Just the Facts, Ma'am: Seton Hall broke open a close game with a big third quarter on their way to a 77-67 win to open Big East play against St. John's. Inja Butina led four Pirates in double figures with 19 points. Qadashah Hoppie had 19 points to lead St. John's.
For the usual levels of awkward, pretzels, a truly hideous jacket, alumnae, terrible rotations, hot tempers, and giving up on the foul derby, join your intrepid and insomniac blogger after the jump.
It's bowl season, so you know what that means? It's the perfect time for the Awkward Bowl! Well, I lie; there's no perfect time for the Awkward Bowl, and I can definitely think of things I'd rather do on a Sunday morning after a doubleheader than hike out to New Jersey, but my team needs me, especially after that collapse by the men last night. (I don't want to talk about it, except to bring up the point that bad things happen if you overwork your best players, and Seton Hall was very lucky to get out of there with the victory, given most of their shot selection in the final two minutes.)
Look, dude. People are not on this train to try and build a community or get involved in people's lives. People are on this train to get from point A to point B. That is the purpose of transportation. It transports. For the love of all that is sweet and holy, wrap up your spiel in less than four stations and move on to the next one; there might be softer hearts in there, because I think everyone in this car had lost patience with him by about two stations in.
(Yes, I am that cynical jerk who practically grades panhandlers and street preachers. If you want my attention, you need to earn it, and either way, you're not getting my money.)
The awkward has begun. At least Kadaja Bailey's family has made it out, so I have people to sit with, and at some point I presume the Duncan/Hoppie kinfolk will arrive. (I, uh. Don't know if I want the Sinas to show up, actually. They have a bad history with the Hall.) But I still don't like cheering without him- worse, against him.
We made pretzels. The Fordham F turned out better than trying to do the conjoined initials for STJ and SHU. We're thinking about digits for various and sundry Senior Days, though I'd rather not think about Senior Days right now, because noooooooo.
Oh, right, that's who's Canadian! I forgot about Barbara Johnson, but in my defense, she is sitting out a transfer year.
I may have said this once or twice, but I miss the days when the rivalry was lit in a more positive way, when St. John's had Nadirah and Amber and Aliyyah, and Seton Hall had the Simmonses, and pretty much all of Newark showed up in one capacity or another, and it stayed friendly because NaNa and Didi were friends. I miss that. At least no one's quite as crazy as some of the crazies we've dealt with.
It's 34-33 St. John's at halftime, on the strength of a late Tiana England three and 13 first-half points from Qadashah Hoppie. Seton Hall's press is doing a number on us defensively, but it's significantly hampered by Kaela Hilaire picking up fouls three and four in rapid succession on a pushout and the associated tantrum. KK's heart lives on her sleeve, and we're going to see just how badly it comes back to haunt the Hall. Desiree Elmore has had herself quite the second quarter, and her nine points in that frame lead all SHU scorers.
That anthem singer can sing the anthem any day of the week and twice on Sundays. Operatic and epic.
Brittney Sykes has set up camp behind the visiting bench, which is just confusing unless she's friend of a friend to someone on our bench (the only connections I can think of are on the SHU side). But I think all the cool kids are sitting upstairs this year- I think Nadirah and Aliyyah are both in the balcony seating.
DSPN has met up with Timmy Ice and so far things seem to be going well. Yes, Derek's presence means I technically broke the covenant that the husband and I have during the Awkward Bowl, but if he's disconcerting shooters, the gloves are off.
Refs called it too tight in the first quarter and too loose in the second. Doesn't help that both teams are committing stupid reaches.
(General just for the record: I'm a public school kid. I ride for all my PSAL kids.)
My Twitter synopsis of this game was "welp, that sure was a thing that happened there", and I'm honestly tempted to leave it there, because I still have to work on the Fordham notes from yesterday, and also I may be very tired, and also I may be trying to keep myself from getting banned from the borough of Staten Island (not that I particularly want to go to Staten Island, but I'd like to keep the option open if the necessity should arise).
We have all the depth of a tawdry gossip magazine. This is a problem against teams that like to press, like to run, and like to play a lot of players. Oh. Look at our opponent. I think you see one of the problems here.
In all seriousness, though, while I love Shamachya Duncan's heart, and her shot is very nice when it's on, she should not be playing heavy rotation minutes for this team, and this team should not be in a position where she has to play heavy rotation minutes. Offensively, she's a one-trick pony, and defensively, well, she tries, but she's not at Big East level, and I don't know that she'll ever be. Jasmine Sina looks like she's lost all confidence in her shot- there were at least two possessions where she passed out of a look that her teammates clearly wanted her to take. I hope she's okay after the collision with Desiree Elmore and the stanchion; the trainer was administering the concussion tests to her on the bench afterwards.
I don't know what's wrong with Kadaja Bailey- if something or someone is in her head, or if she just hasn't adjusted to the real level of D-I competition after our first couple of easy opponents, but she looks like she's lost confidence in herself, and all the potential from the beginning of the season has turned into long limbs flailing aimlessly on defense and shots going over the basket on offense. There are things she has to finish that she's not finishing, and her development really seems to have stagnated. Kayla Charles had a solid defensive game in the first half, but she did not do as good a job as I would have liked on putbacks. Granted, a lot of them were dramatic aerial attempts with a high degree of difficulty.
The contrast between Tiana England cutting confidently to the basket and Tiana England pounding the air out of the ball is very sharp, and I hope people who should be paying attention to it are in fact doing so. I'd like to see a little more care in her shot selection- while she got most of her points in the paint, she threw up some really careless shots. These are not the lessons we need to be learning from the men's game. She laid a monster block on Inja Butina on the fast break. Qadashah Hoppie took advantage of Seton Hall's propensity to commit unnecessary reach-in fouls and got to the line early and often. Sometimes I think she settles for the first available shot, and while it's nice to have someone on this team who has some sense of urgency on offense, it's possible to swing too far the other way too. I continue to love Alisha Kebbe's hustle on the glass and on defense (getting up high enough to block Nicole Jimenez is a lot trickier than it seems on first look). I'm not sure about the long three-point attempt, though.
STOP COMMITTING STUPID FOULS AKINA. Okay, I'm done. I think. But seriously, know where you are on the court and know where you are in relation to the white jersey-clad player whose space you are in. Her shot's all messed up, and she's stuck in between positions, and it is not good. Curteeona Brelove looks hesitant. I know she's working her way back from the injury, but something seems more off about her than that would explain. Maybe she just needs more reps at game speed. Kayla had a better game, and one of the few decisions I agree with Joe on in this game was going more to Kayla.
(But seriously, the first two players off the bench in the second half were Moochy and Machi, and while I like them both as people, I don't understand that choice one iota.)
Speaking of post players coming off injuries and playing like they have no idea what they're doing, what in the world has happened to Kimi Evans? She played very briefly and looked very lost. Against this depleted St. John's team, and the distinct size advantage she has over everyone, she should have been able to tromp all over us, and yet she did not seem to have the wherewithal to tromp. (Then again, Seton Hall is fighting their own injury woes in the frontcourt; Femi Funeus came out on crutches, and Whitney Howell was nowhere to be found. Poor kids.) Fortunately for the Hall, Desiree Elmore was beasting on the offensive glass, and the looks that dared to not fall for her in the first quarter rattled home in every one thereafter. She positioned herself so well inside for rebounds. I have to give her her props.
Kaity Healy stepped up big in the second quarter and in the second half, filling in a lot of minutes for the Hall. She brought stability. The three-point shooting didn't hurt, either. She had to step up, because Kaela Hilaire was extremely limited by foul trouble. She got herself into it all too fast, because petulantly stomping away from her third foul drew a technical that became her fourth. (It was probably a cheap technical, to be honest, but if it teaches her to keep a hold of her temper in rivalry games, it was a fairly cheap lesson, since we split the free throws and turned the ball over on the ensuing possession.) Danielle Robinson made a couple of cameos and got to shoot a couple of free throws near the end of the first half.
Shadeen Samuels is just so much fun to watch. Even when she's not the star of the show- even when her teammates are the ones putting up the big numbers, or making the biggest plays- there's a grace to her that draws my eye. She doesn't so much go to the basket as she takes a step and she's at the basket. She makes it all look so easy. (And then I look at the box score and she has quite impressive numbers. Why are you so awesome, Shadeen?) Selena Philoxy threw it up too hard at the basket, but half the time it seemed like she was getting the offensive rebound anyway. She's some kind of tough. (That's how we roll in Queens.) She and Kayla Charles were going at it hammer and tongs whenever they were matched up against each other.
Inja Butina had a bad case of happy feet- I think she had three travels in the first half, if not the first quarter alone. She cut through our defense like a hot knife through butter and either got to the rim, got to the line, or committed a turnover. She was canning threes early, which gave our defense a whole different set of problems. Nicole Jimenez has taken to the off-guard position rather better than I expected (well, inasmuch as any of these three guards can be considered "off" in a set of three fairly small guards; I think by height Inja technically lines up at three, but Coley was the one lining up on the lane for free throws) though she did take an awful lot of shots. Take what the defense gives you, I guess. She snagged a couple of stray interceptions on careless Red Storm passes. Victoria Cardaci, playing in a face mask, was one of the few truly ineffective Pirates in this game. And Coach Bozzella realized that and adjusted his rotations accordingly, because that's something he can do way better than Coach Tartamella can.
Seton Hall is at their best when speeding the game up, but they've improved at slowing it down as well, and that's important; too often they've run themselves into trouble in the past. Dez gives them a dangerous midrange game, and flexibility in setting their lineups. If they can get Kimi going again, they're going to be extremely lethal in conference play.
Officials were a marvel of inconsistency, but I'm adult enough to admit that St. John's got the benefit of some terrible no-calls. And you can't even make the joke that the refs must have gone to Seton Hall for home cooking, because SHU's band proves that Pirates can count at least to four. ("1, 2, 3, 4! That's four! One more!")
The crowd really got into it. I'd like to think we ginned them up a little, but the thing about Seton Hall fans is that it only takes a little to get them going, and I know someone who can provide more than a little. Walsh is an amazing noise box when its fans get loud, and I want to hear so much more of that.
