great, but her shot's been off. I think she's trying too hard to make herself an outside shooter, and that's not her strength. She's a slasher- she needs to slash to the basket and use her height and long arms to get things in there. Good things happen when she goes to the hole. Nadirah McKenith had one of her “how many columns can I fill in the stat sheet?” games, even if she wasn't getting the shots to fall. It didn't help that she was playing long stretches without a break- I think that wore her down faster than getting regular rests, but I'm not Kim Barnes Arico. It was kinda obvious when her reaction time slowed.
But this game belonged to Amber Thompson. This was her coming out party. (Not like that.) Da'Shena Stevens had UConn; Amber had this game. She was more assertive than I'd seen her in the first seven games; if she hadn't had some odd rolls and missed free throws, she could have gone for 25. As a freshman, she's producing as well as the senior we lost to graduation, Coco Hart. If she can develop, she could become a Crystal Langhorne kind of player. I'm psyched about her. It's been a while since I've been this psyched over a freshman, and even longer since I've been excited about a post.
This was the post-game autograph session game, so we lined up with the Girl Scouts and the random passers-by and waited our turn with poster in hand. Eugeneia ribbed us a little bit- “how many of these do you have?” (The answer, by the way, is five including this year's, or six if you include the signed scorecard from the big Georgetown game {which is in my cubicle}, or seven if you include the roster and the signed ball, or twelve if you count all the signed college posters, or thirteen if you also include the Mystics poster.) Da'Shena's thinking Chartwell's for her return, which is about right. I do not think it would be a good idea to bring her back against Baylor. Keylantra came in late, so we had to double back to get to her. Then my loving husband figured that we might as well get some of the coaching staff while they were glad-handing, so he grabbed my spare Sharpie and the poster and worked with them.
Meanwhile, I got official approval from the former owner of my jersey to keep it. Hey, I kept saying that if Joy McCorvey wanted her jersey back, she could have it. I got a chance to ask her today, and it was settled. And I was happy. (We all have our favorite exceedingly obscure player. We all stan for someone. Leave me alone.)
These officials... I think there's a Twitter slang for where they can go, but I don't remember which direction the arrow goes in. But honestly, how much undercutting do you allow before enough is enough? It got to the point where Kim Barnes Arico gave the three of them several large and PG-rated pieces of her mind before going into the locker room. I think they had the fear of Kim in them at the end; the calls were much more plentiful against Hartford in the second half. I expected better from that crew; Lynch, Lonergan, and Aliberti are experienced refs, and they're usually pretty solid.
If this wasn't an anomaly for Amber, and if we can work on our free throw shooting, and if we can find someone to be the outside shooter so our slashers can slash, and if Nadirah doesn't fall over from being run into the ground, we're going to be good.
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
November 30th, 2011: Howard at St. John's
Just the Facts, Ma'am: 16 points from Eugeneia McPherson and a 42-point second half gave the St. John's Red Storm a 63-48 victory over the visiting Howard Bison. Tamoria Holmes led Howard with 16 points.
For tenacity, exhaustion, threats of violence, and middle-school children, join your intrepid and sleep deprived blogger after the jump.
I swear, one of these days this team is going to kill me. I can't count how many times I've used those words to open a set of Game Notes of Doom, but it's true again. I don't care who we're missing, there's no excuse for a team like St. John's to go down nine to a team like Howard at any point in the game. We remembered who we were in the second half, and that's a plus, but I don't like how this team fell apart when presented with a challenge.
My sympathies to Mary Nwachukwu- hoping all is as well as can be. She left the team while they were in the Bahamas, and she wasn't with them tonight. There was a little bit of gossip as to the reason, but nothing has been confirmed to my satisfaction, and since she clearly doesn't want her business bruited about, I won't do it for her.
To whoever that was singing the anthem: first of all, take off your hat and sunglasses when singing the national anthem. Second, whoever gave you a recording contract should be taken out back and shot.
I find something very discomfiting about a female coach with two male assistants. The power dynamics just strike me the wrong way. Geckeler was definitely the one in charge, but... gah, I hate that I have to consider gender politics in my sports, I just want to cheer for my team.
Many of our usual suspects weren't in place today, which meant that we were invaded by middle school students who found us amusing and occasionally worth mocking. If I'd been sure, I would have gone to their chaperone. Then I would have thrown one into the upper deck. No one messes with my husband.
I was very impressed with Howard's rebounding, especially on the offensive boards. They gauged their leaps very well. They contested most shots and just about every rebound. They don't have the height, but they have the ability to sneak into spaces and wrap things up.
Zykia Brown's three-pointers had me worried for a while, but she missed when they needed her to come up big. Cheyenne Brown was the only other Bison player to log heavy minutes off the bench. She had one pretty shot in the lane, but that's all I remember about her.
Cheyenne Curley-Payne (yes, this team has two Cheyennes, welcome to the twenty-first century) demonstrated a neat facility for fitting into small spaces, and damn, is she ever fast. Tamoria Holmes brought the offense in the first half with jumpers from the perimeter- she's another fast, short, guard. Saadia Doyle reminds me a lot of Crystal Robinson in her build and her free throw wind-up. She's more of an inside player, though. Kara Smith always seemed to come up with the right shot at the right time. Likewise, Nicole Deterville seemed to come up with the right rebound at the right time. (Or maybe it was her sister. I don't know if they're identical or not, but Portia Deterville is also a 6-1 forward/center; maybe they pulled a Parent Trap.)
At least Briana Brown had the offensive rebound. Tesia Harris's shot was... I don't even know how to describe it. When two consecutive shots on the same possession are a three that goes long and a mid-range jumper that falls short, I throw my hands up in despair and scream to the heavens. Keylantra Langley had a solid game off the bench on both ends of the floor. I'd like to see her shoot less, but I can't fault the defense and the rebounding. Mallory Jones got more time than we were used to, but I'm not sure this freshman is ready yet. Zakiyyah Shahid-Martin was called upon more than usual since we were short-handed in the post, and she did admirably in the time she played- nothing big, nothing statistical, but enough to keep us from falling apart.
