Just the Facts, Ma'am: Post play fueled Villanova in their 73-66 win over Fordham. Madison Siegrist led the Wildcats with 29 points, with Mary Gedaka hot on her heels at 27 points. Bre Cavanaugh had 23 points to lead Fordham in the loss.
For unstoppable forces, a local inversion of reality, back pain, betting the dogs, a light roast, and dazed confusion, join your intrepid blogger after the jump.
One quick change and a scoot down the aisle later, your intrepid blogger is back in her accustomed perch behind the Fordham bench, as the Rams prepare to defend the A-10's honor against the Big East's Villanova Wildcats.
I don't know who this dude in the Penn State sweatshirt is, but I'm pretty sure that by wearing that he has declared himself the sworn enemy of everyone in the building, so well done there.
SHU friends and family have gathered in the corridor to greet their team. We are not over there, obviously, because right now we are Fordham fans.
I'm not sure if the stippling on Fordham's warm-up shirts is intentional or born from laundry, but it looks cool.
A dude in a Phillies cap just plopped himself down behind the Fordham bench, so this is probably going to be fun.
(Sidebar: Ms. Carangi and Ms. Siegrist were announced as “Sam” and “Maddie” respectively, but they're on Villanova's roster as Samantha and Madison, so I'll be referring to them by their full first names.)
20-14 Villanova end Q1. Madison Segrist has A) a lot of friends and family in attendance, B) 15 points. Neither of these sparks joy.
31-21 Villanova at half. Segrist has sat down, but Mary Gedaka picked up the baton with 9 of her 11 points in the second quarter. You know, I could have just had my wisdom teeth extracted.
Shout out to the dude in the student section in the A'ja Wilson jersey.
Two pregame ceremonies today, one honoring Coach Peretta on his upcoming retirement and one for Coach Gaitley's 1000th game.
48-42 Villanova end Q3. We tied it and then Nova remembered what threes are.
I'm not saying that we have issues with consistency, but if we could get maybe three players to play at or above average, we could actually win some of these games that we keep falling apart in. It's frustrating. We don't seem to have finishing ability. And when we pressed, Villanova was able to pass out to the wide open player under the basket. I'm not used to Villanova using the post so effectively and so heavily. Is this Peretta's version of a midlife crisis?
I'm also not used to Villanova not going that deep. Mackenzie Gardler came in briefly in the first half to give the guards a break, but I don't think she played in the second half. She's small but not all that quick, which is not a good combination. Brooke Mullin's first shot was a disaster, but once she got off one with her feet squared and time to set, it was worthy of her last name. She found her stroke in the second half to help Villanova pull away. Samantha Carangi came in to run point for long stretches- she was first off the bench in both halves. She was pretty solid on the intangibles.
I would not have expected an experienced senior like Bridget Herlihy to commit a stupid touch foul while leading in a two-three possession game with somethine like two minutes left to put the opponent in the penalty. She did lay some monster blocks on our guards, though. Made it hard to drive. I don't even remember Madison Segrist picking up the first two fouls, though that would be a reasonable explanation for why she was MIA in the second quarter. That kid is fast, and she's the usual Villanova match-up issue for a big- she can take you outside or inside. So she pretty much got what she wanted, whenever she wanted it, and when she didn't, she got the rebound. We did a not-terrible job of keeping Mary Gedaka off the offensive glass, but she more than made up for it with hard drives and an ability to create space for herself with excellent body control.
Cameron Onken had a really fantastic hustle play in the first quarter to break up a Fordham break. She was pretty good on defense. Raven james drove and dished effectively to set up the bigs (who also did a pretty good job of setting themselves up with dribble drives, to be fair).
I look at this and it looks like I'm short-changing the guards, but honestly, the starting guards for Villanova did not distinguish themselves well. The three-point offense mostly came from the bench or from the posts, which is either a credit to our defense or a credit to Madison Segrist, and I think I know who I'm crediting here.
Officiating made themselves heard in the second half, but we got ourselves into as much un-called trouble as we did called un-trouble. I have no right to be upset.
Clever things veteran coaches do: Bre Cavanaugh hits a deep jumper that's called a three on the floor but looks like a long two, putting Fordham within one and extending a Rams run. Peretta calls timeout. It's not just a smart move to curtail the run- I'd bet dollars to donuts he knew that call would be reversed, and made sure to call timeout so that the refs would review right then and there, taking the point off the board and messing up Fordham's momentum just that much more.
I don't know what to do with this Fordham team. It seems like if everyone could maybe get on the same page in the same game, we could make some noise. But right now we're playing like a box of puzzle pieces that's been dropped on the floor and played around with by a hyperactive six-year-old. Sometimes things fit together, but mostly they don't, no matter how hard we hammer at them.
Katie McLoughlin came on for hustle, but the biggest problem with her is that she doesn't bring anything else to the table. She fights for boards, and sometimes she even gets them, but she doesn’t score and her defense has yet to develop. I continue to wonder what's going on with Zara Jillings. Something's not right with her, and it's throwing off all our rotations, because we have very little height and if she's not contributing then we end up with Kendell Heremaia, Power Forward Extrordinaire, and I don't like that plan. Megan Jonassen was physical, but not much else.
Sarah Karpell looked really good- she's developing good defensive instincts quickly and demonstrating good court awareness. She started off the season with a bad game, but she's shaken it off in a hurry. Anna DeWolfe scored most of her points late, and I thought she looked like she was in over her head a little bit. Bre Cavanaugh looked like her old self in the second half, scoring with confidence and getting to the line. It took her a while to get going, and I worry about that still.
Have I mentioned how unenthused I am about the concept of Kendell Heremaia, Power Forward Extrordinaire? Because I love Kene, and all gods know that she tries to match up with the bigs, but she doesn't have the height and she doesn't have the quickness to get into the positions she needs to be in if she's going to make up for that. I do also need Kene to remember who her teammates are, because this is the second time in three games I've seen her take out a teammate in pursuit of a rebound. This time it was Anna. The people in the white jerseys are your friends, Kene. (Unless you're on the road.) Kaitlyn Downey was ineffective and often in foul trouble. We need her to be more consistent. I don't know what else to say.
Time and score awareness: on one possession, Sarah gets the offensive rebounds and keeps feeding Kaitlyn for three-point attempts; on the next possession, Anna gets the offensive rebound and immediately puts it back. IMO, we needed threes more than twos in that stretch, but looking back, I understand Anna's logic too.
I don't know what else to say about Fordham. There were moments when it worked, but then we couldn't execute. It feels like it was forever ago. I can't get a sense of this team and who they are yet.
Someone in the student section brought a drum. I question his reading of the rules on artificial noisemakers, but as long as he doesn't get in trouble, I'm down with it. I hope these heartbreakers don't dissuade the student section from showing up and getting loud- this team needs and deserves that kind of support at every game.