There was apparently some kind of halftime thing involving some of the older alumnae, but I spent about five minutes arguing with the ridiculously long concession line and missed it all. Since they apparently missed at least three more recent alumnae (hi, Bird, hi, Chiz, hi, Daisha) I don't feel like there's a gaping void in my life because of this.
And, of course, who should we run into as we're leaving Walsh but Jade Walker, who apparently missed the game? And was surprised by the result? I mean, I love Jade, but I would not put it past her to have forgotten what time the game started and completely miss it.
Bless my team, trainwreck that they surely are. Still mine. Not changing. Just frustrating.
Monday, December 31, 2018
December 30th, 2018: St. John's at Seton Hall
December 29th, 2018: MTSU at Chattanooga
Just the Facts, Ma'am: Middle Tennessee started out on a big run and never surrendered control as the Blue Raiders beat Chattanooga 58-47. A'Queen Hayes had 18 points and seven rebounds to lead MTSU, with Alex Johnson adding 17. The Mocs got strong scoring off their bench, with Bria Dial's 12 points leading the way and Mya Long adding 11, but no other Chattanooga player had more than eight points.
For fashion commentary, putting names to shimmies, ill-advised passes, insecure bandages, shutting down everything, and burning clock, join your intrepid and geographically displaced blogger after the jump.
On to the next one! Strange for a couple of teams from Tennessee to run into each other up here in New York, but I don't question the scheduler. Chattanooga is the designated home team today, and since I don't feel like getting up, I guess we're sort of rooting for them. Besides, I like the kid who liked the drum corps.
Huh, this is awfully early for the captains' meeting with the refs. It's just under fifteen minutes until tip.
Scoreboard operator fell asleep sometime after the first quarter, I'm about 40% certain the PA guy accidentally called Taylor Sutton Taylor Swift, and at least one turnover has been caused by insufficient mopping. The perils of the neutral half of a doubleheader. Middle Tennessee is up 36-24 on Chattanooga at the half. Alex Johnson has 11 points to lead the Blue Raiders, with A'Queen Hayes adding 10 (and one spectacular block). Bria Dial has nine on three threes to lead Chattanooga.
MTSU has a Jersey girl, so they have a pretty big cheering section behind their bench, but a few people have come up from Chattanooga as well.
In the end, MTSU had the better players and made fewer mistakes, just fewer enough to win. Chattanooga showed some heart, but they were too clumsy for their own good and got in their own way too much.
I loathe MTSU's uniforms. I get that they're the Blue Raiders, and that there should naturally be an emphasis on the blue. But there's no trim, and there are no names, and both of these combine with the rounded neckline to make their uniforms look like very nice practice jerseys- but practice jerseys nevertheless. Do better, MTSU. (Also, I realize that this is a neutral-site holiday tournament, but please, can y'all put your coaches in real clothes and not polos?)
Lasonja Edwards came in briefly in each half to relieve Alex Johnson. She did not contribute very much. Jordan Majors played much the same role, though there were stretches when he played alongside Johnson. She's got good height off the bench for them, but she's a little careless with the ball. She wrecked Lakelyn Bouldin on
Alexis Whittington was in barely long enough for the PA guy to notice her existence (which, to be fair, is nothing new for some subs). Tall for a guard. Katie Collier is small and blonde, and there was a sequence where MTSU turned the ball over on what I can only call a collective blonde moment with her and Anna Jones, wherein one of them was sure that the inbounds play involved a handoff and the other was equally sure it did not. It did not go well. There was recriminating. It looked like the Spider-Man meme.
Anna Jones did start the game out like gangbusters with a three and a couple of nifty defensive deflections (I think she was the one who stopped Mollie Melton dead on a fast break). But she was more careless with the ball as the game went on. Taylor Sutton is small, and quick, two qualities that tend to go together in high-level basketball. She seemed to be a lot more omnipresent than the box score would indicate. She kept busy on defense. A'Queen Hayes has great explosiveness ot the basket, and wonderful slashing ability, but her tendency to run the clock down and blithely assume she was going to successfully make the play bit MTSU in the rear a couple of times when Chattanooga answered with a block. She's got ups- the ridiculous block on Arianne Whitaker showed that- but I think she relies too heavily on her perceived ability, which may not pan out against defenses that are prepared for her.
Alex Johnson is a load down low, and she took Arianne Whitaker apart in the early going. She's got a nice passing eye, and I like that she's not a complete ballhog- there were one or two occasions where she called off the ball and set the screen instead. But I don't know how much more there is to her offensive game- the three-pointer that completely deflated Chattanooga can only be described as a desperation heave- and when Chattanooga brought in a different defender, she didn't seem to know how to react immediately. Jess Louro shoots threes. That's literally every shot she took today. She seems to be a pretty streaky shooter- she hit three in the first quarter and then her shot went dead until the fourth. She made a pretty good stop in the first quarter. (But, uh. How to say this delicately? Insell does not appear to value the weight room for his bigs? And Louro's jersey, um, seemed to especially emphasize her, um, chest.)
Rochelle Lee was the player in love with the drum corps in the first half of the doubleheader, and she was the first post off the bench for the Mocs. She gave them good height and an ability to change up the defense on Johnson. Once she got those arms up, and was bending with the pressure, suddenly Johnson was a lot less comfortable. She's got to finish better at the rim, though. Eboni Williams came into the game, committed two quick fouls, one offensive and one frankly unnecessary, and that was pretty much the last we saw of her.
Bria Dial got the second-half start, possibly based on her nice shooting in the first half from beyond the arc. As you may imagine, there were many "dial" puns to be had, because why not? It was interesting to see how Chattanooga's coach handled her hot and cold shooting, and knew when to take her out and put her back in for maximum effectiveness. Mya Long also started the second half, though this may have been due to injury instead of play. She ran point okay, though there were some stupid turnovers in there.
Mollie Melton is fast, though I don't know if she's as fast as she thinks she is- the injury that took her out of the game looked to be some kind of strain or sprain that came from overextending herself. I love the work she did on the fast break, both spurring it for the Mocs and stopping it for the Blue Raiders, and given that her family traveled to see her, I'm really sorry her game had to end like that. Brooke Burns started the game, but was benched for the second half and didn't reenter until late in the third quarter. I can't say I'm surprised. She really contributed nothing except an inability to finish inside. Lakelyn Bouldin got some tough looks to go down, and did a good job of getting to the line.
Arianne Whitaker, for all the grief I gave her about defending Alex Johnson, came up with some big blocks at the end of the clock, when they counted most. She did well inside as well, though I think she may have been one of the many players who had second or third chances at the baket that she just couldn't put down. There was a lot of that going around, enough of it that Chattanooga could have made a real game of it if they'd been able to finish. And while I hate to pile on a player, there were a lot of unforced errors from Shelbie Davenport. I love her heart and hustle, but it seemed really undirected, and caused as much trouble for her team as it did for the opposition. I'm looking at this box score, and I'm amazed at how the turnovers were distributed.
I don't know if Chattanooga is a bad team, but no one in this game really seemed like the kind of player who could take the team on her shoulders and will them to a win. MTSU has that in Johnson and Hayes (whether you want Hayes to be that player or not is a question for another time, perhaps one when I am somewhat more conscious). They seem too much like a team that can't cope with pressure yet- they're fairly young, though.
Officiating was mostly unremarkable, though I remain amazed at their astonishing ability to not call mid-air body slams on people. I mean, really. Wrestling is not a thing here, people.
I honestly expected the traveling fans to be louder, but they really didn't find their stride on either side until the second half, when Chattanooga cut it to six a couple of times. Do better, Tennesseeans and people who root for teams in Tennessee. Y'all didn't come to New York to sit on your hands, right?
I honestly have no idea what Fordham is going to do with Alex Johnson tomorrow, and I don't think Chattanooga is going to enjoy Maine's defense very much.
December 29th, 2018: Maine at Fordham
Just the Facts, Ma'am: Bre Cavanaugh had 27 points to power Fordham to a 72-64 overtime win over Maine in the first day of the Fordham Holiday Classic. Blanca Millan had 16 points in regulation to lead the Black Bears.
For beating the same drum, pretzels, very loud drums, and scrappy bears, join your intrepid and chronologically displaced blogger after the jump.
Good afternoon, ladies, gentlemen, and other folks for whom I may lack the proper vocabulary! We're coming to you live and in surround sound from historic Rose Hill Gymnasium on the campus of Fordham University, where the Rams are finishing out their season as hosts of a doubleheader. Home team will be going first, hosting the Black Bears of Maine (who seem to be awfully blue, but who am I to judge?)
Ralene's out of the boot, but still not dressed; at this point, I wouldn't be surprised if she ended up taking a redshirt. Halei Gillis is also not dressed, and her hair is ridiculously shiny. Yes, these are the petty things I notice. There's also a guard I don't recognize on crutches, wearing a knee brace.
In other hair-related news, Bre has abandoned the coronet and gone back to the crash padding. Probably for the best. There's a very good brain in there that needs as much protection as possible, and she certainly doesn't shy away from contact. pls no break Bre kthxbai
Anthem singer seems to be laboring under the impression that she is Mariah Carey. Reader, our anthem singer was not, in fact, Mariah Carey.
At halftime, it's 28-25 Fordham, the margin mostly coming from Kendell Heremaia going coast to coast for a lay-up with 0.9 seconds left. To say that it wasn't a good first quarter for us would be an understatement; there were stretches when we looked like we'd never seen a defense before. Not any particular defense, mind you, just the concept of defense seemed to be confuddling the squad.
One of the Chattanooga players is really digging the drum corps that's subbing for the Fordham band. I dig how much she is digging their groove.
Bre Cavanaugh is doing Bre things with seven points and four rebounds, while Kendell Heremaia has eight to lead the Rams. Blanca Millan got off to a hot start for Maine; her team-high eight points all came in the first quarter.
This is the least inspired halftime game I've ever seen. I think the kids are too distracted by the drums to actually play.