Shenneika Smith came up big in the second half, making the little plays, especially on the offensive boards, that got the team back in the game and extended the lead. Nadirah McKenith was off her game today, whether it was due to illness (we thought we saw her throwing up in a bucket during a timeout) or injury (she came out for shootaround holding the left side of her neck, and early in the game, she wasn't able to look in that direction). She cleaned up at the line, though. Eugeneia McPherson, I swear on my honor as a former Girl Scout, I am going to end up breaking a clipboard over your head if you keep going towards the lane, throwing something in the general direction of the glass, collapsing to the floor, and then kvetching to the ref when you don't get the call. It's nice when she slashes through the lane, taking contact like a pinball as she drives to the basket. But she always seems to prioritize getting to the line over putting up a viable shot. Amber Thompson was victimized by foul trouble, but I continue to love her hustle after rebounds. I still want her to be more aggressive under the basket on offense, but that will come with time. Jennifer Blanding wasn't completely awful- she filled space, made some defensive plays, hit her only shot. She did what we needed her to do in Mary's absence.
These refs. I don't even know what. Late whistles, pushes called in the wrong direction, jump ball situations not called, fouls on all-ball wrap-ups... I don't know what game these refs were watching, but I'm not certain it was ours.
Impressive halftime play from Our Lady of Victory. #50 in orange looked like a half-pint Katie Douglas.
I keep telling myself that we'll be fine when Da'Shena comes back, but I'm honestly not sure. I do hope that things are well enough with Mary that she can rejoin the team for the Hartford game, because Hartford is probably better than Howard, and we had enough trouble with Howard.
Saturday, November 26, 2011
November 25th, 2011: La Salle at Florida
Just the Facts, Ma'am: Florida withstood several La Salle runs to win 85-74 at Long Island's holiday tournament. The Gators' Jordan Jones had 28 points to lead all scorers, while Jennifer George had 18 points and 15 rebounds. Jada Payne had 17 for the Explorers, while Jordan Mosley and Alexis Scott each had 16 off the bench.
For ugly clothes, hard hands, a strange feeling of deja vu, and bored Blackbirds, join your intrepid and woefully belated blogger after the jump.
On to the second game. Florida is intimidatingly large. They may not necessarily be good, but they're big. La Salle is La Salle. I've probably written more words about La Salle women's basketball than anyone not affiliated with the university.
Charlotte has drifted back a bit. Cara Consuegra came past us looking like a thundercloud a little while ago, and LIU appears to have acquired pizza. Florida's shoes are very, very blue. So are their socks.
La Salle seems to have decided to play for a change. It's only 41-38 in Florida's favor at the half. Jordan Jones has been otherworldly for the Gators, but the Explorers are getting great shooting from Jada Payne and Alexis Scott. I rather enjoy this game experience without the band and dance team, with the iPod going.
La Salle doesn't have the talent, and they don't have the court awareness. They're low level players for a middling program in a mid-major conference. But they played today with more heart than I've ever seen from them, and I've seen far more of them than I'd have preferred. Maybe there's hope yet.
The Explorers got amazing offense from Alexis Scott off the bench. She came up big for them when they rallied to tie it and again when they rallied to try and get it under double digits. Jordan Moseley also had a nice game for La Salle. I was surprised not to see Jess Koci in the game; I'm going to assume that she was hurt, because a rebounder might have been useful against the gigantic post players for Florida.
Ruvanna Campbell is definitely a freshman. She had some nice defensive plays, but she made some dumb mistakes that didn't help La Salle's case. Brittany Wilson came up with big shots when her team needed them, and did so with acrobatic athleticism. Jada Payne had a big first half, though she was quieter in the second. Nadia Duncan got into the middle of a lot of plays. The guards set each other up well in general.
The clock management in the last four minutes could have used a little work. Okay, a lot of work. They spent way too much time trying to get their shots.
I think Amanda Butler thinks Lily Svete can be the next Steffi Sorenson. Blonde who thinks she can shoot a little? But I wasn't impressed. Florida in general didn't get a lot off their bench, which could be trouble for them against a frenetic and relentless Charlotte team. Deana Allen shot a lot, but she didn't necessarily take good shots. I think Butler saw an opportunity to use her bench in the first half, when it was a big lead, and put in some players who I would guess don't play a lot.
If there is one thing I cannot stand in basketball, it's post players who play tentatively, softly, and stupidly. I devoutly hope, for Florida's sake, for Great Britain's sake, and for her sake, that Azania Stewart isn't always this soft, doesn't always drop these passes, doesn't always have rebounds bounce off her hands, and isn't generally one of the least effective 6'4” players I've ever seen. Jennifer George needs to not bring the ball back down to where small people can reach it. She's a big strong player; she should be able to put that back up without hesitation. When she realized that in the second half, Florida took off and put the game out of reach. If she can be more assertive for a whole game, she's going to be amazing. Jordan Jones's outside shooting was unworldly in the first half. She cooled down in the second, but I like the classic look of her shot and her release. You'd think the 33 she wears would be a pretty good hint of what she does well, but hey, I'm not the one who let her hit six three-pointers. Jaterra Bonds looked good, except for the turnovers. Lanita Bartley read long rebounds well.
I've been rough on Florida the last couple of years. I'm not impressed with Amanda Butler's coaching since the Achilles (nor am I impressed with her fashion sense; that yellow blouse should be taken out and burned), but it looks like she's putting it together to make a run in the SEC this year. It might not be much of a run, but I think they'll be a little better than they were the last couple of years. On the other hand, the lack of killer instinct that kept La Salle in the game until the equivalent of the fourth quarter might come back and bite them, given the viciousness of the SEC.
Officiating was inconsistent. Again. And for a long time I wondered if the officials were trying to protect the BCS when La Salle was keeping it close and being called for fouls almost every time that they breathed on a Florida player. La Salle does tend to commit a lot of stupid fouls, but this was a little hard to believe. I think La Salle's coach agreed with my assessment (but he's obviously going to be a wee bit biased); he pointed at the foul count on the scoreboard to back up his complaints a couple of times.
It was a much better game than I had expected it to be, and a much closer game than the final score indicates. Maybe there's hope for La Salle yet. But please, please, dear sweet deities of sport, don't let me have to write about them again.