We can beat Northeastern, right? Right?
Sunday, November 24, 2019
November 17th, 2019: Villanova at Fordham
November 17th: Seton Hall at Saint Joseph's (at Fordham)
Just the Facts, Ma'am: In a low-scoring affair, Seton Hall prevailed over Saint Joseph's, 55-39. Desiree Elmore had 16 points and seven rebounds to lead the Pirates. No Hawk cracked double figures in scoring, with Claire Melia's seven leading the way.
For unaccustomed seating arrangements, terrible shooting, some height issues, and details lost to the fo of time, join your intrepid blogger after the jump.
Good afternoon, fellow travelers! We come to you from an unaccustomed spot at Rose Hill Gymnasium, as Seton Hall plays St. Joseph's in an A-10/Big East double-header. Since St. Joe's is an A-10 team, they have been extended the courtesy of the home bench, which means we, as Seton Hall fans, are behind the road bench. It's weird. I don't think I like it.
I do, however, want that Mad Magazine jacket one of the Fordham staffers is rocking. I want it very much.
Seton Hall is short-handed today; in addition to the players already injured, Shadeen Samuels tweaked her hamstring in their last game, and is in sweats. This is another thing I'm not thrilled with.
15-10 SHU end Q1, but it should be more. We're missing shots we should be hitting.
37-22 SHU at halftime, thanks to a deep three from Alexis Lewis at the buzzer and St. Joe's forgetting how time works. They went into their offense way too early with 27 seconds left in the half, ceding last shot to Seton Hall. Now, I'm not exactly thrilled with the way SHU ran that possession either- I thought Lauren Park-Lane ran too much time off the clock and Lexi was forced to take that shot too deep, but in this case, it worked.
Fordham is not running stats for this game, so I must rely on my trusty clipboard. It tells me that Lauren Park-Lane is leading the pirates with 10 points, while Claire Melia's six off the bench are a team high for the Hawks.
St. Joe's has size, but not finesse. They're not finishing at the rim, and they don't seem to have outside shooting to complement their bigs.
Yes, the Hawk traveled. Yes, she's flapping her wings. Yes, I know she's female because it was in their game notes. (Said game notes also felt the need to clarify that it's Saint Joseph's or St. Joe's, but you can't abbreviate only one part. I'm now tempted to refer to them as St. Joseph's the entire time, because I'm that kind of petty.)
You know a ref has done a lot of MAAC games when Alexis Lewis commits a foul and the signal goes up as 20. (Lexi wears 10 at SHU, but she wore 20 at Iona.)
Starting lineup shenanigans: so we see the lineup tweeted out as Barbara Johnson, Lauren Park-Lane, Mya Jackson, Alexis Lewis, and Whitney Howell. Everything goes as expected until the last player, at which point Barb gets off the bench and the PA guy announces Desiree Elmore. There is a small discussion among Coach Bozzella and the officials, after which Barb is called back to the bench and Des takes the floor. Since Barb proceeded to come in for Whit about a minute in, it became moot.
45-33 SHU end Q3. The refs seem to think we missed hearing from them.
It's final here at Rose Hill, 55-39 Seton Hall, in a game that probably featured terrible shooting percentages. There were certainly lots of rebound opportunities.
I see why Cindy Griffin is happy with her young posts. They still need some work, especially Gabby Smalls, whose shooting form is... uh... not good, and I say this as someone who loves her some post players with dubious shooting mechanics. She had success with spins and lay-ups, and she thinks she has a hook shot, but her jumper is not there right now. Claire Melia got off to a strong start for the Hawks, which I think is why she started the second half. She's got good touch inside and out and pretty good range and power. She's got to be better with her footwork, but as a freshman, she's starting off with a good toolbox. Katie Mayock started the game and moved to the bench for the second half. She's got size, and she sets good screens, but her teammates need to be better at using them.
On the other hand, their guards are a work in progress. Devyne Newman got run in both halves, second more than the first, I think. She and Lauren Ross did not impress terribly much.
I liked Mary Sheehan's hustle- she notched a couple of blocks and some good loose ball recoveries. Nailah Delinois used her bulk to push defenders around and get into the paint. Katie Jekot drove the lane and couldn't hit. Lula Roig got into foul trouble which took her out of rhythm and never allowed her to get started. I think that helped us get on top of them early and stay on top. There was a definite lack of discipline with St. Joe's that got them rung up for charges on a regular basis, usually at the most inconvenient times.
I love Selena Philoxy dearly, but one of these days you're going to find me in a corner with concussion symptoms and heavy bruising on my forehead, and this will be because I have facepalmed at her too hard. I love her energy. I love her hustle. I love when she's able to safely bring the ball in to her teammates. But she commits a ridiculous number of fouls and half the time when she grabs the ball on the glass she ends up tipping it out of bounds instead. Jasmine Smith extended the offense, but unsuccessfully. Victoria Keenan will get her basket someday. Alexia Allesch is tall. I think I'd like to see more of Kailah Harris to see if she can produce.
Come to think of it, I might just have rolled with Whitney Howell as a starter and seen what she could do against the Hawks' posts. In the worst case scenario, you'd bench her and proceed with the plan Seton Hall eventually went with. She managed a couple of rebounds in her brief minutes. Barbara Johnson got physical and got tough. She set up Desiree Elmore on a play beautifully. Des had herself a day. She plays so much longer than her height. I don't know if it's vertical or long arms or what, but she gets way more rebounds than it seems she should.
I love Alexis Lewis, but sometimes I forget just how streaky she can be, and how determined she is to live by the adage that "you miss 100% of the shots you don't take". When she's on, she's a one-woman wrecking crew, but when she's off, she just keeps on going. She was off in this one, and it was painful to watch. Mya Jackson had a nifty steal that she turned into a fast break lay-up. Lauren Park-Lane's passing vision continues to amaze me for her age. I know she's from Delaware, but if you told me she was kin to either Didi or Daisha Simmons, I would absolutely believe it. I know those are names one does not bandy about lightly at Seton Hall.
This was an offensively challenged game, to say the least, perhaps even in honor of our hosts. It's hard to find a lot to say about it, especially at this point. Our execution needs to be better, but at least our defense did enough to keep St. Joe's from scoring. We also need reliable size, because Alexis Lewis, Center At Not Particularly Large, does not spark joy. Yes, I know Shadeen Samuels was out, and that does terrible things to our post play, but we still need some height.
Friday, November 8, 2019
November 5th, 2019: Notre Dame at Fordham
Just the Facts, Ma'am: Notre Dame used size, speed, and a 33-2 free throw differential to pull out a 60-55 win over Fordham. Sam Brunelle and Katlyn Gilbert each had 14 points to pace the Irish, with Destinee Walker adding 10 points and 10 boards. Bre Cavanaugh and Kendell Heremaia each had 14 points to lead Fordham in the loss.
