Happy 21st Birthday Cameron Brink

 

           As the world prepared to turn the page to New Year 23, number 22 Cameron Brink turned 21 in front of family, friends, and fans.  Cameron and her teammates celebrated by routing a plucky Arizona State team 101 to 69.  The fans who braved floods and debris to show up in person (and those who watched on Pac-12 Bay Area from the comfort of hopefully dry homes) were treated to an enjoyable game -- although the biggest questions of the night were how many points Stanford would score and how big would the final margin of victory would be?! The Card started seven to zero, with Kiki Iriafen scoring four points and recording an assist on Hannah Jump's game opening three-pointer.  

 

            Brink honored her birthday by earning another double-double (17 points, 14 rebounds) punctuated by 2 blocks and four assists.  Brink also set several nifty screens and, like her teammates, did a lot of important little things that don't show up in the record book.  She was joined in double figures by fellow All-American Haley Jones, three-point ace Hannah Jump, and freshmen Talana Lepolo and Lauren Betts.  Jones was three rebounds short of her own double-double but demonstrated her all incredible versatility by putting numbers in every statistical category! And, of course, Haley continued to demonstrate the leadership and enthusiasm that make this team special.  Hannah Jump,  added to her nation leading three point total, hitting six three pointers in route to a game high 20 points. 

 

            Stanford was never really threatened in a game that remained entertaining because new Head Coach Natasha Adair's team continued to play hard despite being clearly outmatched against the talented and unselfish Cardinal team.  Arizona was led by junior transfer Tyi Skinner who followed Adair to Arizona from Delaware.  The 5'5' Skinner is tied with Washington State's Leger-Walker for the Pac-12 scoring lead.  Despite a defensive effort focused on stopping Skinner, she managed to score 20 points - only one point below her season average.

    

         In addition to the team's play, there was one quintessential Stanford moment on Saturday night.  Stanford routinely introduces a "Professor of the Game" -- a Stanford faculty member invited, usually by a player, to attend the game.  How many schools do that? At this game, the Professor of the Game was Carolyn Bertozzi, a 2022 Nobel Prize winner in Chemistry!  How many schools CAN do that?  Dr. Bertozzi, age 56, is a avid supporter of Stanford sports and has been an "out" lesbian since the 1980's. How "Stanford" is it to celebrate diversity, academic excellence, and athletic competition at the New Year? 

 

Looking Back - Looking Forward

 

            As we have turned the page on 2022, it is a good time to reflect on what has passed and what is still to come.  At this point in the season Stanford is 14-1 overall, 2-0 in Pac-12 play.  The Card's only loss was an overtime loss to #1 South Carolina.  There is every reason to believe that their goal of another National Championship is a real possibility.  

 

            The team answered one of the season's big questions -- who will play the point --due to the solid play of freshman Talana Lepolo.  Stanford's amazingly talented All Americans Haley Jones and Cameron Brink have shown that they are happy to lead an unselfish TEAM oriented group of winners rather than simply seeking gaudy stats for themselves.  Hannah Jump is well along on her journey from three-point shooter to an all-around player -- defending, driving, and dishing in addition to record book level three-point shooting.  Kiki Iriafen has emerged as a solid post player, averaging close to ten points and over five rebounds a game.  The uber talented Lauren Betts is progressing nicely in mastering the transition from high school to the faster, more physical college game.  Betts is fifth in scoring, fourth in rebounding, and second in blocks despite averaging less than ten minutes a game -- and like Lepolo, she is only a freshman!!!! The Card has a deep and talented bench with seniors Ashton Prechtel and Fran Belibi as well as defensive wiz Agnes Emma-Nnopu leading a group of exciting underclassmen. We can say with confidence that watching this team for the next three months (and two days -- we hope) will be a treat to savor. 

            That is all true -- and the future holds challenges. The Pac-12 is an incredibly strong conference.  To date Stanford has only played one team ranked in the top 20 nationally -- South Carolina.  Seven of the next sixteen games will be against teams currently ranked in the top 20 - and that number does not include the feisty Washington State team or the J. R. Payne coached Colorado team that always plays the Card tough. By the end of the Pac-12 season the CARD will be battle tested and battle hardened.  

 

Questions for the NEW YEAR

 

1.  Can Stanford make it through the Pac-12 season undefeated?

            Given the remarkable talent in the Pac-12, going undefeated is an almost ridiculous goal -- winning the Pac-12 is more than enough.  After all, Stanford had two Pac-12 losses in the 2021 National Championship season.  But, if any Pac-12 team can make it through unscathed, the Cardinal get my vote.  

 

2.  Will Cam and Kiki get better at NOT Fouling?

            A lot has been said about the way Cam's time on the floor has been limited by her foul trouble.  Less has been said about Kiki's fouls because she isn't an All-American (yet).  But the two are the team leaders in fouls  - although Cam's come mostly from defensive exuberance (trying to get every block or steal) and Kiki's from offensive exuberance (dropping her shoulder as she turns to shoot).  Between the two of them, they have committed over 30% of Stanford's total fouls this season.  Both have had games where their playing time was curtailed by foul problems.  Cam is showing progress -- she only picked up one foul against ASU -- and that came late in the 3rd quarter.  We hope she can master that! If Kiki can learn cut back on hers as well she will be further on her way to Allstar status.

 

3.  Will the refs stop letting teams beat up Stanford's "bigs?"

            The somewhat frustrating bookend to the number of fouls that get called on Stanford's trees is the number of things that look like fouls to me which don't get called against opposing teams.  Our "bigs" get banged in the head, scratched to the point of drawing blood, and body-banged over and over -- much of the time without a whistle.  We've seen a bit of an increase in Tara appearing to school the officials about that stuff.  Hopefully they will listen.