Friday, November 25, 2011
November 25th, 2011: Charlotte at Long Island
Just the Facts, Ma'am: A strong second half gave the Long Island Blackbirds an 81-72 win over the visiting Charlotte 49ers. Kiara Evans led all scorers with 23 points, one of four Long Island players in double figures. Epiphany Woodson led Charlotte with 21.
For squeaky brasses, the frustration of coaches, pizza, and a lot of free throws, join your intrepid and half-everything blogger after the jump.
Good afternoon, everyone! We're coming to you on the Internet version of tape delay from the Wellness, Recreation, and Athletic Center on the campus of Long Island University in beautiful and somewhat congested Downtown Brooklyn, bringing you the LIU Turkey Classic.
I've mentioned this before, but LIU may have my favorite small arena in the New York area, with Hofstra's as my favorite medium and Carnesecca as my medium-large favorite. They keep it up well, though they still haven't taken off the old three-point line. It's a bargain for the price, it really is. (This doesn't mean increase the price, LIU.) It has enough amenities to be comfortable and enough smaller touches to still be intimate. They've upgraded the sound system from the last time I was here; now they use an iPod touch to provide the music. They're still working on the band, though.
I like LIU's new warmup jackets. The uniforms are sharp.
There are a few Charlotte fans behind their bench, and a few Florida people arrived early. I haven't seen anyone in La Salle gear yet, but that doesn't prove anything. I've seen more of La Salle than I ever wanted to, and I haven't been impressed much yet.
At halftime, Charlotte leads LIU 31-28. I have so far been impressed with Epiphany Woodson's stepback jumper, Ny Hammonds's on-ball defense, and Ashley Palmer's willingness to go towards the hole. I have so far not been impressed with the LIU band, Kiara Evans's court vision, and the referees' tendency to call everything short of assault and battery a travel or a no-call.
Make the band stop. Please. Make them stop. It's especially bad when you recognize a tune that St. John's usually butchers... and they're doing worse things to it.
Charlotte is a big, tenacious team. That'll serve them well in the Atlantic 10. They'll need that. Ny Hammonds seems to have only one gear- go go go go go. She's one of the fiercest on-ball defenders I've seen in my life, and she never quits. Sometimes she doesn't quit even when she should. I was surprised she didn't foul out of the game, but that's because my Sharpie went a little crazy with the fouls. Paige McCallum brought a lot of hustle and offense off the bench. I think Katie Meador fancied herself a shooter, and it didn't work out so well.
I think I might be a little in love with Epiphany Woodson's step-back jumper. Gods, that thing is gorgeous. Textbook. That's someone I want to keep an eye on when Charlotte goes into the A-10 season. I also want to see if Jennifer Hailey is just a second-half player, or if that second half was the aberration, or if the first half was the aberration. I like her size and her touch around the basket. They need to go to her more. I'd also want Amanda Dowe to be more aggressive. At 6-4, she should have been having her way with LIU. Ayanna Holmes had one wicked block, but was otherwise not a factor that I can remember. Jai Forney came on late. There's something I like about her, but I can't put my finger on it.
If Cara Consuegra spends less time kvetching to the refs and more time working on close-to-the-basket shooting, this team might get somewhere. They had a lot of chances, especially when they cut the lead late in the game.
Krystal Wells may have saved the game for LIU. Her threes off the bench came at opportune times, and she made a diving save near the end of the game to maintain possession and keep Charlotte from having a shot to make it a two-possession game. She's tenacious, and she hustles. I like her. They got more than I was expecting from their tank in the middle, Tamika Guz. She's lost a little weight since the last time I saw LIU play, but she's still a load in the middle. I'd like to see her be more aggressive, but that might involve more speed, higher vertical, and better footwork than she's capable of. We got brief appearances by Cleandra Roberts and Letava Whippy, as Gail Striegler worked her freshmen into the rotation.
I really like Ebony Davis's ability to rebound. I don't like her hands of stone and her walking tendencies, though. I'd like to see her fine-tune her shot. She'tiarra Pledger did not impress me, though she made a lot of big plays at the end of the game. Marika Sprow, despite starting, was mostly used to allow Kiara Evans and Krystal Wells to switch between the guard spots. Ashley Palmer looks like she's put on a little weight and gotten this crazy idea that she can shoot from the outside again. But somehow, she just kept getting the job done, getting to the basket and scoring with that high-arcing shot that always looks like it's going to fall short. Evans started off slow, and her overall shooting wasn't great, but in the second half she got a better idea of the defenses that were being played against her and was able to get off better passes instead of throwing it directly to opposing players and causing her coach to scream “do something different!” on the next possession.
That second half was something else. Both teams kept making big plays to stay in the game, with steals and rebounds galore. I wouldn't say it was like a tournament game, but it was the next best thing. LIU knew this would be a resume win for this year, while Charlotte couldn't afford a bad loss with a down A-10 this year.
I really don't know what to say about the officiating. I'm fairly certain piggyback rides are not a permissible part of the game. They got whistle-happy with travels in the first half, then a bit tighter with fouls, then they swallowed just about everything. I understand human imperfection. I understand that refs aren't perfect. All I ask for is something that vaguely resembles consistency so I know what to expect and so no one gets hurt.
After the game, LIU did what is my favorite tradition of theirs: they went up into the stands and greeted whoever happened to be there. For the most part, it was family and friends, but they'll acknowledge whoever speaks to them. I remember being thanked for coming out there once. To me, that's part of the essence of the game, and one of the most striking differences between the women's game and the men's game.
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
November 22nd, 2011: Wagner at St. John's
Just The Facts, Ma'am: Tough defense by the Red Storm gave St. John's a 54-34 win over the Wagner Seahawks. Shenneika Smith led all scorers with 16 points and added seven boards and four steals, while Nadirah McKenith put in 15 points to go with seven rebounds and five steals. Marie-Laurence Archambault led Wagner with nine points on three 3-pointers.
For rain, kvetching, nifty passes, and the scenic tour of central Queens, join your intrepid and financially imprudent blogger after the jump.
Dear St. John's: enough with the double-headers. Please. Especially when the brilliant plan involves pairing a lousy opponent for the women with a lousy opponent for the men (Wagner and St. Francis NY respectively). You can't predict the rain, but that didn't help things, either; walk-up sales had to have been pretty low, because something that was set up looking like separate ticketing ended up being a one-ticket, “sure, sit wherever until someone with the ticket shows up” affair.