For loud noises, belated election advice, mixed messages, and starting off the season with a bang, join your intrepid and enthusiastic blogger after the jump.
Good evening, fellow basketball travelers! You know what today is, right? It's Election Day! So if you didn't already get out to the polls... well, it'll probably be too late by the time I get these notes posted. But just assume I'm very disappointed in you if you didn't exercise your right and privilege as an American citizen. (If you aren't an American citizen, or are under the age of 18, or can't vote for some other reason, ignore this part.)
But more relevant to the interests of this blog, it's opening day for college basketball! Your intrepid blogger is typing blindly away on a D train headed to the Bronx, as the Fordham Rams open their season with a bang against the ACC powerhouse Notre Dame. I get the feeling my smooth transfers from train to train are about to be the highlight of the night, but who knows? Stranger things have happened, and CPTV has proof.
Our ace reporter on the scene tells me that the legendary Drums of Thunder are in the building. Given how small Rose Hill Gym is, that might be quite a sound. I'm expecting a packed house. Notre Dame alumni are everywhere, they travel well, and I believe there's a NY-area kid on the Irish roster as well. I'm not looking forward to this part. Notre Dame fans can make UConn fans look like choir members with their attitude.
End of the first quarter, and Notre Dame is up 16-14. We're playing reasonably smart basketball, but can't finish a lot of the plays. Two fouls on Anaya Peoples is a problem for Notre Dame early, but two fouls on Anna DeWolff might be a bigger one for Fordham. Even if we get cheesed later, I like what I'm seeing out of our freshmen guards.
At halftime, Notr Dame is up 36-24. All things considered, this isn't as bad as I thought it was going to be when we were scoreless for the first five or so minutes of the quarter. Sam Brunelle is putting on a show with 12 points. The freshmen guards are stealing the show for Fordham; Anna DeWolff is getting looks even if she isn't, and Sarah Karpell is making some astonishingly heady defensive plays for her first real game.
Drums of Thunder is about to get underway. Bring the noise, y'all.
There are a surprising number of split fans- Fordham jackets with Notre Dame hats, that kind of thing. I'm pleasantly surprised by how not-green it is in here, especially since the doubleheader is separate admission- in other words, it's not like people are here for the men's game and sitting on their hands.
Notre Dame's heralded freshmen are very good offensively, but they don't have the defense yet. I mean, it's their first game. I'm realistic here.
In tonight's edition of “counting is hard”: Vilisi Tavui is our starting center and wears 14. Ralene Kwiatkowski is a little-used reserve guard who wears 15. Guess what number the ref flashed when Vilisi committed her third foul (which was, IMO, a borderline call)?
47-35 Notre Dame at the end of the third. The foul differential has been instructive, to say the least. It's not a pretty game, but it was never going to be a pretty game if Fordham was going to have any chance. There have been a lot of “counting is hard”moments in this quarter, with some unusual foul calls and disagreements on who the foul should be called on. Mikayla Vaughn went down hard and stayed down for a while early in the quarter, giving us all a scare, but she was able to put weight on the ankle and came back into the game briefly. She got pulled again, though I think that might have been for blood, or possibly an illegal substitution. Come to think of it, I'm not sure she returned after that.
60-55 Notre Dame final, but honestly, I think there are a lot of positives to take away from this game for Fordham. We came back and stuck with a team that's bigger, faster, and more skilled than we are, and we took them to the last possession. A little more depth, a few less bad calls to have personnel available, and we might just have done it.
Kaitlin Cole played briefly for the Fighting Irish in the second quarter. I don't see a statistical impact for her. Danielle Cosgrove brought good height off the bench when Brunelle was in foul trouble and Vaughn was out of the game, but she's got to hit her shots close to the rim. At her height, with our relative lack of height, she should have been a more dominant force. Katlyn Gilbert impressed me more with her defense than her offense, but then I looked at the box score, and she tied for the lead in scoring. I was impressed with how closely she marked her assignment. And yes, that's it for the Notre Dame bench. McGraw didn't have the chance to go as deep into her bench as she might have liked early in the season.
I like Marta Sniezek's quick hands and her communication on the court. She was quick to call the plays and call out her assignment. I think I expected her to be more of a factor in the scorebook than she was, but maybe that's by design. When this lineup has its act together, it's going to be very offensively potent, and maybe they need her to be a facilitator rather than a scorer. Destinee Walker kept Notre Dame in the game with drives and a midrange game, and kept Fordham in the game with appalling free throw shooting. And it's not like she didn't have a chance to practice, but we'll get to that later, once I figure out how not to swear about it. Anaya Peoples has some sweet moves, but her defense needs a lot of work. She's a freshman, though. That happens with freshmen.
Sam Brunelle has a sweet stroke, especially for a big. She needs to work on her footwork, though. She got dinged for at least two travels in the second half. I can see why she's on the national watch lists, even this early. She's got an amazing amount of potential. I can see her fitting anywhere in a frontcourt and giving McGraw a lot of flexibility with her lineups. Mikayla Vaughn used her length well in the post to get rebounds and putbacks. I'm glad she was able to put weight on the ankle. When she went down I was worried it was an Achilles.
Notre Dame had more size and speed than we did, and there were a lot of plays that we might have been able to make against a typical A-10 team that got shut down against Notre Dame's size. Idon't think McGraw haqs her defense installed yet (note that the best defensive plays were mostly coming from the returning sophomore Gilbert; Sniezek made good individual plays, but not systemic plays).
I was surprised that we didn't give Zara Jillings a lot of run. I guess she falls into the undersized tweener trap against a team like Notre Dame, but she's a heady player and there were times when we could have used her communication skills on the floor, when passes went awry or players were out of position. Megan Jonassen was physical in the post, both on the glass and on putbacks. I like how she's shaping up. Sarah Karpell put in big minutes and made a lot of hustle defensive plays, getting back to stop breaks and getting in for loose balls. Her nose for the ball was fantastic. Katie McLoughlin saw time in the fourth quarter as foul trouble and long minutes took their toll on the starters, and she put up a couple of threes (I think one of them was one of the many Fordham shots that the rim rejected).
(Seriously, at one point my husband said of our shooting, "God hates us." My response, given who we were playing, was "No, God's mom hates us.")