I don't know why Tanesha Sutton wants to test Lauren Holden. If you put an elbow in her neck, she's taking out your knees.
I don't know what's up with the family of fans in Notre Dame gear who wandered in near the end of the second quarter, but somehow nothing about it really surprises me.
Well, that was closer than it had to be, and if that extremely late review reversing the block/charge call had in fact decided the game, I would probably have broken my moratorium on swearing in the Game Notes. But boy howdy did Megan Jonassen come through in the overtime! And Maine's worst tendencies came back to bite them at the worst times, which cost them both Blanca Millan and Tanesha Sutton for the overtime.
I like Coach Gaitley's family very much, don't get me wrong. I am less enthused about their tendency to treat gameday like another family gathering. Y'all did notice the game going on in front of y'all, right? They did settle down, or get riled up, as appropriate as the game went on.
Maine is a very intense team. For much of the game, that played to their advantage, as they were able to rattle us with their swarming defense and draw blocks on us while they were on offense. But they weren't able to mediate it properly, and that got them into trouble at the end of the game, especially without their two top-notch upperclassmen.
Doga Alper was an emergency sub for when Sutton fouled out at the end of regulation, and if she played more than three literal seconds, I'll be very surprised. Alex Bolozova made up for her one regulation play being a bad out-of-bounds deflection with a bucket in overtime, but I could have maybe lived without the late hip check.
Kelly Fogerty and Maddy McVicar were both called upon for minutes than I think they were used to, due to the injury to Parise Rossignol (which originally looked like a tailbone bruise to my extremely amateur eye, but from the way she was still holding her back when she finally got up, there might have been a pulled muscle somewhere up in there). They are both very small and very blonde, and if you want me to remember you as more than that, you need to either wear names on your jerseys or do something worth remembering. Kira Barra brought size off the bench, but oddly passive size. I think that might be why she wasn't playing as much as I would have expected.
I do hope Rossignol is all right. She gave Maine a good driving game. Dor Saar is so tiny! It's not just that she's short- I'm used to short point guards. But she's also very slightly built. Her shot is so quick. She just flicks it up. I guess you have to when you're that small; it's the only way to keep from getting blocked. Blanca Millan drove really well and got some ridiculous shots to fall in that had no business falling in, but she played out of control at times, and she really needs to work on her free throw shooting (unless this game was an aberration, but I doubt it from the mechanics I saw). There were stretches when she was playing out of control, which cost Maine ultimately.
There's an odd hitch in Tanesha Sutton's shot. There are elements of her shot that remind me of Stacy Frese, which I guess isn't necessarily a bad thing. On the other hand, her free throws were very technically sound. I'm thinking she might need to apply some elements of that to her jumper. That all being said, her rebounding was fantastic- I kept being amazed at how she was getting boards close to the basket. Her arms just appeared in places it didn't seem they should be. Maeve Carroll was there, for lack of a better word. She made some plays late, when someone had to.
Well, at least the Fordham part of the notes will be easy, since Coach Gaitley did not dip deep into her bench. Zara Jillings started her game leaving a couple of shots short right at the rim, which really grinds my gears, let me tell you. But after being pulled out the first time, she got herself right, more or less. Coach Gaitley called her over to talk to her more than anyone else, so I think she might have been out of position on defense. Her tenacity on the glass seemed to get better and better as the game went on. Megan Jonassen had herself one heck of an overtime with the two putbacks. She fought so hard in the paint. I'm so proud of her.
I don't like the play where Kaitlyn Downey is the outside shooter with very little time left on the shot clock. That's putting all your eggs in one basket, and Kaitlyn is not yet a sturdy enough basket to put that many eggs into. If she misses, no one's in position for the offensive rebound, and it's off to the races for the other team. I like that the three is a weapon in her arsenal; I just don't think we should be reaching into that quiver as often as we have been. Mary Goulding will be the death of me, because as many hustle plays as she makes for good, she'll make for ill. She was solid inside defensively, but then she'd commit a stupid foul, or deflect a ball away from a teammate. She'd hit a difficult shot, then miss an easy one.
Lauren Holden had a big third quarter to pull Fordham back into the game. It's nice to see her driving the lane instead of just jacking threes from the vicinity of the Jersey Shore; though her floater is inconsistent. I'm going to need Kendell Heremaia to stop staring at her three-pointer and follow it instead, because wile her shot is okay, it's not stand-back-and-admire good. But she killed it on the glass. She picked up her boards on excellent positioning. I love how she's developing, and I think she's going to be special by senior year. Bre Cavanaugh got off to a tough start, and then you could almost see the moment when she decided to go put on her cape; she gets this look on her face where the corner of her mouth pulls up and her nose kind of wrinkles, and that's when Super Bre comes out. She was bombing threes in the second half and the overtime, to the point where I was starting to feel bad for Ralene (whose solemn responsibility on the bench is to run down the line and give everyone high-fives whenever Fordham hits a three, and who is also coming off a foot injury). She can take a game over, but I think I've beaten into the ground how much I don’t want it to happen as much as it has to. (Also, she should not have to be the player pulling down contested rebounds in the paint. I love that she can, and I love that she does, but this is a thing our forwards should be doing so Bre can get out and score, and maybe not be battered around as much.)
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Maine's coach was upset with the officiating. Commit stupid reaches, get stupid fouls. But Maine was almost gifted the game in regulation when a charge call on the Black Bears was reviewed very late- almost to the point where Fordham had inbounded the ball- and reversed to a block on Fordham. That swung two key points Maine's way, and the fact that we forced regulation after that was a miracle. I don't know how well things would have gone for the officials if Maine had won in regulation based on that call. (I thought it was a weak call initially, but not worth reviewing and not with enough evidence on the floor to overturn.)
We have got to get our collective act together. We can't keep relying on Bre, and to a lesser extent Lauren, to pull our fat out of the fire. Someone's got to be willing to shoot. Someone's got to be willing to step up and be the sidekick. I am not okay with the idea of Bre and Lauren averaging 38 minutes by the end of the season.
Friday, December 21, 2018
December 21st, 2018: Fordham at Iona
Just the Facts, Ma'am: A slow first quarter for both teams led into a second-quarter run for Fordham, and the Rams didn't look back in their 57-40 win over Iona. Bre Cavanaugh had 15 points and 12 rebounds to lead Fordham. Shyan Mwai and Morgan Rachu each had eight points to pace the Gaels.
For road tripping, avoided puns, procedural turnovers, discount Diet Coke, and being distracted by shiny objects, join your intrepid blogger after the jump.
I'd say good morning to y'all, but it's extremely not a good morning out there. There are no frozen cats, and nothing's been snapped off, but there are flash flood warnings all through southern New York, so I'd say it's still a wonderful day to play inside. It's up to Iona in enemy colors again, as the Gaels host a ridiculously early tip against Fordham. As you might expect, there are about two dozen people in the stands, and that's if I count gameday staff.
Ashley Martin, I admire and respect you, but what in the world have you done to your hair, and why are you trying to look like a cross between Sailor Moon and Betty Boop? (On the other hand, Halei Gillis's partial braids look really good on her. The 'do softens her face a bit.)
Ralene's out of the boot, at least, though she does not appear to be dressing out today.
The one thing I miss most about being on good terms with Iona is the wi-fi password, not gonna lie. At least I can tap into the Spectrum network from here.
This is your perennial reminder that #14 should be retired on the women's side at Iona, and Billi Chambers can go straight to sod off until such time as it happens.
I don't applaud recorded anthems, please don't side-eye me.
I should probably learn the name of the DOBO/PR lady for Fordham. She's lovely and she brought chocolate and pom-poms. What's not to like?
This is your perennial reminder that Monica Barefield, Ashley Martin, and any other player who chooses to kneel for the anthem has my unconditional support of their right to freedom of speech and expression.
At halftime, it's 29-18 Fordham, after a rough start for the Rams and a strong start for Iona. Bre Cavanaugh has put on her metaphorical cape, with nine points and six boards in the first half, most of that coming in the second quarter. Juana Camilión is the real deal for Iona, with seven points to lead the Gaels. She had a scary moment early in the first, when she slid hard on a wet patch on the floor and limped off. She came back in, but Iona's offense lost a lot of explosiveness when she was out, and didn't get it back when she returned. They're falling back on their volume shooters, Rachu and Mwai, and it's not going well. On the other hand, they're getting good penetration against our defense.
Quite a few folks have made their way here to support the Rams, but it seems to be a social occasion more than a sporting occasion. There's a dude a couple of rows behind me who's giving good commentary on the game, though; I think he's a youth coach. Katie McLoughlin has an especially big contingent on hand, one that got very excited when she got some first half run.
And now the wi-fi is acting up. Stop that, Iona.
So that turned out rather more satisfying than I expected, which is good, since it is raining and I am not the world's biggest fan of slogging around in the rain. Live by the three, die by the three, and some of our dubious three-point shots could have killed us against better teams. But we survived to tell the tale.
With about two minutes left in the game, Coach Chambers blinked first and sent in her deep reserves, at which point Coach Gaitley arranged a line change. I am not happy with how long it took her to sub out Bre and Lauren Holden. She's going to run those two into the ground if she's not careful. Waiting for the other coach to capitulate may be emotionally satisfying, but if you're up 15 with three or four minutes to go, it's probably okay to take out your workhorses, especially against bad teams or teams that tend to lash out in losses. I realize this is never going to change, but I'm going to rail against it anyway on the off chance that it does.
Anyway. I can't remember the last time I saw a bench this hyped for free throws, but the squad was loving Vilisi Tavui getting to the line (shame the shot didn't go in- that was a really nice pass from Halei). Some good hustle plays from Halei and from Catherine Polisano, even if Catherine got called for a foul on it. Lauren Murphy's free throw motion is not good, and she probably needs to work on that if she's going to move up in the rotation at any point.