We opted not to stay, because I am a somewhat responsible blogger, it's raining, and I needed to try to find a cookbook. (By the way, if you happen to own My First Baking Book by Rena Coyle, hit me up.) That, and to be honest, I don't particularly care about men's basketball. Apologies to the folks over at Rumble in the Garden.
I'm still not quite over missing the very start of the game because, hello, I work until 5:30 and it normally takes me an hour and a half to get to St. John's, and no, I couldn't leave early because I left early to go to the Hofstra game. I ended up paying $30 for a cab to get there just after tip, but I shouldn't have to do that to see the damn game on time!
To be honest, I don't remember much about the Wagner bench. Kanifa Hicks got the bulk of the minutes, and I think I remember yelling at her for some rough play. They've got a freshman center who came in late, Ugo Nwaigwe, who's tall but didn't impress. Shawn-Marie Heiliger played a lot off the bench too. I think she was their point guard.
Marie-Laurence Archambault not only has a long name, but a long shot. Her threes were the most reliable offense the Seahawks were able to find all night. Kelly Clark did a nice job of at least trying to get in on the boards... she just wasn't all that successful in grabbing the boards. Jacqui Thompson has gorgeous eyes, and doesn't run a bad offense, but her team just can't shoot straight. Chanez Robinson got a little physical, but didn't really make an impression otherwise.
Wagner, I'm very sorry that I couldn't come up with more to say about you. When you stop being easily disconcerted and start hitting shots, perhaps I will say more about you.
Hi, Mallory Jones! Welcome to Division I basketball! Please enjoy your stay! Work on that three, because all gods know we need a three-point shooter with some consistency, and tone up that stocky build, but I love the willingness to take contact. Zakiyyah Shahid-Martin brought her usual combination of hustle and boneheaded plays. The poor kid wanted to score so badly it was almost sad how her teammates ignored her when she was calling for the ball. Briana Brown at least played decent on-ball defense, but I'm starting to wonder about her range. It seems fairly narrow. Jennifer Blanding played well off the bench, which was a relief. She bodied up well and hit the floor for loose balls. Tesia Harris couldn't hit the broad side of a barn, but strangely enough, I didn't mind. Keylantra Langley's still putting too much spin on her shots, but I love her defense. Just don't commit stupid fouls, okay, Key?
Nadirah McKenith has turned it up. She knows that we need her to score with Da'Shena Stevens out, and she has answered. She's still finding her teammates, and I think she's about two assists per game under what she would be if her teammates could hit the easy shots she gives them. The through-the-opponent's-legs pass to a three on the wing that was missed comes to mind. Mary Nwachukwu needs to toughen up and go after rebounds and loose balls. My patience with her softness grows short. I continue to love Amber Thompson's rebounding ability; I think the offense will develop in time, but you can't teach those instincts. Eugeneia McPherson needs to stop talking to the refs. It's not going to get her calls, and it's not going to help. She's trying too hard to get the contact, and I think it's messing with her head. Shot of the game goes to Shenneika Smith and that nifty right hook she threw into the basket. She had a very nice game. Not feeling the hair, though.
My heart melted with squee and love for my team when I spotted a few of our former players tending to the young Aricos during the game. (Sky Lindsay is the reason we're finally getting off our tushes and going to Queens College games, and I spent the better part of four years going on about Joy McCorvey, whose #25 I wear with pride.) Stupid hormones. Stupid Our Girls Syndrome.
Um, not for nothing, but I'm fairly certain that if a player is tiptoeing along the line and is jostled out of bounds, it's a push-out, not an out-of-bounds turnover. I'd also like to see refs be a little more careful about lower body fouls. There are enough studies out there that remind us all about the increased susceptibility women's knees have to torn ACLs and other not fun things.
Many thanks to the concession folks who let us take home the bottle caps. Coke Rewards make me a happy Scribbler. (Now, if they'd just restock the good stuff...)
This is going to sound shallow, and it's the kind of thing I notice because my dad works with fabric a lot, but the ribbons for Oklahoma State are beautiful- I don't know if they're two-sided, or two-tone, or what, but they're very well done.
I don't know how much we learned about this team from playing Wagner. I do know that I'm probably not going to haul out to Staten Island and see Wagner in their home arena the way I've been saying I will for the last couple of years. They're the only New York City team I haven't visited, and I keep meaning to, but it's such a haul out to Staten Island, and Wagner has just been so awful...
Monday, November 21, 2011
November 20th, 2011: Michigan at Seton Hall
Just the Facts, Ma'am: A 28-11 free throw differential helped the Michigan Wolverines survive 26.5% shooting from the field to take one on the road from the Pirates of Seton Hall, 51-47. Rachel Sheffer led all scorers with 18 points, while Courtney Boylan was one rebound short of a double-double with 11 points and nine boards. Alexandra Maseko was the only Pirate in double figures, putting up 12 points to go with seven rebounds and three blocks.
For an awful lot of walking, stupid fouls, travels about New Jersey, and pathetic attempts at a halfcourt shot, join your intrepid and gainfully employed blogger after the jump.
Good. Grief. This is definitely Michigan basketball. It is as definitely Seton Hall basketball. Anne Donovan doesn't seem to have trained her team out of the habit Mangina established in them to chuck and pray. The bench priest can't do that much, guys.
I forgot just how acutely I dislike going to Seton Hall. It's a long hike or an infrequent bus from the NJ Transit station, and on weekends, every gate but the main one is closed, so you end up looping around. Your choices for seating once you get there are uncomfortable bleachers or uncomfortable chairback seats in the upper deck that obscure your view. The sound system is way the hell too loud. The crowd is depressing.
And that's not even including the basketball. Because Christ on a pogo stick, was this a bad first half of basketball.
I do like the Allen and Ginter cards the Hall has of Anne Donovan. Allen and Ginter's pretty ace, and I knew they were doing women's cards (I had the Leslie mini-card before trading it to someone who would appreciate it more), but that's still cool.