I'm not sure how I feel about Kaitlyn Downey's love of the lookaway pass. On one hand, it's really cool when it works. On the other hand, when it doesn't work, we look stupid. There were stretches when it seemed like she had forgotten how tall she is and was leaving the heavy carrying down low to her teammates (which was not necessarily a great plan given Vilisi's foul trouble). But she had a couple of good blocks. I'd just like to see a lot less of her on the perimeter. (Somehow she snuck up on all the categories in the scoresheet. I don't know how either. I do remember the steals, though- she got into the passing lane and stepped in front of passes. She got by with a little help from her friends- those steals were usually off double or triple teams.) Vilisi Tavui shows some promise, and if nothing else, it's nice to have an actual tall post player to go up against everyone else's tall post player. She's a little more tentative than I'd like her to be, but I get it; this is really her first big action since the injury, and she's suddenly gone from the end of the bench to the starting lineup. That's a big adjustment for a kid who flat out admitted Fordham was her only recruiting opportunity.
Kendell Heremaia is rapidly taking that spot in my heart where I'm willing to fight anyone who makes a bad call against her. She's such a sweetheart. We've already had two games where the Law of Verticality was not only violated but subverted in her case (the Law of Verticality being that if a player falls down, a foul is called on the player who did not fall down, and poor Kene keeps getting the call against her, and it just doesn't seem fair). She's stepping up big for us, and I'm so proud of her. I love watching her on defense, even if it doesn't seem fair that she has to defend other teams' power forwards. I love seeing her run the offense and step into that role so easily. I love her hustle. I keep thinking she should not be taking threes that far back, and then they go in and I shut up for a while. Bre Cavanaugh was missing shots in the first half that it seemed like she should be making- and that she did, in fact, make in the second half. I'm now not sure whether she's actually more potent when she's not the first option or not; on one hand, she can explode in a good way, but on the other hand, it seems like she has her best performances when she doesn't have to be the superstar. It takes the pressure off and lets her play a more complete game. I'm sure Anna DeWolff is going to hit the freshman wall at some point, and I admit I'm worried about the length of time it takes for her to get off good shots sometimes. But until such time as she hits that wall and the shots really stop going down, I'll join the folks in the band who had the DeWolff Pack sign up. She hits shots and she plays without fear. She and Bre have a lot of the same instincts for the ball. Right now, that's a problem because they both try to be in the same place at the same time, and they end up getting in each other's way, which means we lose the possession as often as we gain it. But once they get a better sense of where each of them is on the floor, and they learn to trust each other to get the ball, our rebounding from the backcourt is going to be ridiculous.
I can't overstate the heart of this team. They gave it everything they thought they had, and then they dug deeper and gave some more. Kene was pulling the jersey with three minutes to go, and that was about a minute and a half of game time before she hit the big three. Kaitlyn was starting to register on the Kraayeveld scale. Anna's mask was slipping because of the sweat. But the team just kept coming. If we can take an ACC team to the wire like this, with one of the most lopsided free throw differentials I've ever seen working against them, I look forward to seeing what they can do against teams in their own weight class.
So, about that free throw differential, because we were going to get there eventually. I didn't really think anything of it when Sarah went to the line in the first quarter and split a pair of free throws. It's a thing that happens. We were annoyed that she didn't hit the first, but that's how life is. And then we started racking up fouls, and Notre Dame... did not. I thought there was an imbalance in how the physicality of the game was called, and I certainly objected to the allocation of some of the fouls that did seem legitimate. It just didn't hit me until I was on the train looking at the box score, and the differentials were there in black and white- 27-9 Fordham on fouls, 33-2 Notre Dame on free throws. (And really, if I'm Notre Dame, I'm not happy with my FT%, given that many cracks at it.) It gets frustrating when touch fouls are called at one end and hands to the face aren't called on the other.
I loved how raucous thecrowd was. To my surprise, the Notre Dame fans were fairly quiet during the game. They cheered during intros, but that was about it. Maybe it's different when it's non-conference? Because the ones who showed up to games at Carnesecca before the Big East imploded were real jerks, and that did a lot to color my impression of the fan base. (The Internet has done the rest.) I would like for the Fordham fans to bring this energy for the rest of the season, because these kids deserve it. I know it's not going to happen, but your intrepid blogger would like to dream.
On to the next one. Basketball never stops, and I'm going to have to type faster if I want to stay caught up.
Monday, November 4, 2019
October 26th, 2019: Rutgers at Fordham
Basketball sort of happens, '80s music is referenced, fans travel, and your intrepid blogger beats the buzzer, more or less.
Good afternoon, ladies, gentlemen, boys, girls, genderqueer peeps, non-binary folk, and everyone else I might have forgotten! It's a beautiful fall day in New York City, the kind that you take pictures of the campus for admission packets on. So of course, we're in Rose Hill, preparing for Fordham and Rutgers in a previously closed scrimmage. We gave our ten bucks for admission. Clearly the Rutgers folks were used to a more technological setup, because they had to have a sign out indicating that they didn't take credit cards and providing the location of the nearest ATM. Conversely, the young ladies manning the register seemed pleasantly surprised that we not only had cash, we had exact change.
A contingent of Cagers, about 20 strong, has made the trip to the Bronx. They, uh. They might outnumber the Fordham fans, but on the flip side, it's half an hour before tip. We're still ready to get as loud as we need to get.
Vilisi Tavui is in sweats next to Isis Young. We know from the open practice that Ice is hurt, so I'm assuming Vilisi is being held out for the same reason. I hope it's only precautionary. I would like to see her stop being hurt at some point.
Rutgers's practice jerseys are hideous. The font is terrible and the two-tone numbers are worse. I also feel like there should be more red, but this is an ongoing argument i have with teams that have colors in their names.
Really, Cagers? Before a scrimmage on the road, you're singing the fight song? Before a scrimmage? On the road?
18-10 Rutgers end Q1, although it looks like the scores are being reset at the end of each quarter. If the purpose has been to put a winning team on the floor, this ain't it. If the purpose is to figure out our strengths and weaknesses, and to accustom the team to obnoxious traveling fans in advance of the Notre Dame game, then this sort of makes sense.
15-13 Rutgers end Q2. The physicality has picked up. I don't like it. Also, we need to hit free throws. This is a thing that is independent of the quality of our opponent, and we're something like 2-6 for the day. My eye was on the ball, so I idn't see how Maori Davenport got hit in the stomach, but it was bad. I thought she was going to throw up on the court.
Oh, now the PA guy wants to get going.
16-12 Fordham end Q3. Although now the scoreboard reads 51-all, and that's not accurate. If they're picking up the running score, it's 46-39 Rutgers. Tekia Mack's protestations of innocence and horror that she hasn't gotten the call amuse me.
Rutgers won the fourth quarter 27-18. So the final score was either 78-69 or 73-57 in favor of Rutgers. Your mileage may vary.
I was not happy with Rutgers's physicality in the second and third quarters. I understand that part of the goal of a scrimmage like this is to prepare you for the regular season, and we're going to be facing some very tough competition very quickly. But some of it felt unnecessary, and some of it felt retaliatory for plays that were not intentional.