Katie McLoughlin needs to extend her range just a hair- that long two could have been a three with another step or two back. I like her hustle, and she's got potential, but there are a lot of things she needs to work on. I'm glad Coach Gaitley is showing a little confidence in her, though. We could use a little more depth on the bench. Zara Jillings continues to bring the hustle- there was one play where Iona was loosey-goosey with the ball, and she was on it like a hawk. I wish she could have hit the looks she got, because they were good looks, if a little too quick. Megan Jonassen continues to develop. I really like how she's coming along. She's physical inside, and she had one little baby hook in the second half that got a few whoops from the crowd.
I also like how Kaitlyn Downey is coming along. She's finishing better on the inside, while still retaining the ability to step outside and hit the three. I think she was missing that balance early in the season. She's boxing out well, too. Mary Goulding is unreal sometimes. How she went from hands and knees crying with pain to back in the game and hitting in the paint, I don't know. She's ridiculously tough. She wasn't afraid to get into the scrum for rebounds, and there were times, especially in the second half, that scrum was the only applicable word.
I love how Kendell Heremaia's passing game has developed. I'm sorry it's coming at the expense of her once-sharp defensive game, but all things in life require sacrifices. She spent a lot of the game in foul trouble (the possession after she picked up her fourth, I was on pins and needles because we hadn't gotten the sub up in time, but then we forced the turnover and Lesko fouled to stop play) that hampered her effectiveness. Lauren Holden spent a good chunk of the game looking frustrated at foul calls both made and not made, or possibly at threes that weren't going down. I can understand some of her frustration, though; there should never be a sequence where Lauren is attempting to box out a player close to a foot taller than she is, and she got stuck with Gabrielle Joseph on a couple of sequences. This is not a good plan. Bre Cavanaugh continues to do Bre things. Her timing on the glass was exceptional, though, really, those are boards her posts should be getting instead of getting out of the way for her. (I don't necessarily mind Bre the double-double machine, but I am equally okay with Bre getting seven or eight boards if the balance of them go to Mary or Kaitlyn.) She killed Iona with her hesitation moves and quick hands. I just wish she didn't have to carry so much of the load.
I'm bummed for Amelia Motz. I don't think she's been recruited over, though I admit my bias here, but she seems to have been relegated to the end of the bench, only coming in at the end of each half for mop-up duty. She seems like a nice kid. She deserves better. I don’t know if Ashley Martin deserves better in basketball terms, but IMO she does in personal terms. Run! You can almost certainly do better!
I don't know if Monica Barefield has more than one speed or not, but the one speed she does have is fast. Very fast. She's got good, if inconsistent, shooting range. But her size is a liability, and it gets her in trouble as much as it keeps her out of trouble. She's the closest thing to a point guard that Iona has right now, and that's part of their problem. Shayla Middlebrooks drove hard into the lane. She got a little too fancy with her finishes and probably could have added another bucket to her tally if not for the flourish. She's physical, and I don't know if she's always on the right side of that line, but she does better than some of her teammates at trying to be. Jodi-Marie Ramil, on the other hand, is not so good at staying on the right side of the line, and admittedly, some of my thoughts about her play are ill-suited to a G-rated (or possibly PG?) blog such as this. Granted, Bre's teammates should have called out the screen, but it was an awfully hard screen. I don't know if Iona just wasn't going to her, or if we were able to shut her down when we weren't shutting down their guard penetration, but she could have been much more of a factor for them than she was, and I'm happy about that, believe me.
There are two different ways that Morgan Rachu's last name is pronounced in an alternate universe, both leading to the Pokémon Go joke that electric types are boosted in rainy weather. Unfortunately, in this universe, it's pronounced like a threat you make to a pile of leaves (rake-you) and I look like even more of a giant dork than I already am. She's got size, but her shot is just a mess. She's way too streaky, and when she's not on from beyond the arc, she doesn't seem to be able to contribute in other ways. Shyan Mwai penetrated well but couldn't always finish at the rim. Juana Camilión shows a lot of potential that I don't think she'll be able to fulfill at Iona. She's got a really nice crossover that she used to make space for herself, but she didn't always take advantage of that space. She'll have to be more aggressive in that regard going forward.
Gabrielle Joseph is another player with potential, but she's too tentative at times. Granted, she was being sealed off pretty well for stretches, but on the other hand, any post player worth her salt should be able to take advantage of a mismatch against Lauren Holden. She's also got to do a better job of getting out of the paint- she was getting for three-second calls, though she certainly wasn't the only Gael who lost track of time in the lane. There's potential there, but I don't know if she's ready for the starting position she so far has. Tori Lesko spent a lot of time playing out of position as the closest thing to a point guard in the Gaels' starting lineup. No one really seemed comfortable with the responsibility of bringing the ball up the floor, so it fell to her, and she took the bullet, for lack of a better word. She took charges, or at least attempted to, although sometimes I thought she crossed the line into flopping. She does that; she's done that for as long as I can remember. She took a couple of hard tumbles, including one near the end of the game that Coach Gaitley had to help her up from.
(As an aside: dear fellow Fordham backers, if you're talking about stepping on someone's fingers, you better either be talking about something I didn't see. That's not something you joke about a coach doing to a player. Seriously. Dudes. No. Miss me with that nonsense.)
Iona needs to shore up a lot of their fundamentals. They committed a lot of unforced turnovers like travels and three-second violations. Either they've got to react faster or they need drills on clock and spatial awareness.
Refs were letting a lot of physical contact go, but I can't fault their attention to detail on procedural calls. (Losing track of the foul count, on the other hand...)
Everyone's flaws were on display in this game, and something's going to have to give for Fordham, or it's going to be a very long A-10 season, at the end of which Bre will fall over.
Saturday, December 15, 2018
December 15th, 2018: Albany at St. Francis
Just the Facts, Ma'am: St. Francis staged a spirited comeback in the fourth quarter, but fell short against Albany, 67-60. Amanda Kantzy had 20 points to lead the Great Danes, with Chyanna Canada adding 16 off the bench. Amy O'Neill flirted with a triple-double for the Terriers in the loss, finishing with 15 points, eight assists, and eight rebounds.
For terrible shots, a size disadvantage, small cheerleaders, amazing self-care, and attempting to limit the canine puns, join your intrepid and dogged blogger after the jump.
Good afternoon, fellow travelers on the hardwood road! Your intrepid blogger comes to you life and in smell-o-vision from St. Francis College in Brooklyn. We're in for a dogfight today, as the Terriers play host to the Great Danes of Albany.
There's some sort of alumni or welcoming event going on in the main hall where the ticket tables usually are, so they decamped to the student cafeteria. Conveniently, that's where the secret entrance to the seats on the bench side is. Somewhat less conveniently, the tickets are technically for the section opposite the bench, which is counter to good policy and especially inconvenient today, since we would have to navigate back to the entrance to go to the opposite side. Maybe think through the logistics of your building before giving out tickets?
This network has been temporary for as long as I've been coming here. Guys, y'all just need to give up the pretense at some point.
Ah, so that's what it was! SFC is retiring a jersey, and the fol-de-rol up front was for registration for the luncheon related to it. Ceremony is at halftime, so you should see more about it then.
Since what passes for a student section here appears to be mostly student-athletes, I shouldn't be surprised that the trainer gets an enormous cheer.
It's 30-19 Albany at halftime, and Albany is killing us with height. Chyanna Canada has 10 points off the bench for the Great Danes. Jade Johnson has seven points to lead St. Francis, but Dominique Ward has been making more of an impact IMO, playing tough defense and rebounding.
Holy carp, the honoree looks amazing. She looks young enough to be the daughter of someone who graduated in '79.
I think Coach Cim is starting to get frustrated with players not listening to her. There seems to be a distressing amount of it going around. Ebony Horton was giving off the same kind of body language I do when my mom's lecturing me and I'd rather be reading.
The cliché about the size of the fight in the dog versus the size of the dog in the fight is so applicable to this game I'm hesitant to use it. Terriers are definitely smaller than Great Danes, but are known for their tenacity, and St. Francis is definitely smaller than Albany, but mounted a terrific comeback in the fourth quarter. I mean, come on. The cliché is the script.
Lucia Decortes played briefly in the first half, and thanks to no name on the jersey and the PA guy taking a couple of possessions off, I almost didn't see her come in. De'jah Williams hit a bucket in the lane at some point, but I think I credited to the wrong player on my scorecard. My bad.
Kumsal Aslan reminds me of Layshia Clarendon, both in her facial structure and in her defensive intensity. She stuck close to the ballhandler. Patricia Conroy provided a different dynamic off the bench, more of a widebody guard than the lighter starting guards for the Danes. Chyanna Canada displayed game both in the paint and with the elbow jumper. She overpowered us in the first half, with ten points and a big block on Abby Anderson.
Is there some kind of Swedish law that if your name is Amanda, you have to be super emotional on the floor? Because the way Amanda Kantzy was celebrating after fairly mundane plays like drawing a charge or making a block on a smaller player, you'd think they'd just won the conference title or something. She did most of her damage on the inside, then stepped out for a couple of relatively deep threes to force our defense out even further. Heather Forster got into foul trouble, and Albany was getting a lot of offense from Canada, so she didn't play as much. But her size was a factor, as was Alexi Schecter's. Schecter killed us on the glass and defended the inside well. She cottoned on to Amy O'Neill's favorite offensive move and shut her down on it.
"Adorable" should not be a word applied to college players, but there's a certain element of dandelion fluff-ness to Kyara Frames, Albany's quick little point guard. Her threes weren't going down, but she loaded up on free throws at the end of the game. Khepera Stokes wasn't much of a factor; Albany's coach saw the size advantage her team had and rolled with it, whether it was going with three bigs or putting in a larger guard.
Coach Cimino went deep to her bench at the very end of the game, looking for fresh fouls and offense-defense substitutions. Samantha Keltos still had one of her earrings on when she was called upon in the waning seconds. Kate Bauhof probably should have been called for a push on the play where she helped force an Albany turnover, but I guess I'll take it. I appreciate the hustle.
Ally Lassen didn't look comfortable playing against players her own height. I'm surprised, because she was so confident against a better team at Seton Hall, but she really seemed out of her depth against Albany's front line. By the end of the game, she looked ready to cry, whether it was from frustration or something else. Mia Ehling was usually the first one up when Coach Cimino wanted to yell at- er, I mean, gently but firmly explain to one of her players why the last thing they did was a dreadful mistake. Abby Anderson started off strong in the first half, but seemed to lose some of her energy in the second half.