Band uniforms are lazy, but I like their variety in music. It takes a lot to do the Doors on marching band. Clean up the brasses, though.
Kevin Borseth's a year away, I think. Something isn't clicking with this team. The only thing that worries me is that it might be the screaming and the towel-throwing. We'll see if the chemistry improves with him recruiting players that are more comfortable with this style, or if it's going to explode in his face. I think players who play that style of swarming man and tight zone are going to be okay with being screamed at, though.
Nya Jordan, I don't care that your last name is Jordan, you don't get to stand there and admire your shots. Strangely enough, she followed everyone else's shots- I have no idea how she ended up with eight rebounds. Kate Thompson may be the tallest woman I've ever seen listed as a guard. She's 6-4- there's no reason she should be taking that many threes, especially when she proved she could finish inside. Kendra Seto provided a nice spark for them in the first half, cooling off with some stupid fouls in the second. Sam Arnold played briefly and showed me nothing.
What in the world is up with Carmen Reynolds? She didn't hit a shot and looked pretty wretched out there. Same with Jennie Ryan, though she at least seemed to be more involved in the flow of play. I was expecting more out of them. Courtney Boylan came up big in the second half, but I'm not sold on her as a point guard. She's a Minnesota kid, and I think she thinks she's Lindsay Whalen, but she's... more Jennifer Derevjanik. I liked her pass fakes during practice, but she was mostly not all that great during games. She tried to make too many plays and complained too much about calls she wasn't getting. Nicole Elmblad got the start, but barely played, which makes me wonder if she's a regular starter, or if Thompson or Jordan had received a disciplinary benching. Rachel Sheffer's ability to take contact and get to the line impressed me. She got popped in the mouth late in the game- didn't look like she lost any teeth or anything, but she still kept her composure and her mind on the game surprisingly well for having a hand over her mouth.
Chizoba Ekedigwe looks like a freshman, and looks like an Anne Donovan post. She has promising physicality, but she makes stupid freshman mistakes. It happens. Terry Green's shot has gotten streakier, and she committed a lot of stupid fouls from behind- and then tried to act innocent each time. I abhor that kind of acting and whining. Elaine Swaby was credited with three steals, which I call shenanigans on- she had one nice one, but that's the only decent play I can remember her making. Things seemed to go horribly wrong whenever she went into the game. Every team has one of those players, it seems. Breanna Jones played briefly, looking like a very big Tari Phillips fan with the ankles, knees, and elbows wrapped, and with the headband; if all her accessories were black, the resemblance would have been a lot stronger. That was all I remember about her.
I was hard on Alexandra Maseko last year- she didn't usually have her head in the game, which led to a lot of stupid mistakes, but she showed out today. Nothing spectacular, but nothing too awful, either. Tajay Ashmeade does not impress me as a starting center- not a great shooter and doesn't know how not to foul, which meant that she fouled out on a play that a more sensible post would have known not to make (a blatant bump and hack; she knew it was a foul as soon as Aliberti blew the whistle). I can't put my finger on what I liked about Nicosia Henry, but she always seemed to be making the right play at the right time. Every team has one of those players too, it would seem. I was exceedingly disappointed in Jasmine Crew. I was told to expect her to be a one-woman show, and I think she agreed with that assessment- the only problem was that Michigan hassled her into throwing up some of the dumbest shots that I've ever seen thrown up- and please bear in mind I'm a Liberty fan who saw Sherill Baker for the better part of two seasons. I think she hit the underside of the backboard twice. They're going to need her to show much better judgment if they want this to work. Brittany Morris did a good job of looking like she kept her composure, even if the stat line wouldn't indicate it. Against less swarming defenses, I think she'll be fine.
I wouldn't have gone for the intentional foul quite as quickly as Donovan did; then again, Donovan knows her players better than I do and probably knew that Crew was going to waste too much time at the other end of the court with fancy dribbling.
Seton Hall probably did a lot of bitching about the refs after the game, but most of those calls were merited, and there were a couple that they missed. I'm sure Michigan got away with stuff too, but the foul differential accurately reflected the style of play. I'm not thrilled about having a team in my conference that likes to bump from behind. There were also some strange non-calls that had me scratching my head. It was a crew I expected better from, too: DeMayo, Aliberti, and Rachelle Jones.
Part of me likes that the Hall has... less traditional... body types on their dance team. The shallow part of me thinks that they shouldn't wear such tight uniforms if that's the route they're going to go.
I don't want to say the male cheerleaders for Seton Hall have slippery pants, but the flag runner almost lost his during the running of the flag; fortunately, he took the opportunity to pull them up when the giant huge flag collapsed on him after two of his buddies relieved him of it.
Too much fluff in the SHUbars, too much pepper on the SHUpuds.
I would have let loose a little more on the refs in the first half, but sitting next to the bench priest does put the kibosh on that. The most I got away with “THE THINGS I WOULD SCREAM AT YOU IF THE PRIEST WASN'T RIGHT THERE!” He moved across the way to sit with the cheerleaders for the second half. Judging from the strange bounces, he's slacking. (Strange bounces off the rim. Of the ball.)
There was a post-game autograph session, and our Seton Hall poster signed by half the team fell off its perch above the linen closet, so it seemed prudent to get a new one signed by the entire team. Friendly enough bunch to people they knew, and a couple were friendlier towards strangers, Maseko especially.
The crowd was loud and into the game, which is an unusual experience at Seton Hall, and I like that. They're going to need that kind of support if they want to get anywhere; this team isn't talented enough to win without wringing every last ounce of homecourt advantage out of South Orange.
Saturday, November 19, 2011
November 18th, 2011: St. John's at Hofstra
Just the Facts, Ma'am: A late second-half run by the Hofstra Pride staved off the visiting St. John's Red Storm, 93-82. Katelyn Loper led all scorers with 29 points, while Shante Evans notched 27 points and 14 rebounds. Eugeneia McPherson led St. John's with 22 points.
For wrestling moves, shouting matches, geometry, and Jamaica Avenue at 11:30 on a Friday night, join your intrepid and still queasy blogger after the jump.
Halftime in Hempstead, and St. John's is on an upswing, down one to Hofstra. The lead was as much as eleven, and we were mighty cranky. The defense really picked up in the second quarter, and the St. John's cavalry appears to have arrived.