Danielle Migliore brought a little bit of attempted shooting touch, but it often did not go well. She still looks like she's trying to fit into the Rutgers system as a transfer. I don't know if she's anything but a zone-buster off the bench, but maybe that's all they need her to be. Maori Davenport looks... for some reason unfinished is the word that comes to mind. Maybe I'm just getting older, but I swear they look younger every year. Between the nonsense she had to go through with the high school federation and the two bad tumbles she took in this game, I have to wonder what she did or who she angered in her past life. I hope she's okay. They were the only two players who were consistent in coming off the bench in both "halves".
Tekia Mack is probably going to earn herself a lot of fans at Rutgers, not just because of her way to slither into small spaces and hit shots at impossible angles or draw contact, but because she has a very expressive on-court personality- her body language and demeanor remind me a little of Courtney Williams. She's probably also going to make herself fairly unpopular among Big Ten fans and possibly officials, because at least in this scrimmage she was demanding every call in her favor and complaining about every call that went against her (and at least one against Mael Gilles). She's an interesting player, and she's fun to watch. She gave us fits with her height. I just get the feeling that if I were still a Rutgers fan, I'd spend Mack's entire career yelling "TEKIA, YOU'RE NOT GETTING THAT CALL!" She and Khadaizha Sanders got the start in the first half, but not the second half. Sanders got off a couple of nice shots, but I don't think Stringer was happy with her fouls in the third quarter- they were mostly cheap reach-in fouls, and a grad transfer should know better than that. Conversely, Noga Pelag Pelc and Joiya Maddox got the second half start but not the first half start. Neither was particularly impressive, although Maddox might be good for them in a couple of years when she really internalizes the system.
Most times I look at college players' listed heights and think, There's no way she's that tall. I looked at Arella Guirantes and thought, There's no way she's only 5-11. Maybe her hair is throwing me off, or maybe it's her build- I could think of no other description for her but "she thick", possibly even "thicc". She plays like a guard but can bang like a forward. She's not as well conditioned as I'd expect a Stringer player to be, though. There was one sequence where she was pulling on her jersey. I'd need a box score to look at minute counts, but she did seem to spend a lot of time on the court. Jordan Wallace got into foul trouble early, but Stringer chose to let her play through the three first-quarter fouls. She seemed more effective in the early going, although I'm not sure if that was because of the fouls or because Guirantes and Mack were carrying the load for the Scarlet Knights. She did do a good job of setting screens for her teammates. Mael Gilles has very quick hands. She deflected a lot of balls, and she's absolutely lethal as part of the infamous press. Her deflection skills did not serve her as well on offense.
Rutgers has a lot more size in the backcourt than I was expecting. Their reserves are kind of small, but I don't know how much they're going to get used. The press is as terrifying as it ever was- they forced at least two 10-second violations out of us, and while I know Coach Gaitley likes to run the shot clock deep even on a good day, I think they had us struggling at the end of the clock more than I'd like.
I like Sarah Karpell's heart. She's very clearly a freshman, though. She needs to work on her defense, but I recognize that attempting to criticize a college freshman on her defense before her first real game of the season is just mean. I'm not a complete jerk, and I think she has the potential to develop the way we need her to develop. Catherine Polisano doesn't seem to have changed much from the spot player she was last year. I'll need to see her in actual game action to have a better idea of who she might be for us this year. I like the height that Eden Johnson brings off the bench, and I think with time she'll know where her teammates are going to be on the glass enough that they all don't get tangled up with each other.
I was, however, disappointed in our returning reserves, and that's a wee tiny bit of a problem when we're relying on them to play the bulk of the minutes off the bench. Zara Jillings, heady as she was calling plays and relaying signals, couldn't keep her hands on the ball. She got deflections on defense that should have been steals and deflections on offense that should have been clean catches. I know Rutgers's defense is a lot tougher than anything we would normally face on this level, but she's got to be better than that. Megan Jonassen really needed to step her game up. She was okay, but not great- there seemed to be stretches where she was missing rebounds and defensive stops she has made in the past. She needs to be more than she was, and she was less.
Speaking of which, oh, dear, Kaitlyn Downey. Of all the returning players we have, she's the one who arguably has the biggest leap to take in her role, and in that scrimmage, she not only did not step up, she took a step back. Her shot's always been a little streaky, but it was especially bad in this scrimmage. She was slow on defense and she was not in position to make the hustle plays she was doing so well last year. She basically has to be Mary Goulding now that Mary's graduated, and this scrimmage made me less certain that she's up to the task. Admittedly, her role in the starting lineup will probably change when we have Vilisi back at center. 6-4 in the middle helps with a lot of things. We ended up more or less running a four-guard set, and while Kendell Heremaia is adorable, I'm not sure the "point guard defending power forwards" thing is a good plan going forward. She's feisty, and of all our top guards she has the most size, but still. I know switching match-ups between offense and defense is a thing, but not quite to this extent. I was pleasantly surprised by how well she's adapted to running the offense; so much of it went through Lauren Holden last year that I wasn't expecting Kene to step into the signal-calling role so smoothly.
I like Katie McLoughlin's hustle on the offensive glass. I don't know what else she has to offer, but I do like that about her. We'll have to see if she develops, or if she stagnates (it's not like we haven't had players stagnate on this team). Bre Cavanaugh finds ways to make offense happen, and she had one or two really nifty drives in the lane, but she was the focus of Rutgers's defense, and I don't think I need to tell anyone what kind of not-fun that is. Against bigger teams, I think she has to rely more on her jumper than on her driving ability, and I don't know if she can make that flip back and forth on a regular basis. Anna DeWolfe had herself a heck of a game, with solid three-point shooting and good court vision. She's certainly picked the right number if she's that kind of player. Also, it looks like I'm going to have Duran Duran stuck in my head for the next four years, and that means you're going to have Duran Duran stuck in your head for the next four years. You're welcome, fam.
Fordham lost a lot with graduation. We've still got Bre Cavanaugh, and that's a very good weapon to have in your arsenal. But our depth took a hit, and I don't know how well it's going to recover. And something tells me that getting cheesed by Notre Dame is not going to answer this question.
Saturday, October 19, 2019
October 19th, 2019: Fordham open practice
Basketball never stops. For some really big rings, testing out mobile tech, and dubious eggs, join your intrepid blogger after the jump.
Good morning! Or something like that. It's too early for this. It's always too early for this, but we were out the door at quarter to seven in order to make it to Fordham for open practice at 9. There are other associated events like a brunch and a football tailgate, but I don't need breakfast or a football tailgate. I just want basketball and a ring ceremony for your 2019 Atlantic 10 champions.
We're not going all the way out, but fans need practice too, so we're working on names, free throw timing, shot clock cadence, defense rhythm, and all that jazz. It's who we are. It's what we do. So I'm writing GNoD and he's doing names. I'm also getting used to my keyboard and trying to figure out why the shift key seems to occasionally be stuck. It's not just me running on permanent CAPS LOCK.