On the one hand, I love Ebony Horton's energy on the bench. On the other hand, her shot is super frustrating, I don't know if she knows the defenses, and she doesn’t seem to be good at taking direction. On the other other hand, she's only a freshman, and with a detail-oriented coach like Coach Cimino, I would expect her to improve, so long as she's willing to do so. Amy O'Neill drove the lane and threw up shots that shouldn't have gone in, and yet somehow managed to do so. She's a bit of a one-trick pony in that regard, but as long as it works for her, I'm not going to tell her to stop. (Okay, I'm exaggerating. She dishes well too, so I guess that makes her a two-trick pony. Okay, I'll stop. I'm underselling her.) Jade Johnson loves her three-point shot. She loves it so much that she'll stand there and watch it, neither getting back on defense nor crashing the glass. I have so many problems with this. I like when she drives, but she doesn't do nearly enough of that.
Dominique Ward had herself a day on the inside- the official scorekeeper only granted her two blocks, but I will swear on my honor as a former Girl Scout that she had at least four. She just went up over and over again against taller players. She was the closest thing we had to an interior presence on defense. If her shot would fall, she'd be amazing, but so many of her shots seemed to be just thrown up there willy-nilly and went hard or long. Maria Palarino seemed to be driving Coach nuts all day- I think she got pulled at least twice for Teaching Moments based on either bad shots, bad fouls, or not being in the right place at the right time.
This team has a lot of mettle, but not a lot of fundamentals. Their shot mechanics are collectively a trainwreck. But when all hope seemed lost, they dug down deep and made hustle plays and big buckets. It's just the inconsistent offense that is going to kill them.
(Coach Cimino, if you're reading this: if you were upset at the Albany player running the baseline to inbound, and that's what got you so mad at the ref that you got the tech, I think the ref was unfortunately right; the player is allowed to run the baseline after a made basket regardless of an intervening timeout.)
This crew did not make any friends with either of the coaches. One of the St. Francis assistants was tasked with writing down their more egregious mistakes, and near the end of the game they lost track of the foul counts on individual players (but so did the coaching staff, so maybe that's on the scorekeeper). It got physical near the end of the game, which seems to be a thing that's happening more and more often, or perhaps my perception is just going that way more and more.
The regular cheer squad was absent, but there was a youth cheer group in attendance, and they were both adorable and enthusiastic. We need more enthusiastic fans.
Given time, I might be able to adopt this team, but they're going to have to grow on me first, and I don't know how long that's going to take.
Wednesday, December 12, 2018
December 11th, 2018: Columbia at Fordham
Just the Facts, Ma'am: A strong first quarter powered Fordham to a 68-49 win over Columbia. Bre Cavanaugh had 19 points to lead the Rams. Sienna Durr had 19 to lead Columbia before fouling out.
For free stuff, early starts, aborted missions, and seeing the bench, join your intrepid and sneaky blogger after the jump.
You know what today is? That's right. Issa game day. You'll be getting a double dose of Fordham today, as the women play host to Columbia and the men welcome NJIT to historic Rose Hill Gymnasium. Or at least you were going to, but honestly, I didn't feel like staying for the men's game. But it's a double-header anyway.
We get free scarves today! I like how Fordham is handling the promotion- instead of just handing them out at the door, you get a ticket that you can redeem for the scarf in the second half. And I also like that they made it optional, so that you're not wasting resources on opposing fans. (Looking at you, St. John's.) They should probably have made it a little more convenient to get to the
Santa has set up shop in the corner by the entrance, and there's a box to drop off letters to him. I guess it would be awkward for him to have to take the letter personally if he's also doing pictures.
I like Bre Cavanaugh's new braids. She has stripes! And from above the effect is a little more like a coronet. It fits her.
Hooray, we have a band!
Ralene Kwiatkowski is still in the boot, and it looks like a couple of the young guards are taking redshirts.
I understand that they have to be ready for the men's crowd, and that there will certainly be more people coming, but at this point I think we have more security staff on hand than fans.
Oh, sweet summer child. The kid leading the line for Columbia looked so startled at the lusty booing from the Fordham band. If you think that's bad, you haven't seen your own conference yet, have you? As an aside, this is the most disorganized entrance I've ever seen from a team.
I'm not sure how I feel about the navy blue border on Columbia's shorts. I definitely don’t' like the retro script from Nike. Some schools and color schemes make it work, and they're not one of those schools.
Solid anthem from the band. Their version of "Jingle Bells" is a little somber for my taste.
Things are going pretty well, all things considered. It's 38-23 Fordham at the half, with the Rams hitting a three to end each quarter so far. Mary Goulding has 12 points to lead the Rams, who are doing a number on Columbia inside. Columbia's defense has been very aggressive, and we've made them pay. I like the Lions' fire.
Enthusiastic shirtless dude in the gray shorts, I don't know you but I like the cut of your jib. And of your abs.
Columbia takes a lot of risks. For the most part, said risks did not work out, but I can see them being more effective in conference play. Columbia's coach takes no nonsense from anyone, but does so in a very dry manner. I like how she handed the freshmen Markham and Casey- she was always calling them over and giving them a little extra advice. Self-possessed, I think is the word.
The Lions didn't have a lot of height available, and what they did have, they mostly didn't use. Madison Pack saw a little bit of time in the first half and launched an ill-advised three-point attempt. Abby Lee came in and committed a hard foul pretty much as soon as she came onto the floor. She's big, and burly, but I don't know how good she is at using that size effectively. Andrea McCormick was in for maybe one possession- Columbia was going to a lot of players early in the game, as if their coach were trying to see who had the hot hand and who wasn't working out. Stephanie Flynn didn't play a lot of minutes, but she was one of two reserves who started the second half, so I guess she must have been doing something right.
The other reserve who got elevated to starter for the second half was Mikayla Markham, who brought a lot of energy to the floor. I mean a lot. I mean like the human equivalent of a 5-hour energy shot. The first big play she made was a phenomenal runback to kill a Fordham fast break... and on the ensuing stoppage on the out-of-bounds, she proceeded to gather her teammates in and tear at least one of them a new one for the sloppy passing that led to the fast break she had to stop. Her range needs work and her shot's a little funky, but if she can keep her temper a little more in check, she could be really good for them. Riley Casey also got a lot of run at the point, sneaking off with a rebound. Sydney Brown got a long run in the second half, pulling down boards in the scrum (and there were a lot of scrums).
Sienna Durr is high-usage, but very intriguing. It looked like she was getting a little frustrated by the end of the game, with a stray elbow here or there. Lilian Kennedy had a really strong first half, and I was surprised that she didn't start the second. She seems to have a lot of potential. Imani Whittington got called for two charges in the first half, and that seemed to be enough for Columbia's coach to cut her minutes.
Janiya Clemmons brought a lot of offense for Columbia, mostly on jumpers, although I think she was also the one who gave Fordham a taste of their own medicine with a twisting lay-up in the second half- it was the same sort of play that Fordham had been making successfully in the first half against the aggressive Columbia defense. She had a ridiculous offensive rebound in the fourth quarter where she practically appeared from nowhere to keep the possession live for the Lions. Madison Hardy has a nice shot, but she also seemed to get frustrated as the game went on.
Columbia has a lot of freshmen, and that bodes well for the future- but at the same time, their present is rife with frustration and letting their feelings affect their game. It's a collective problem, and it's one they'll have to solve if they want to be truly competitive in the Ivy League.
We actually went fairly deep into our bench in the second half! It was a pleasant surprise to see some of the young guards, and everyone got so excited when Katie McLoughlin hit the contested floater. Okay, so she missed the free throw, but she tried. Catherine Polisano got in a nifty hustle play right at the end of the game. I'd actually like to see more of Alexa Giuliano running the offense, either with Lauren Holden (thus moving Lauren to off guard, where shooting threes from Cape May is not the most terrible thing in the world) or without Lauren (thus letting Lauren get some well-earned rest, because she's going to fall over one of these days). She seems solid.
Vilisi Tavui is still not ready for primetime. I don't know if she's tentative because of the leg injury last year, or that's just how she is, but she was consistently a step slow on offense and in the wrong place on defense (tallest player on the floor should not have been on 5-7 Markham for two straight possessions). Halei Gillis had a nifty pass inside to Megan Jonassen for a shot. I'd like to see more of Halei- we don't have a lot of height, and she's got most of it. For her part, Megan had a bit of a rough time of it. She disagreed with a lot of the fouls that were called on her, but I think she was out of position on the boards. Zara Jillings had a good game, but what intrigues me more and more about her every time out is how much time she spends working with Coach Gaitley. Zara's only a sophomore, but if she doesn't end up on Coach Gaitley's bench as soon as her senior year is over, I'll eat my hat. And I like my hats, so you know this isn't something I say idly.
Bre Cavanaugh didn't have to be the star of the show in this game, and that's probably the best thing about the day. She still brought her swagger to the floor, and when she drove the lane, Columbia couldn't stop her. I still find Lauren Holden's propensity for long threes frustrating, but when they go in, her entire game changes. She had a big third quarter, and that helped break the game open for us. She went hard after the ball; if Columbia hesitated, they were lost, and she was down on the floor with the ball. Kendell Heremaia, whether intentionally or not, did a good job of drawing the Columbia defense to her in twos and threes, leaving her teammates open for jumpers or backdoor cuts. (Also, this is a very shallow observation and not relevant to her basketball skills, but her hair looked fabulous. Kenny, I need to know what conditioner you use.)
Kaitlyn Downey seems to have found her shot, and that's led to her really seeming to have found her footing on the court. She used her size well to get inside, and to get midrange shots going. Mary Goulding went off in the first quarter, and ended the first half with a bang on a three-pointer. She's tough, and she's scrappy. She didn't do anything remarkable in this game, but she didn't really have to.
What we did to Columbia's defense in the first half was just mean. Mind you, I'm not objecting. We baited them into doubling and tripling down, and we took advantage of open shots. They were a little cagier in the second half, but we were still able to take control on fast breaks.