Yes, I decided to go to this game after all. It took an hour and a half out of work early, a bus, two subway trains, an LIRR ride, and another bus, but here I am. I couldn't resist. Besides, I have Shante Evans on my fantasy team, and she's putting in work. If we pull this out in the second half, it'll be the best of both worlds.
I'm starting to think duct tape might be a necessary part of the kit. Eugeneia McPherson is not doing herself any favors running her mouth after she hurled Nicole Capurso to the ground after the whistle had blown during a loose ball tussle. The Hofstra fans were understandably irked that Capurso got the foul and nothing was called on Gina. Gina continued to periodically kvetch to the refs and the bench for a long time afterward. Gina, it doesn't help.
All due credit to the loud and boisterous student section at Hofstra. Although when they started booing Gina every time she touched the ball after the throw... it was on like Donkey Kong, and the late-arriving RedZone got in on the action. Who needs eardrums, anyway?
I really like Hofstra's arena. I've said this before, but it's one of the nicer facilities in the New York metro area The layout's a little quirky, but you get used to it. They get good community support and local sponsorship, too. The Pride have a strong base to build on, and I think they've started to realize just how good it is.
I haven't seen Mallory Jones on the court yet, but anyone who sings along with “I Love Rock & Roll” is all right in my book.
So it's not the best of both worlds, just a world. I guess I can live in it. Be warned: the one thing I don't like about Hofstra is that they don't give out proper scorecards, so I have to bootleg it with a legal pad and scribbling. I wasn't thrilled with Andreana Thomas's grabby hands. I was amused by Deven Green's... huge tracts of land, and her brief scoring run. Marie Malone looks to have been bumped to the bench, but she's still a Mike Carey post at heart- you're going to ache afterwards. The Pride also got some good minutes from Anma Onyeuku, but I don't remember Krista Kilburn Steveskey going much deeper into her bench.
Katelyn Loper must have aced geometry in high school, because she showed an amazing knack for getting the right angle on her shots. I have no idea why we didn't get on her after the third, or fourth, or fifth three-pointer she hit on us. She's going to be something special for Hofstra, and the Colonial should be afraid of two years of her and Shante Evans together. Bond, Candace Bond (which was how she was announced during starting lineups and when she hit shots), had a good defensive game, with a nice block in the first half and strong rebounding play. Candice Bellocchio went well into the paint and set up Loper on one of her threes with a nifty shovel pass. Nicole Capurso mixed it up for loose balls and got loose for outside shots. But that game belonged to Shante Evans. There was a sign in the stands reading “#30 Is A Beast”, and that was dead-on accurate. I know that mold of player is going out of style in the WNBA, and she has no outside shot to speak of, but if she wants it, I think she'll have a very good career in Europe.
I have to give a lot of credit to Hofstra's coach for playing the mis-matches very well. When Kim Barnes Arico tried to use Jennifer Blanding as muscle, she came with Marie Malone, who's physical, but more outside-aligned; when KBA tried to bring in Amber Thompson for a better match-up, Hofstra brought Shante Evans right back in. And Kilburn-Steveskey also took advantage of the five-guard set that St. John's was inexplicably running at the end of the game.
The student section also brought it. RedZone could learn a lot from them, though the removal of shirts to disconcert the shooter can stay in Hempstead, thanks. We gave them their props after the game. We weren't thrilled with them booing Eugeneia McPherson every time she touched the ball, so it got loud.
Jennifer Blanding put in some decent minutes against the Hofstra posts, but she's got to be more aggressive under the basket. When you've got people singing “watch out for the big girl” every time you come in, maybe you should do something to make that worth it. I liked Keylantra Langley's hustle tonight, though she needs to work on her shot a little bit. She had way too many shots do funny things on the rim, and maybe that's a matter of luck, but maybe that's a matter of too much English. Tesia Harris is starting to look a little more comfortable in her role off the bench. I'd like to see her have more confidence in her shot, but that might come with time. Zakiyyah Shahid-Martin is going to get squeezed out when Da'Shena Stevens comes back- she fights, but she makes dumb mistakes.
Speaking of fighting and dumb mistakes, Eugeneia McPherson, you shouldn't take inspiration from Hofstra's fine wrestling tradition. Slams and leg whips have no place in basketball. And if you do anything that stupid, pleading your case to the refs at random moments well after the original play will not only not help you all that much, but will prejudice an official like Dennis DeMayo against the team in red for future calls. I think she fed off the vitriol being thrown at her by the Hofstra fans, or maybe she liked that RedZone had her back, but she went without fear. I like the offense, but not the mouth. Mary Nwachukwu played with a little more intensity tonight, but still needed the coaches screaming at her. GO TOWARDS THE HOLE, MARY. Amber Thompson's youth got the better of her; she committed a lot of stupid fouls that came back to bite her in the end. But I don't want that to stop her from going hard to the basket and scooping up the offensive rebounds. I am not necessarily thrilled with Nadirah McKenith shooting this much. I know, I know, the LaSalle game, but that was a situation where she needed to be shooting because no one else was hitting. She wasn't quite as successful this time, partly due to better defense and partly due to different calls. Then again, if our posts are going to take four shots total, someone's gotta pick up the slack. Shenneika Smith was working hard at both ends, almost to a fault- in the last six or seven minutes, she was suffering from cramps that made her contort her face and body in the most interesting ways. Since Shenneika's tall and skinny enough that I keep thinking someone can fold her into a suitcase, this was a lot more interesting in person than words can achieve. She's like a giant, expressive rubber band sometimes.
Just for the record, it is an absolute bear to get back from Hofstra on a weekday if you're not taking LIRR. Or even if you are. To be fair, we probably shouldn't have taken the extra fifteen minutes to cross Hempstead Turnpike, go to a lousy McDonalds (flat, warm Diet Coke, ugh), and cross Hempstead Turnpike again. But between the infrequency of Long Island Bus service, the social experiments of the N6, and some unfortunate biological reactions from the mayo in the sandwich I had for dinner, it took three hours to get back. So if you're wondering why these notes are late, it's because I didn't have time to work on them properly that night. Sleep deprivation makes me funnier, but not necessarily in good ways.