I think I saw one of the scout team players trying to work the officials. It seems to be working. We're having trouble not fouling the scout team. I'm not okay with this.
I like what I'm seeing out of Vilisi Tavui in this practice. She hasn't really had a chance to show what she can do, and she looks ready to prove herself. If we have a real center in this conference, with the guards that we have, we're in very good shape, even with the experience that we lost in Lauren Holden and Mary Goulding. Heh. Good eye by the ref noticing the shot clock hadn't started. Very professional, even in an open practice.
Now we're getting more whistles on both sides. (Kene was working the officials during the quarter break too, although it seemed to be more of a “this is what a travel is” tutorial.) And we've got our first egregious bad call of the season, with a collision between Kaitlyn Downing and Zara Jillings (both on the white team) somehow resulting in a foul on the scout team. It's not even November yet!
Next up: intros! Hi, everyone. The coaches introduced themselves, and then Coach Gaitley proceeded to sing their praises for them. Ice Young describing herself as “super old” was worth a giggle. Then there were trivia questions.
And now we have rings! Rings are the best thing. I'm pretty sure at least two players squeed. Alexa Giuliano and Lauren Holden returned for their rings. And hugs. There were lots of hugs. Everyone was hugging.
The floor was opened to questions, but people were pretty reticent. I know I couldn't think of anything to ask. Someone eventually asked the squad why they chose Fordham, and a frankly distressing number of the answers were “because it's close to home”, which made it funny when the mic got to Zara, who started her response along the lines of “unlike everyone else I'm not 20 minutes from home”. Vilisi openly said Fordham was the only door open to her and she took it with both hands.
I kind of get the sense that Coach Gaitley is way more gregarious than most of her players (except maybe Bre, who couldn't stop dancing even during the Q and A, and Ice). She was out there greeting everyone by name. So yeah, that was a fun event, short as it was, because it was actually basketball-related.
Friday, March 1, 2019
February 24th, 2019: UMass at Fordham
Just the Facts, Ma'am: Fordham started off strong and held on tight in a 76-64 win over UMass. Bre Cavanaugh led all scorers with 27 points, with Kaitlyn Downey and Mary Goulding each adding 15. UMass got 44 of their 64 points off the bench, with Destiney Philoxy exploding for 26 and Hailey Leidel lighting it up beyond the arc with 18 (including five threes).
For little sisters, smol seniors, a punch right in the feels, jukebox heroines with stars in their eyes, Murphys' Law, and unexpected connections, join your intrepid and ever-so-briefly caught-up blogger after the jump.
Good afternoon! Your intrepid blogger is steadily working through her backlog (backblog?) of games, and taking the opportunity to catch up a little bit here at Fordham, as the Rams take on the Minutewomen of UMass on Senior Day.
I have to say, I like this new thing of Senior Day being the last weekend home game of the season, not the last game period. It allows more people to see and honor these young ladies for everything they've given to their programs. I do wonder if it feels a little weird when you know for certain that it's not your last home game, but on the other hand, if you're used to making the WNIT, you're already pretty sure you have more home games to come.
I'm looking for familiar faces in the stands, because one of my favorite Pirates, Selena Philoxy, has a little sister, and said sister plays for UMass.
Not gonna lie, as a Red Storm fan first and foremost, I'm always a little confused when other teams are playing "Thunderstruck". I understand that it's a very traditional sports jam, but at the same time, are any of y'all a Storm? I did not think so.
There were many Rebeccas on the pass list today, but either someone mistook me for an Australian or autocarrot struck again. No harm, no foul, and the folks working the table today did everything right.
Bre is no longer blonde, and this is just a tiny bit confusing. Her floof is just a little bit harder to see now.
I'm trying to get a closer look at the Senior Day t-shirts (a Fordham tradition unlike many others) and will report back on the design once I can see it.
Oh my God I love Coach Gaitley's suit.
Oh noes it is time for the Feels. I love that they're starting out with the scout squad. That is so cool. And the team is really, really enthusiastic about the MPPs and the managers. Say, why did it get so dusty in here all of a sudden? Why are these ninja cutting so many onions?! Who keeps punching me in the heart?
Fordham's band is playing "Car Wash" and I am extremely pleasantly confused. Maybe Bec did wander into the building today and this is their way of greeting her.
Really cool timeout ceremony honoring the '78-'79 squad, who basically wrote the Fordham record books (and a good number of these ladies are still quite spry). I love when schools connect with their history.
At halftime, it is 46-28 Fordham on all the three-pointers. No, seriously, I think we have eight. Ralene Kwiatkowski is getting her runs in and we might run out of t-shirts. UMass gets physical when they get frustrated, and they are extremely frustrated right now. Bre Cavanaugh has 14 points and four boards to lead Fordham, while Destiney Philoxy has 11 points off the bench to lead UMass.
I'm starting to wonder if UMass's coach just doesn't believe in starting freshmen, or if Philoxy and Nelson are just having uncharacteristically good games. They've been the only consistent positives for the Minutewomen today.
Postgaming now, with what appears to be an ungodly number of Murphys. There's a pub hidden in the basement of Fordham, and we are taking it over. There appears to be finger food, including the smallest sliders I've ever seen in my life. The projector is set up for the Senior Day presentation- the real one, not the time-shortened one. The team is arriving. Hi, Coach!
That got rather closer than I wanted it to be, to be honest. I would have liked for Alexa Giuliano to have more of an opportunity to play and make a positive impact on the box score, but it is what it is. UMass is a wild team, and when they're on, they're extremely pesky. But their offense was streaky, and when it wasn't working, they were frustrated, leading to physical play and fouls. They've got potential with their freshmen, but I don't know if these hot-headed players and this hot-headed coach are a good combination for each other. They seem like the kind of volatile mix that will either lead to all the conference titles or someone getting punched in the locker room and half the team transferring.
Kendell, why are you wearing a USAB t-shirt? You're a Kiwi! You're from New Zealand! You literally don't even go there!
I do like that Coach Gaitley's letting the seniors each have their say in this and they're all getting to say a few words themselves. Trying to hide behind Lauren Holden is not an effective plan if you're Mary Goulding, though. There's about seven inches of why that doesn't work.
OH MY GOD BABY MARY I AM DED FROM SQUEE no seriously the video tributes from the players' families are fantastic and also I get to hear lots and lots of Kiwi accents, so that's awesome. There are lots of high-pitched squeeing noises coming from the direction of the team at the baby pictures.
*snorfle* Kaitlyn comparing the three seniors to being like her moms, and I'm pretty sure her mother just did a spectacular double-take at that. I don't think everyone's realized that Coach Gaitley is going to make everyone talk.