I will say that Columbia's Coach had good reason to be annoyed at the officials. We got away with a lot of three-second calls. I know counting is hard, and not everyone can get into an Ivy League school, but that's no excuse for not doing one's job correctly.
I'm really glad we got to go a little bit deeper into our bench, even if it was only at the end of the game. I'd still like to see Bre and Lauren get a little more of a break, but we'll cross that bridge when we get to conference season, I suppose.
The scarf is amazing, and WBB specific, and will probably be one of my new favorite things this winter. It goes better with my coat than my St. John's scarves do. There should be more promotions like this!
Monday, December 10, 2018
December 9th, 2018: Florida State at St. John's
Just the Facts, Ma'am: A spirited defensive battle went to Florida State, as they beat St. John's 57-53. Kiah Gillespie led all scorers with 22 points, adding seven rebounds. Alisha Kebbe had 17 points for St. John's, with Kayla Charles adding nine points and 20 rebounds for the Red Storm.
For all the usual complaints, lots of rebounds, terrible shooting, needing some more warm bodies, and autographs, join your intrepid and repetitive blogger after the jump.
It's game day at St. John's, as the Red Storm welcome Florida State to Carnesecca Arena, but your intrepid blogger is not quite dressed for the occasion. Long-time readers of the GNoD know who my favorite Johnnie is, and she's an assistant on the other bench today. Long-time readers also know that I wear her jersey (like, literally, because no one wore that number for something like ten years). It seemed inappropriate to do so today, though, so I'm wearing the jersey my husband usually wears and he's wearing another from our stash, after a little trial and error. (Have you ever almost been strangled by a jersey before? Not fun.)
Kiah Gillespie has a very large contingent here. I wonder if they were the ones who chartered the Dattco bus. (The shirts with Gillespie on the back and her picture on the front were a dead giveaway, if you were wondering.)
I don't even see Curteeona Brelove, on the bench or on crutches or anything. Meemo. :( She came out later with the gold laces wrapped around her boot.
The spear down the side of the shorts on Florida State's uniforms is very dramatic. I like the effect, but I always hesitate before complimenting the Native-based imagery FSU uses. I know, I know, they have permission, but it's complicated and I don't know if I should delve into it.
Something about Sky Lindsay's outfit isn't working for me today, and I don't know if it's the lipstick or the color of the top.
Have I mentioned lately how much I dislike when the men are scheduled at the Garden at the same time the women are scheduled at Carnesecca? Because we have to scramble to put together an alumni band, and I don't see either cheer or dance. And DSPN is working, so it looks like the husband and I are the cheer squad today. And neither of us can really pull off the short skirt.
(We ended up with about half the dance team and maybe a third of the cheer squad. Like many things about this game, it could be worse.)
We're shooting 18% from the field and only down two points, I will take this any day of the week and twice on Sundays, which is good, since today is Sunday. It's 19-17, so I'm sort of glad the only people who are seeing this game are the ones who are here, and the ones who have decided to pay for ESPN+. Lots of missed shots. Lots of questionable shot selection for St. John's and bad misses for Florida State. Kayla Charles has all the rebounds. Okay, not literally all of them, but we have 25 and she has 12, so.
I like Coach Semrau's top. I'm a sucker for the gradient look.
If our substitute PA guy doesn't stop mispronouncing Qadashah's name, I will not be responsible for the consequences of my actions, or those of her dad. Qadashah and Kadaja are different names and different people, okay? Why is this so hard? There's even a pronunciation guide on the scorecards this year.
CYO game and dance clinic at halftime. Neither terribly impressive.
I repeat: that is a lot better than I was expecting things to go. It helped that Florida State was almost as shorthanded as we were, and that they didn't have a lot of shooters. But they've got length, and their defense never let up. That's going to keep them in a lot of games.
Sayawni Lassiter is not ready for primetime. The first time she came into the game, she committed two boneheaded plays right off the bat, and didn't improve much from there. I would have thought she'd pick up more ball thought during her redshirt year, but she did not look ready at all. Savannah Wilkinson had a big block on Akina Wellere in the second quarter. She's a little bit more of a widebody than most of their players.
I honestly would not have guessed that Kourtney Weber played the most minutes off the bench for Florida State. Not by much, I grant you, but still. I'm trying to picture her on the floor, but I'm not seeing her clearly. I was very impressed with Morgan Jones, and since she got the second half start over Amaya Brown, I don't think I was the only one. She's quick and lengthy, and used both of these really well on defense. She had a couple of big blocks on Tiana England, because I'm starting to wonder about Tiana's learning curve. Jones seems like the kind of player I could enjoy watching for a while.
Driving against Valencia Myers seems to be a terrible idea. She swatted a lot of weak shots; if she saw hesitation, the next thing the shooter was going to see was the ball coming back at high speed. I think she was the one who had the really nice strip block. Her jumper needs work. A lot of work. But she's a freshman. Someone can work on that with her. (Preferably Wyckoff. I've seen her jumper and I've seen Joy's jumper, and I know which one is more fundamentally sound. There are many things I loved about Joy as a player, and that ain't one.) Kiah Gillespie got off to a very quick start, then became less of a factor until the fourth quarter. I think we were out of gas at that point, and she took advantage. She had a size advantage for much of the game, but elected to use it from the three-point arc instead of pressing it inside.
Amaya Brown started the game, and like many a Florida State player, she brought a lot of length to the floor. But I don't think Coach Semrau was happy with her defense, so Jones got the bulk of the minutes in the second half. Nicki Ekhomu has impressive ups and good speed. I don't think point is her natural position, but she did admirably filling in; she kept the offense moving at a fast pace, even if it wasn't always the most effective fast pace. I'm assuming Nicoletti was supposed to provide some of the outside threat that would complement this team's ability to get to the basket. Nausia Woolfolk (whose first name is, unfortunately, either pronounced exactly how you imagine it or was being butchered all night by our PA guy) provided solid defense and a fantastic offensive rebound in the second half. She charged the ball on that play like a streak of lightning.
I don't know how the short roster will hold out in the ACC, but they've got some really good young players that are going to get a lot of chances to develop this year.
Shamachya Duncan played briefly, and surprised one of her teammates by passing the ball to her. I should be surprised we didn't see more of her, whether it was as a spare set of fouls late in the fourth or as a breather to give someone, anyone, a much-needed rest. But Joe Tartamella apparently doesn't believe that players need rest or anything like that. On the other hand, Machi is inconsistent and Jasmine Sina is nowhere near the player she was at Binghamton, so I can understand Joe not wanting to give them extended time. Kadaja Bailey continues to look lost, which disturbs me. She looked great at the beginning of the season, but now looks like she's forgotten everything she ever knew about our defense and our offensive sets. There's so much potential there, but there's something not clicking, and it worries me.
I like when Tiana England drives, when she doesn't let fear or the pace throttle her game. It's when she stops and kills the clock that things seem to go wrong, whether it's not having enough time to make plays or excessive dribbling that leads to fumbles and turnovers. I think she's in a no-win situation, though, because she's either going to be too slow or she's going to try to do too much. Qadashah Hoppie did a good job of driving the lane and getting fouled. That kind of play comes with drawbacks, and while the box score doesn't track blocked attempts, I think she came in for a fair few of Florida State's swats.
Kayla Charles was a beast on the boards. I love it. She was relentless, whether it was going all the way up or going all the way down (I had my heart in my throat the one play where she brought the ball all the way down to the floor with three Florida State players surrounding her). She's still getting frustrated too easily when she doesn't get the call, and she has to understand that she's not going to get the call. Akina Wellere's in an interesting and not necessarily good spot. She's definitely shying away from the three-pointer, and the ones she takes aren't from her comfort zones. She's stuck somewhere in the middle, and I feel bad for her; I think she's in a no-win situation. I'm sure it's been spun to her as a chance to expand her skill set and potentially play overseas, but I think it's serving the opposite purpose. She's trying to force things she's not comfortable with. Alisha Kebbe has, in these last few games, been the eye of the Storm, the calm center around which the defense pivots, and the person who comes up with big baskets at the right time. She was on fire beyond the arc in this game. She's been solid for us, the leader that we need.
We came out with really good energy, and we fought back at the end of the fourth quarter, but for much of the third and fourth, we didn't have enough left in the tank to counter Florida State. They carry almost as short a roster as we do, but Semrau was willing to use a lot more of it, and that helped them in the end.
The officials let a lot of contact go on both sides, and we got away with more of it than Florida State did, so all in all, I can't really complain too much, except in the generalized way that a good fan of the overall game should.
Gold laces today in support of battling pediatric cancer. Gold and red are a classic combo. Unfortunately, in some cases, it's the fries and a Big Mac kind of combo. The kid they were honoring was adorable, though.
Today was also autograph day, which meant a chance to say hi to the squad, update the flag, and get the snazzy new poster signed. It also meant hearing more about Meemo's ankle than I really wanted to know, and I'm now sorry I asked. Which, for all I know, was the whole point.
Now it's another month until the next home game. I really want to know who designed this schedule, because it seems to make a negative amount of sense. At least we'll have Awkward Bowl.
Friday, December 7, 2018
December 6th, 2018: Yale at St. John's
Just the Facts, Ma'am: Alisha Kebbe's three-pointer with 22 seconds left turned out to be the game-winner in the Red Storm's hard-fought 56-52 win over Yale. Three Red Storm players had 12 points each to pace St. John's. Camilla Emsbo had 14 points and 12 rebounds to lead Yale, with Roxy Barahman adding 13 points and 11 rebounds.
For elbows, overwhelming frustration, deep concern, and the worst case scenario, join your intrepid and panicky blogger after the jump.
Good grief, it's cold today. I know it's going to get worse, but I don't approve. Maybe I'm getting old. But still, it's game day, and that's all that matters. St. John's plays their second home game of the season, as the Bulldogs of Yale come on down I-95.
Schedule magnet giveaway to fill that hole on the door! It looks really nice- the total team picture is a nice touch. Usually there's a heavy emphasis on the seniors, but since two are one-year wonders, I can understand the design choice.