On to the next one. I'm looking forward to getting Da'Shena back, simply because having a proven post presence will solve a lot of our problems, especially with the rotation. Now, if we just had a consistent outside shooter...
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
November 17th, 2011: La Salle at St. John's
Just the Facts, Ma'am: 26 points, seven steals, and seven rebounds from Nadirah McKenith carried the St. John's Red Storm to a 66-45 win over the La Salle Explorers. Alexis Scott had 17 off the bench for La Salle.
For unhinged jaws, squeaky brass, floor burns, and pressure, join your intrepid and amazed blogger after the jump.
The problem with a performance as incandescent as Nadirah McKenith's is that it makes the rest of the Game Notes of Doom even harder to write. How am I supposed to remember the acts of minor bench players when I've got a pass in my head that would make Ticha Penicheiro weep for its beauty?
Jeff Williams worked in a lot of his players, especially late in the game after the Red Storm extended the lead. We had brief cameos from a couple of seniors, Nikki Ortiz and Michele McCaughern. Nadia Duncan was first off the bench, but she became a non-factor. Indigo Dickens brought size, and a couple of nice picks, but not much else. Ruvanna Campbell is a prototypical mid-major post- tall, fast, and a good shot-blocker, but can't hold on to the ball and can't shoot. She's just a freshman, though. There might be potential there. Alexis Scott did a nice job of getting to the line, and she was really the only offense La Salle could find, especially in the second half. Advice in advance, A-10 fans- she's very easily disconcerted at the line. We nailed her twice.
Jess Koci rebounded well in the first half, and started establishing herself in the paint in the second, but by then there was no force on this earth that could save the Explorers. Brittany Wilson committed stupid fouls from behind. No, Miss Wilson, you cannot have a piggyback ride from our players. Omaah Tayong brought a decent defensive presence, and I like her hustle. I really can't remember a damn thing Jordan Mosley did, and Jada Payne, who came in as La Salle's leading scorer, didn't impress me either.
Jennifer Blanding was demoted to the bench, and after the debacle that was her last game, I can't say I'm surprised. She was better on the defensive end, and the one shot she took was a nice hit, but if you're the tallest player on the team, you should be getting at least one rebound, not being the one player on the team who played without getting a rebound. SHAME, Jennifer. SHAME. Shenneika Smith also didn't start, though that appeared to be disciplinary- she didn't look injured, and she did play. She got hot in the second half when she was able to get into the lane, and demonstrated a little hook shot that I hope she doesn't think she can use against real competition yet. Zakiyyah Shahid-Martin showed hustle going for loose balls, and she and her classmates have good chemistry. Briana Brown, you cannot shoot three-pointers. If you're going to keep trying, do it in practice, not in games. It's embarrassing when they fall shorter than the shooting contest's latest sucker. Keylantra Langley led the team in floor burns, going after loose balls and rebounds. She looks like she's growing into her role and finding herself. I like.
Mary Nwachukwu, get it together. She had a better game on the boards than I realized, but she still needs to be going hard on defense. I don't mind so much if she wants to shoot the midrange jumper at this point- we need someone who can extend the defense slightly, and if we need to have that someone be a four, fine. On the other hand, Kim Barnes Arico is not Don Nelson and Mary is not a point forward- why, in the nine classical circles of Dante's Inferno, is she bringing the ball up with a guard next to her? Tesia Harris looked more inclined to shoot than she was the last game, but she still looks a little rusty. There's enough there that I think she'll be fine if she gets more used to the system. Eugeneia McPherson, if I have said this once, I have said this sixteen times: you are not Angel McCoughtry, you are not Lindsay Whalen, you are not getting those calls when you drive wildly into the lane and throw the ball in the general direction of the backboard. Go for the shot, not the foul, and stop bitching about not getting the foul. She couldn't hit the broad side of a barn in the first half, and wasn't much better in the second- at least she hit some shots eventually. I'd like to see her get back on defense the way she was as a freshman, with less focus on throwing up prayers. I know we need her to step up her offensive game with the graduation of two starters and Da'Shena's injury, but that's not necessarily her strength. Amber Thompson continues to impress me more in early going than any Red Storm player has in her freshman year since my very favorite, Joy McCorvey. I love her nose for the ball, I love her rebounding, I love the way she learns, I love the way she gets into seams in the paint, I love that she can finish underneath.
And then there was Nadirah McKenith- or, in message board parlance, Nadirah Effing McKenith. I think my jaw is still unhinged from the show she put on. Through a fair stretch of the game, she was single-handedly outscoring La Salle- and this coming from a distributing point! She got into a zone where everything she touched turned to gold, whether it was lay-ups, jumpers, passes, crossovers, rebounds, or steals. She got the crowd, such as it was, going, and she didn't stop. If her teammates had hit the easy shots she gave them, she would have threatened a quadruple-double- not gotten it, but made it look close.
I'm not sure which one was the play of the game. It might have been the Ticha-esque no-look pass to Jennifer Blanding for the lay-up. Or it might have been the reverse with the and-1. And that's just Nadirah. Briana's imitations of Darrelle Revis were also pretty cool. (She's from Norwalk, and I think Norwalk is west of New Haven, so I think it's okay to make a Jets comparison there, not a New England one.)
How many times will you ever see double-dribble called twice in a game? This crew decided to go for it. I'd like to see fewer procedural calls and more contact calls.
The brass section in the band needs work. They're off their game.
The guy in the shooting contest needed to back off sooner. When he got right up on the line, he was missing long. When he moved back, bam, free burritos.
I think I saw the previous owner of my jersey in the stands. If that was her, she can have it back at any time.
We still miss Da'Shena, I think. But the newcomers made progress, and progress is good. The Hofstra game will be interesting, and I may even have notes from it!
Saturday, November 12, 2011
November 12th, 2011: St. Bonaventure at St. John's
Just the Facts, Ma'am: The Bonnies of St. Bonaventure spoiled opening day for the Red Storm of St. John's with a strong second half that overcame a five-point St. John's halftime lead, posting a 64-58 win. Megan Van Tatenhove's 16 points and seven rebounds led all players, with the Bonnies getting 14 each from three-point shooter Jessica Jenkins and slashing guard Armelia Horton. Eugeneia McPherson led the Red Storm with 15 points.