So that Philoxy kid is pretty good. I'm not just saying that because I like her sister, either. Destiney Philoxy did her best to make sure she didn't lose this game, and she didn't care if her teammates came with her or not. She drives the lane like the A train- fast, no stops. And if she could bring that quick release free throw home for the summer and share it with Selena, that would be great. She's loud and she's communicative on the floor and she has no patience for anyone's nonsense. I can see that chafing with the upperclassmen. Jessica Nelson is extremely physical, and if she becomes more assertive offensively she could be very good for them. Until then she's mostly a goon who needs a better sports bra.
I started to take a profound dislike to Hailey Leidel in the second half when she kept hitting threes on us. It's a polite sort of dislike, leavened with respect and more than a little frustration. She picked up loose change off the glass in some of the scrums. She stepped up in the second half. Paige McCormick saw some time in the first half and put up a jumper. She was not particularly successful, so I'm not surprised she didn't play in the second half.
Anil Soysal is tall, but she's not ready. She's extremely not ready. She was on a short leash whenever she got a foul, and with the physicality that Nelson brought to the floor, her services were far less required. She started the game, but she didn't start the second half, and I'm not sure she even played in the second half. She also doesn't look 6-5 to me, but I recognize that my perceptions of height might be skewed from watching so much basketball. Yes, I'm saying objects in mirror may be taller than they appear. Genesis Rivera got off to a good early start, but picked up three fouls in the first half and was thence consigned to the bench to start the second half. She did not have much of a game.
Near the end of the first half, there was a scrum for a loose ball, one that turned rather into a football play. I'm pretty sure that you're not supposed to tackle people in basketball, though I could be wrong. It's been known to happen on occasion. In any case, Bre Hampton-Bey got herself an unsportsmanlike conduct foul, Lauren Holden got herself two free throws, and UMass put themselves in more of a hole than they needed to be in right near the end of the half. Between that and her not-good shooting, I'm not surprised her minutes got cut in the second half. If she played, she didn't play much (our PA guy sort of took the second half off in terms of announcing substitutions, and only the helpful fact that UMass has names on their jerseys reminded me that people were coming in and out of the game). Vashnie Perry started to find her distance stroke in the second half, but it was too late by then. Jessica George had a pretty decent defensive game, all things considered; she was part of the hard-charging double that the Minutewomen so often threw at Bre Cavanaugh. She spent a lot of energy on that end of the floor, and it showed- not necessarily in a good way. UMass threw up more than their fair share of airballs, and I think she had at least one of them, if not more.
UMass has potential. If they don't strangle each other first, and if Soysal can learn how to use her height instead of just trying to reach over people's heads and thus fouling them, they could be something in a couple of years. They could be a homewrecker in the A-10 tourney if their shooters get hot at the same time that their defense turns up. I know you can say that about a lot of teams, and that that is in fact the recipe to be a homewrecker, but they seem to have the pieces to have that potential.
So we got to see all the guards at the end of the game. All of them, pretty much, except for Chloe Chaffin and Edona Thaqi, who I'm pretty sure aren't even supposed to be playing this season (though they have). It was nice. Cat Polisano got some free throw opportunities, which is nice for her. I think that was Lauren Murphy's family starting the chant for her to come into the game, which might have been nice if they hadn't been starting it up before our last senior came into the game. Guys. On Senior Day, maybe wait for all the seniors to come in or go out as appropriate to their role before you start hooting and hollering for your sophomore to come into the game. I don't think a foul was the only way Alexa Giuliano wanted to be in the box score on her Senior Day, but at least she didn't end up a billionaire. Look, collectively, we had five players total five minutes, two free throws, one shot (missed), and one rebound. Even I can't come up with enough words to make that sound good.
Megan Jonassen looked a little more passive than usual in this one, which probably explains why she didn't play that much. It also didn't help her case that UMass didn't have a lot of size and didn't look to go inside that much- most of their run in the second half was fueled by threes. Even Zara Jillings didn't get a lot of time on the floor. This game was, more than even Fordham's ridiculous usual and maybe even more than necessary, decided by the starters. In some ways, that's appropriate, but in other ways, it would have been nice to let Lauren and Mary enjoy their victory from the bench for a little more than eighty seconds, and nice to see Alexa get some real run.
Bre Cavanaugh played like her hair was on fire. I mean, it obviously wasn't, because Bre's hair is very tall and everyone would have immediately noticed if it were on fire. But there was a sense of urgency, a popping energy, an extra spring in her step, that made her even more of a force of nature than usual. Whenever UMass started making it close, she was like "nope" and hit another three or hit another shot in the lane. You really do expect to see the cape streaming behind her when she comes off the court. I kind of got the sense we were getting a little bit of a preview of next year, with Kendell Heremaia running point duties for a good chunk of the game. I'm not sure how I feel about this, although I recognize it's inevitable because Lauren Holden does have to graduate at some point. Kenny runs a little bit of a slower, more methodical game, with less of a tendency to go it alone, but also with less assurance, than Lauren does. I think her offseason development will be very interesting. It took a while for Lauren to get on the board, but we all went nuts when she did. I think she hit the shot in the lane first before hitting the three, but I don't have my notes with me to double-check the order of events. She was mostly in control of herself during the game, though the Senior Day stuff before and after the game really got her.
Mary Goulding was in her glory in this game. There were a lot of loose balls and a lot of scrums, and she was in the thick of most of them. She had a huge second quarter where she was hitting big shots, pulling down boards, and making defensive stops- she had a really nifty steal. She stepped up for us. Kaitlyn Downey got off to a hot start with a soft touch (look, you have gotten through this entire season without that pun, were you expecting that to last?) and never really stopped. We have long since established that I am not a fan of her being so enamored of the three-point shot, but I guess I can be okay with it when it's going down and she's getting good looks when the guards penetrate. That drive and dish game with ball movement was really working for Fordham. I think we might be in good hands next year, as long as we have someone coming in to develop on the bench while Megan and Kaitlyn step up in the rotation.
When we were moving the ball and getting open looks, we did well. We had a little more trouble when the double came flying at Bre like a bat out of hell. If you have Meat Loaf stuck in your head, you're welcome.
I think the refs let the physicality get a little out of control, even after Hampton-Bey got called for the unsportsmanlike conduct foul. But, hey, it worked out okay for us. I could have done without UMass's coach whinging for a travel call down 15 or thereabouts in the final minute. You gotta know when to fold 'em, man.
Whoever released the onion-chopping ninja this month needs to cut it out. I can't deal with this.
Saturday, January 12, 2019
January 9th, 2019: Richmond at Fordham
Just the Facts, Ma'am: Fordham came on strong in the third quarter to win going away against Richmond, 60-48. Bre Cavanaugh led the way for the Rams with 20 points and 12 rebounds. Alex Parson had a team-high 12 points for Richmond.