Shenneika Smith still has the moves defensively. Tiana couldn't get past her.
Choral anthem has been the best part of the night. Game is tied at 26 at half, and I'm pretty sure Curteeona Brelove has a broken ankle. So, yeah, things are going about as well as you'd expect, now that we're down to eight players and all our tall people are picking up fouls at a horrendous rate. If it weren't for a big push in the last minute, we'd be down- we put up five points in the last minute of the second quarter. We started off with a lot of energy, but we couldn't maintain it. Losing Kayla Charles to foul trouble in the first quarter exacerbated the problem. Kadaja Bailey is not ready to play the five, which leaves either Kayla or, um. Well. Then it's adventure time.
Yale has height, especially in the person of freshman Camilla Emsbo, and they're using it whenever they can. Their coach is a very snappy dresser. She's sort of got this Ellen vibe going.
It is now officially "I have not had enough vodka for this season" o'clock. I think that's a land speed record in that regard, though only having three non-conference home games helps. Or doesn't help. Whatever is even going on here.
Yale leaned heavily on their bench in the first half, and not so much in the second half, and I'd be lying if I thought that didn't play a role in the Bulldogs' fortunes. Also, can we please at some point play a team that has names on their jerseys? It would be really helpful.
Erin Hill and Bronwyn Davies both got a little run in the second quarter. Neither of them had a huge impact on the game. Mackenzie Hewitt sort of sneaked into the game at some point during the second quarter (our new PA guy is extremely enthusiastic and I like his style, but he's a little slow on announcing subs) and ran a little point.
Ale Aguirre canned a couple of big threes for Yale in the second quarter to help them take the lead. She did commit a couple of moderately dumb turnovers, though. She's still fairly young. Alex Cade soaked up the bulk of the bench minutes for the Bulldogs, especially in the second half. She was exchanging pleasantries, or so the euphemism goes, with Kayla Charles for much of that time, and I'm surprised the refs didn't notice the little elbow jabs both players were throwing at each other during play and even after the whistle. Actually, I don't know why I'm surprised, because there are a lot of things the refs didn't notice in this game. We'll get into that later, though.
Camilla Emsbo is still a little raw, but she's going to be very good for Yale once she really finds her confidence. When she goes to the rack, she can't be stopped, and her height presented us with a lot of problems on the glass. 5-10 on 6-4 does not usually end well for the 5-10 people. Alexandra Maund really threw her weight around down low, and then seemed gravely offended that she would ever be called for a foul. She got into early foul trouble, and Yale seemed to be playing better with Cade; Maund's too similar to our own post players, so she didn't provide the kind of advantage her build usually does. And her footwork was off too; at one point, the phrase "prima ballerina" may have been bandied about for her spinning around so much. She got called for a lot of travels and could probably have been dinged for more.
Tori Andrew came in to shoot, and she took a lot of shots. We contested her well on the outside- well, I mean, we have good defensive guards, this is a thing we can do to people. She has an exceptionally quick release on her free throws. I like Roxy Barahman- she controls the game well at the point, and crashed the boards like crazy. I don't know if I would have called my own number as often as she did, or made it so obvious that I was going to (we can all see you pulling the jersey, Roxy). Megan Gorman didn't leave much of an impression, except for a couple of good defensive stops on attempted Red Storm fast breaks.
Yale looked better than I expected. They countered us well, and they've got some depth, and they've got some height; to us, that's a deadly combination.
Shamachya Duncan is aware she's allowed to pass the ball, right? It seemed like every time she touched it, it was going up. I realize she hit the first one, and that shooters gotta shoot, but at some point passing the ball to a teammate is an acceptable option. I did like the defensive hustle she showed on the sidelines, though. Jasmine Sina is scrappy, and maybe a little too scrappy; she had to have her hand retaped at some point in the second half.
Kadaja Bailey looked shell-shocked for much of this game, like she had no idea where she was or what she was supposed to be doing. She's going to spend a lot of this season playing out of position, and if Joe made her any promises about what she'd be allowed to do on the floor, they're probably going to get trampled. She's not a post, and we're going to have to ask her to play post, and she's going to have to be ready for whatever comes at her. Ditto for Kayla Charles- we only have one true post player if Curteeona Brelove is out for any length of time, and that would be Kayla. She got really frustrated in this game, to the point where I think she mentally ascended to another plane of existence sometime in the fourth quarter. When she's on, she's unstoppable and she's going to make someone else's life miserable. But she can't get into her feelings about the officials. They're all terrible, K, just roll with it.
On one hand, Tiana England did a lot to keep us in the game with her drives and her determination. On the other hand, she had a terrible case of the fumbles, with at least three of her turnovers being unforced. And her ability to slow the game down, whether by her design or Joe's, is something that has driven me nuts for a long time and will continue to drive me nuts. Apologies to long-time readers for harping on a theme. Qadashah Hoppie brought speed and distance shooting to the floor, but that extra something I can't put my finger on seemed to be missing. She wasn't as electric as usual, and I can't tell why.
Akina Wellere is definitely tuning her game to be more of an interior game, and it shows- there was one sequence where she passed on a corner three she would have taken all three other years of her St, John's career. She's doing what she has to for the team, but that doesn't mean I have to like the necessity. Alisha Kebbe was a monster defensively and on the inside. I can't bring myself to squee too much about the big two-handed block she brought down early in the game, because that's the play where Meemo got hurt, and given all the contact on the sequence, I'm not entirely certain that wasn't a cause of the injury. Poor Curteeona. Ankles are not supposed to curve outward. She spent most of the first half on the trainer's table and most of the second half on the bench in a walking boot, with an expression so desolate the bench priest was trying to cheer her up. It didn't work.
So now we're going to have an in-depth discussion of why you carry more than nine players on your active roster (remember, Alissa Alston is an ineligible transfer sitting out a year). And the discussion is going to be: THIS. This is why you carry at least ten active players and preferably twelve. You need to have a full second unit. You need to be prepared for the worst that can happen, because if you don't, that's when it will. Now we have eight players, only one of whom is over six feet tall. Now we have to rely on 5-10 forwards to do our defending inside, and while I love Alisha and Akina to death, I do not see this working out well against Kiah Gillespie. Or Kimi Evans. Or Tori Schickel. Maybe against Erika Davenport, but even then, Davenport has more experience down low at that size than they do. With a lack of size, you'd want to play fast; with a lack of players, you'd want to play slow. So what do we do now? I harp on "what is Seton Hall going to do to us?" because I know their personnel, but I am imagining all those guards and a roster that goes 11 deep on the regular, and then their bigs inside. And I'm trying to imagine us having the energy to keep up with Marquette's seniors for forty minutes. DePaul's constant ball movement. Georgetown's defensive pressure. Creighton's shooting. I don't see any of this working out well for us with the roster that we have.
I'm not going to blame Joe for injuries. I'm going to blame him for not being properly prepared for disaster, and for not having either depth or balance to compensate for things going dramatically wrong. Recruiting is on the head coach. And if he's being told he can't carry enough players by the administration, Val Ackerman needs to get over there and tell the administration to knock it off. I'm not saying we need to go to the full fifteen, because that's too far the other way, but this is ridiculous.
Also, the officials in this game were terrible and let way too much contact go. We're lucky there weren't more injuries.
This is my team, and I love them, and I love these kids, but the decisions that are made over their heads are making it harder and harder to take pride in the name on the front. It's going to be a long season, and I'll still be here for it, so if you think I'm going to let up on the terrible decision-making, nope, that is not a thing that is going to happen.
Wednesday, December 5, 2018
December 2nd, 2018: Manhattan at Fordham
Just the Facts, Ma'am: Fordham came out on top of a hotly contested Battle of the Bronx, 65-61. Bre Cavanaugh was game MVP with 27 points and 11 rebounds. Lynette Taitt came off the bench to lead Manhattan with 15 points.
For overwork, rivalries, an inability to can or even, and a slow pace, join your intrepid blogger after the jump.
No thanks to the MTA, we have arrived at Fordham for the 50th Battle of the Bronx, as the Rams play host to the Jaspers of Manhattan College. (No, seriously, guys, sitting in Flushing for ten minutes is not my idea of a good time.)
Misspelling my last name on the pass list, I can understand. My handwriting is awful, and it can be misinterpreted. Misspelling Manhattan as "Manhatten" is either some kind of historical shoutout, a potshot at their in-borough rival, or a sign that someone in the ticket office really loves St. John's.
The band is elsewhere, whether previously engaged or on vacation, so there's a local high school (?) drum corps with associated steppers in their place. Curiously, they're performing on the other side of the basket from where the drum platform is set up, though I can easily imagine Coach Gaitley not wanting a wall of noise directly next to her bench during timeouts.
No band, so recorded anthem. I don't applaud recordings.
It's tied at halftime, 35-all. Fordham's interior defense has been a hot mess, with Manhattan taking full advantage of their forwards' height and Gabby Cajou's fearlessness. Bre Cavanaugh has briefly gone into "I have had it with this nonsense" mode, but it faded out.
That awkward moment when the dance group performing at halftime forget that they're doing two numbers.
I'd say we're a little shorthanded today, with Ralene Kwiatkowski in a walking boot, but she seems to have fallen down the rotation.
Don't get me wrong, I'm very glad we won. Winning rivalry games is important. And we showed some grit at the end. But Bre Cavanaugh can't do it alone, and she shouldn't have to, and she shouldn't try to, and she shouldn't expect to.
Coach Vulin used Pamela Miceus very situationally, to use her height. Her teammates seemed really hyped when she drove the lane for her bucket. Kania Pollack provided a little relief at the point to end the first quarter and start the second, while Lizahya Morgan got that assignment in the second half.
There are people I do not want to mess with in the course of a basketball game, and one of them is Lynette Taitt. It's not that I'm intimidated by her, it's that she has an indomitable will to win and can put the team on her back as necessary. She had both the driving game and the midrange game working. Sini Mäkelä came in for her offense and hit her jumpers. Julie Høier threw some screens, some of them a little more physical than I would have liked, and slipped back door for easy lay-ups. She had a height advantage and pressed it relentlessly. I can't be mad. Well, I can be, but it would be counterproductive.