For camo, the flailing rage of a fantasy player, raging at authority, Starbursts, and all that could have been, join your intrepid and frustrated blogger after the jump.
Hello season! It's nice to see you again! It would have been nicer to see you again with a win, or at least with a consistent three-point shooter in the corner, but I'll take what I can get.
I guess they chose today for Military Appreciation Day because it was the day after Veterans' Day. A lot of ROTC were in attendance and were acceptably loud. Someone needed to tell the DJ that “Born in the USA” was an inappropriate choice of song on so many levels- not just is it about how being a veteran kinda blows, but when your group is approximately a quarter East Asian, perhaps a song involving “to go and kill the yellow man” is not the best choice. But the nice thing about having ROTC in attendance is that you're guaranteed to get an excellent color guard, even if the anthem is a little pitchy and out of whack.
The cheerleaders were off their game. There were a lot of fumbles, a lot of missed moves, and a general lack of cohesion. But the season is young. I'm going to need them to get off the spelling chants if they want crowd participation, though. You put in too many parts, and people aren't going to be able to keep up. Keep it simple and listen to the crowd noise.
Kim Barnes Arico was honored pregame for entering her tenth season as head coach at St. John's. After a truly amateur Powerpoint that I found myself forced to heckle, the student section (all three of them) were redubbed “KBA's Krazies” and given a banner. They proceeded to vamoose at halftime. Your intrepid blogger and her sore throat were not amused.
Jordan McGee's only contribution to the game appears to have been fouls. CeCe Dixon, I like your hustle, or I would if you weren't playing my team, and your shot's kinda cute. But if you're actually 5-7, I'm actually Ta'Shia Phillips. I have statistical evidence that Jennie Ashton and Chelsea Bowker played, but I can't remember anything they did. Apologies to our readers in Olean.
Would someone please guard Jessica Jenkins from beyond the arc? Oh, what a pretty stroke, and she's not afraid to take it deep, either. We really needed to find a way to shut her down, and part of what irks me about this game is that I think we had it and then we let it slip away. I'd be more impressed with Megan Van Tatenhove's array of moves if they didn't all seem to involve at least three steps. I like her nose for the ball on the boards, though. Armelia Horton's willingness to go into the paint would please me if I were a St. Bonaventure fan; she forced a lot of contact and drew fouls. Doris Ortega brought a loud contingent who sat in the next section over from us and made us sad. If she hooked Nadirah McKenith's arm one more time, though, there was going to be bloodshed, since I don't think Nadirah is into square dancing. Alaina Walker had a solid game for the Bonnies, with a pretty spin move that had me begrudging her a bit of respect.
St. Bonaventure played physical, played tough, and cranked up the defense more and more as the game went on. I can't necessarily say they kept their composure, but they kept it better than the Red Storm did. Packing the paint and forcing St. John's to slow down their offense was critical in the second half.
Zakiyyah Shahid-Martin, when your team is attempting to make a run, it is perhaps not the most brilliant use of your arm to hook it around your defender's waist and shove her to the ground, thereby committing an offensive foul. I like her hustle, and she's more willing to go to the floor than the average player, but generally, it's not a good idea to send other players to the floor. Briana Brown played just long enough to establish that she'll be spending a lot of time on the bench this season. Tesia Harris has a pretty shot, and once she's more settled into the offense and the defense, I think we'll see more of her in the rotation. Keylantra Langley had one of the better games I've seen from her in a while, and she looked like one of the only players comfortable in her role- more of a 2/3, and more of a defensive player, which makes sense, since she's one of the more strongly built guards on the team. She's broken my heart by showing this kind of promise before, then regressing, so I'm not going to hope yet. I was very impressed with freshman post Amber Thompson, though. She's as rough as sandpaper and raw around the edges, but I like her instincts and I like her hustle. She needs to become more familiar with her teammates, and more familiar with the way things are called in the college game, but that'll take time, and I refuse to tear her to pieces in her first collegiate game.
Jennifer Blanding. You need to get your act together yesterday. Part of my hopes for the season was that Jennifer, the biggest player we have on the team, was going to recognize the injury to Da'Shena Stevens as an opportunity and make the most of it. Instead, it's Amber and Z stepping up to the challenge, while Jennifer gets benched for anyone and everyone. As demonstrated, this team has no time for anyone to play like a D-III scrub. That margin of error went out the window with Da'Shena's knee injury. That goes double for posts, and both Jennifer and Mary Nwachukwu dropped the ball on that. Mary, at least, has more room for improvement. I think she's smart enough to realize that she no longer has behemoths like Stefanie Murphy and Carolyn Swords roaming the paint; for this team, she is the behemoth. She shoots well from midrange, but we don't need another player taking midrange shots, we need someone going inside and banging. And if Jennifer can't bang inside, then Mary's going to have to do it. If someone starts going in and being physical, then, yes, Mary can play like the post-championships Tina Thompson instead of the dynastic Tina Thompson. Eugeneia McPherson went on a hot streak in the first half, but that was pretty much the last we heard from her on offense for the rest of the game. I like her and Shenneika Smith on the backcourt trap, but you can't run her on the trap and have her covering assignments for players who are injured and unable to rotate properly. Can't have it both ways, Kim. Nadirah ran a good offense, but had to call her own number more than I think she was comfortable with. She also took a couple of hard hits near the end of the game, and that screwed things up for her- she was breaking her own ankles by the end, and that didn't look good. At one point, it looked like she was signaling to get out of the game, but Kim didn't take her out. Shenneika also took a hit near the end of the first half, but she seemed to shake it off. She had to rely on her outside shot for her offense, which is not a recipe for success.
I abhor incompetence. That's what got me about this game. We were so close. We made stupid mistakes. Our starting center gave us nothing. Our coach refused to admit weakness, and the clock management at the end of the game was abysmal- does anyone here know how to foul?
I wasn't thrilled with the officiating, either, since it got dangerous out there with the tripping and the shoving, but not much you can do about that.
Six points. Two three-pointers. Or three baskets in the paint. That's all it came down to. Two three-pointers, or three two-pointers, depending on how you look at it.