For unaccompanied majors, the burning need for caffeine, and ennui, join your intrepid and blasé blogger after the jump.
Good morning, everyone! Your intrepid blogger is enjoying her last few days of freedom before starting a new job, which means going to all the morning games. I missed any pregame at Fordham, thanks to getting a late start.
So it's halftime here at Rose Hill Gymnasium, and Fordham is up 34-25 on Richmond. Five threes in the first quarter helps with that. Unfortunately for my sanity, the stupid Simon Says guy is our halftime "entertainment". I don't want to know how cheap he works if he does so many of these events, and if he's working the St. John's game on Friday I may scream, and not in the way the PA guy wants us to.
So far we've been getting the benefit of most of the calls (yeah, that was a big screen by Hinds-Clarke, but I thought it was legal). I don't know how long that's going to last.
I'm just saying, if you're here to support a member of the opposing team, you could consider not sitting across from the home bench, or spending most of the game staring at your phone, including the time that the girl you so enthusiastically applauded for got her bucket. Ugh, I'm too tired for this and my lower left wisdom tooth is coming in. Is there a nap corner I can use?
Still very tired. We'll see just how coherent these notes are, but at least I've now had lunch and some caffeine. Caffeine is love. Caffeine is life. The caffeine must flow.
Richmond doesn't seem to be particularly anything. They're not terrible at defense but they're not great at it; they don't have any extreme tendencies towards three-point shooting or interior play; no one really has an on-court demeanor that stands out, one way or another. Even the coach is unremarkable. I suppose there has to be a team like that somewhere, but boy does it make the GNoD even harder to write than usual.
Imani Mustaf has the physical and stylistic profile of someone who hit a very late, very spectacular growth spurt and was told that she would now be playing basketball. She moves like she's afraid her body will break if she goes too hard or takes too much contact. She definitely needs to bulk up a little, gain some stamina, and get more confident in herself and her ability. Jayana Ervin and Ragan Wiseman only got into the game at the very end; Autumn Truesdale didn't beat them in by much, but had just enough time to make a post move. Kailyn Fee's three came near the very end of the game.
Aniyah Carpenter got off to a fast start for the Spiders, scoring on pull-ups in the lane. She got a lot of minutes, especially in the second half, both because she was scoring and because there was foul trouble for Richmond's starting backcourt. Daijia Ruffin, on the other hand, got off to a rough start, with a couple of shots missed short and a terrible passing turnover. But she settled down in the second half. She's a big, stocky guard, but her speed and smoothness belie her build. Madelyn Neff provided the bulk of the reserve minutes in the frontcourt, but I'd have to review the tape to see what impact, if any, she made on this game.
I'm glad Amy Duggan is all right after coming up limping in the first half. That being said, perhaps that will teach her to watch her feet a little more carefully on both ends of the court- she got called for tripping at least once because of how wide her stance was, and how she had them turned out. She fought well in the paint for rebounds. Jaide Hinds-Clarke came alive briefly in the fourth quarter, with back-to-back steals (including a very impressive pickpocketing of Bre Cavanaugh- that's not easy to do) and tough and-1s in the paint. She spent much of the game in foul trouble, which made her far less effective.
Alex Parson wasn't afraid to shoot, and got on a three-point streak in the third quarter. Her release is pretty quick, and she's got some range. I just don't see that much more to her game, though I'm ready to be proven wrong if this game was an outlier. Claire Holt was slim, and shockingly pale, and did all right for herself going to the hoop. Molly Mraz picked up two fouls early, and with Carpenter producing on offense, I can understand why Richmond's coach went with the lineups he did.
I'm trying to come up with more details, but Richmond was so ridiculously pedestrian, so unrelentingly average, that you'd think they were representing Lake Wobegon or something. If you're going to have no distinguishing features as a team, at least put names on your jerseys. Sheesh.
So Coach Gaitley completely emptied the bench at the end of this one, to the point where players I thought weren't even available were suiting up. Welcome back, Ralene Kwiatkowski! I like how willing she was to take a charge, even right back from an injury. And I thought Edona Thaqi was sitting out a transfer year (she's from UConn... okay, UConn-Avery Point, but the point still remains) but she got into the game at the very, very end. I don't think she's ready yet, and I might not have played her at all this year. The entire bench was ready to get up and get hyped for Katie McLoughlin and Catherine Polisano if they scored, and Bre looked so heartbroken when Katie's shot went in and out. Vilisi Tavui continues to be tall and unsure of what to do with this information. I would really like to see more of Alexa Giuliano. Someone needs to give Lauren Holden a break at some point.
Coach Gaitley put a lot more focus on the inside game in this one- I think this is the most I've seen Megan Jonassen play in one game. She gave us some good tough boxouts. Quiet game for Zara Jillings, and one where she seemed to be getting more Teaching Moments than usual. Maybe she's just not a morning person. I know that feeling. I'm definitely more of a night owl.
Quiet game for Kaitlyn Downey. I'm disturbed by the number of three-point attempts, but I think a lot of them were in the first quarter, or at least the first half, when the team was collectively feeling it, so I can understand her thinking. If that was the shot Richmond was allowing, then it wasn't the worst idea in the world. Mary Goulding cleaned up on the inside- her teammates did a really good job of finding her, both the guards and the posts (I think Megan had an especially nice feed to her on the inside.
I don't understand how Kendell Heremaia and Bre Cavanaugh can do such a good job of connecting on the backdoor cut, and do such a terrible job of communicating on the glass. One day, they're going to go after the same board at the wrong angle, and someone's going to get hurt (especially when you throw Mary's hustle into the mix). That all being said, I don't want anything to change about their shared desire for the ball- just maybe their ability to entrust the other person with it. I love Bre's rebounding, though I'm perturbed that one of our guards is consistently leading the team in rebounding- yes, she's playing a lot of minutes and I haven't crunched the advanced stats, but it feels like the advanced stats are heavily in Bre's favor as well. I love how Kenny's developing. She seems poised to take over as point guard when Lauren Holden graduates, and I can already tell that she'll be a different kind of point from Lauren. I'm okay with that. For some reason, the word "collaborative" comes to mind. Lauren had the three-point shot going from deep early. I'm not always happy about that, because she'll usually start leaning on it even when she goes cold, but she was driving the lane more in this game (even if her floater still needs a lot of work).
Our passing game was pretty sharp in this one. With the guards we have, I shouldn't be surprised by that, but it's always a pleasant surprise when it stands out.
I do apologize for the delay on this, but it's been a bit of a crazy week, and I cannot emphasize enough how relentlessly uninspiring Richmond was. It was close for a while, and then we went on a run in the third quarter, and I'm still not entirely certain how it happened.
Monday, December 31, 2018
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.
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!
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.