D'yona Davis was not ready for this game, and she got pulled in the first half so quickly that I thought the previously announced starting lineup was incorrect. This happens sometimes with freshmen. Gabby Cajou brought good speed to the floor- she played a big part in neutralizing Lauren Holden. She did play out of control sometimes, and her footwork cost Manhattan at least one turnover.
Courtney Warley is a physical presence underneath, and I think Manhattan needs her do stick to that role for them to be successful. I know she has an outside shot, because I've seen it in effect, but she's not consistent enough with it for that to be a big part of her game. She's still got time to develop consistency in her stroke. Candela Abejón was strong and determined defensively. She positioned herself well on the inside. Tuuli Menna finished well inside and took advantage of mismatches.
Can we not with the elbows, please?
I like Halei Gillis's defense off the bench, but she's still suspect on offense. Kaitlyn Downey hit a three and I thought she had finally found her stride, but then her next shot missed badly and I remembered why she drives me nuts. Megan Jonasson seemed to find her groove as the game went on, and her putback late in the game was the deciding bucket. She still needs to work on getting into defensive position and staying there, but I have faith in that happening.
I really need Mary Goulding to finish more consistently at the rim. That would be great. I like what she gives us on defense, but because of our lack of size, she can't afford to get into foul trouble. She's got to be aware of that. Also, I cannot even with the Zara Jillings-at-the-four lineup. I can't even. I don't have the capacity for even. She's got great hustle and great defensive tenacity, but she doesn't have the height, she doesn't have the size, she doesn't have the reach, and she doesn't have the ups to handle taller players. She's a three at best. And in turn, Kendell Heremaia is a two at best. Both of them are being forced to play out of position, and it's hurting their game, and it's hurting Fordham's game.
I like how Lauren Holden is running the offense, for the most part, though I could do with fewer of the long threes. Still, I keep feeling like I should be seeing more from her, somehow. I understand that Coach Gaitley's system encourages a very slow pace of play, but I'm also inclined to believe that she's bought a little too much into it. She and Bre can be a high-octane offense if they're allowed to be, but I don't think they're currently being allowed to be, and for the most part, I don't think they're allowing themselves to take advantage of speed opportunities. And we're asking way too much of Bre Cavanaugh. She seems to be the only person on the team who's' able, or willing, to at least try to create offense for herself. It's wearing her down; in the fourth quarter, she was visibly exhausted, and I think she might have pulled her jersey once. We shouldn't have had to ask this much of Bre, or of Lauren, against Manhattan, rivalries be damned. If this is what a mediocre MAAC team does to us, what are we going to look like in A-10 season? I don' tthink I like the answer, and the only reason I might is because the A-10 has been a mess in the non-conference season.
This team can be very fun, but very frustrating. If we don't get our defense together in a hurry, it's going to be a lot more frustrating than fun.
Friday, November 30, 2018
November 29th, 2018: Delaware State at St. John's
Just the Facts, Ma'am: The Red Storm owned the boards in a resounding 82-44 win over Delaware State. Three players notched double-doubles for St. John's: Curteeona Brelove with 20 points and 13 rebounds, Kayla Charles with 11 points and 14 rebounds, and Akina Wellere with 12 points and 11 rebounds. NaJai Pollard had 25 points for Delaware State, but none of her teammates scored more than five.
For the triumphant return, hitting the glass hard, apples, cookies, and hitting people in the face, join your intrepid and cautious blogger after the jump.
Home sweet arena. After starting the season on the road, and in all kinds of exotic locales, the Red Storm finally get to play a game on homecourt, as they take on the Lady Hornets of Delaware State. (Actually, hang on a sec, I'm looking up whether Delaware State uses the Lady modifier.) (Yep, they do. I thought so; it's still fairly prevalent at HBCUs.)
Delaware State's logo is pretty cool-looking, but I'm not sure about the placement on the warm-up shirts. It seems to be outlining certain areas rather more than it should be.
Band looks to have done some heavy recruiting, and am I seeing a new band director?
Why do opposing fans persist in sitting on the same side as the St. John's bench? These ladies are genuinely lost- I saw them coming into the arena and not knowing which door to use- but c'mon, figure out that the bench with two people in St. John's gear sitting on it is the St. John's bench.
So either ESPN3's definition of a balanced crew is having a St. John's commentator and a Delaware State commentator, or the Delaware State kid who went over to shake the dude's hand is the kid from Christ the King, and that's the connection. Or it could be some other connection. I mean, basketball is pretty much six degrees of separation.
Well, we've got at least two students here. That's something. I mean, it's half an hour before game time, so I'm not surprised.
That is one big STJ logo at center court. The new floor looks pretty crisp. It's straightforward- no fancy inlays, no complicated colors, just a plain and simple court. There's something to be said for that, and I think it fits with the St. John's mentality.
UA's cheer garb needs work. I think every cheerleader has had to pull her top down at some point. Cool, the guys are getting in on the tumbling runs this year.
The drill Delaware State was running before the game, where the coach jabbed at a player with the ball and the player promply fell down, takes on a lot more ominous air when you realize that we've been called for three charges in this game. Please don't teach your players to flop.
At halftime, it's 41-24 St. John's, with Delaware State making a push at the end of the first half. We've been abusing their zone from the corner, with five threes. Qadashah Hoppie has a team-high 11 points. NaJai Pollard has half of Delaware State's points.
Our halftime has featured a dance team performance and the swearing in of the ROTC cadets. I think there's a dribbling challenge next, or possibly the ROTC obstacle course. They better hurry, though. There's less than seven minutes left in halftime. They ended up having to end the challenge early because the players were coming back on the floor.
Yeah, so the refs even got bored with this game and wanted to go home. I've never seen a player so completely in the end zone not actually be called out of bounds.
I think the nicest thing I can say about Delaware State's coach is that he's doing his best to coach up a team that doesn't have a lot of talent to work with, and he'll teach them whatever it takes to win. But I'm not a fan of flopping drills and flailing forearms.
And that means I'm not a fan of the Hornets' reseve center, Elayna Birch-Smith. She's very physical, and there are times I can respect that. Those times do not include when she is sawhorsing opposing players (and getting a foul called on her teammate) or hitting one of her opponents in the mouth (and not getting called for a foul even on review). It doesn't help her, or her team, that she's the only real size they had available. I did like Genell Addison and her quick hands- she had a nifty steal right at the beginning of the second quarter. But on the other hand, I think she was the one with the open lane who completely bricked the open shot. Yazmin Batch fired up a couple of buckets in the second, and I think they were part of the quarter-ending run. The second seemed to be the best quarter overall for Delaware State.
The Hornets didn't get a lot from their starting backcourt in this game. There was a nice offensive rebound from Tylea Galloway, and a late three pointer from Britney James. But they were hassled and hounded all night, and if there's one thing we do really well it's defend guards.
I'm not sure if the game plan was to let NaJai Pollard get her buckets and lock down on everyone else, or if she's just that good. But in either case, she was just that good in this game. She was hitting inside and out, putting away straightaway threes and going to the lane. She hit from everywhere on the floor, even through contact. Great game for her. Lanayjha Ashe had her motor going all game- even when the lead ballooned in the fourth quarter, she never gave up on loose balls. She and Pollard both gave everything they had, and it wsn't enough.
So, um. Yes, this is not a good team, and will probably not be a good team in the MEAC. They have a lot of freshmen, and I recognize that freshmen and pressure are a terrible combination. Their coach is probably relieved they don't have to deal with Hampton's defense anymore.
Moochy, bend your knees! Jasmine Sina's shot is still falling consistently short. At that point, you have to either really get the PT going to get distance back on the shot, or give up on the three and try for the midrange jumper or to drive the lane. I think the misses are making her a little scared to shoot- she was passing off what looked like good looks. Or she would just rather have the assist, which is an acceptable mindset. Shamachya Duncan almost had one go down, and you could see the entire bench rooting for her.
Kayla Charles had a couple of consecutive boneheaded plays that put her on the bench for a Teaching Moment, but she roared back in the second half and took full command of the glass. I'd like her to be able to finish better at the rim, but given some of the contact she was taking, I can't say I'm surprised. I love when she just stays on the rebound and uses her height and length to lay claim to the ball. Solid game from Kadaja Bailey. The only worry I had coming out of there was that her tweener status showed a little bit, in terms of positioning and placement in the offense.
Akina Wellere seems to have decided to refine her inside game and abandon her outside game, at least in this game. I think she's bulked up a little bit to be our de facto four, and I don't know how I feel about this. She got off to a rough start, but shook it off to power through on the glass. Curteeona Brelove gave us an interior presence, in terms of size, that we haven't had in a very long time. I'm going to have to ask her to stop thinking she's Jade and launching the outside jumper, because it did not look good. At all. But when she went inside, she was unstoppable, tough, and physical. I love seeing that out of her.
Alisha Kebbe went hard on the glass like someone stole something from her. She was merciless. I love her intensity. I love her defense. I love that she's made this the heart and soul of her game. She defends well inside for her size. Tiana England continues to murder helpless, innocent seconds with her dribble, though in this game, slowing down the offense was definitely called for. As the game went on, she started showing off some of the fancy passes. She's got to be more careful, though. I don't like seeing players throw the ball directly into the teeth of a double-team. Qadashah Hoppie started the game off with a bang with her quick threes, and she was pretty solid on defense, too.
Things I love: watching Kadaja and the guards on the backcourt trap. SO GOOD.
Things I do not love: jerseys without names on the back. Ahem, Delaware State. It makes it harder to remember who you are if you don't have a name.
Also things I do not love: officials who can't be bothered to make calls. It grows tiresome, even when my team's the team that gets the calls, as happened early on.
Attendance continues to be a disappointment, but it's a disappointment I should be used to by now. This year's posters look amazing, but if they're going to charge for the scorecards, we'll have to miss out on them. Too bad, so sad.
On to the next one, on to the next one, on to the next one...