The Answer

Message Received, Response Delivered

 

            On Friday night Stanford and Utah played for the Pac-12 lead with the national #4 Cardinal and the #8 Utah Utes both coming in at 5-1 in conference play.  Last Sunday Stanford lost to a Pac-12 opponent for the first time since January 2021, going down to unranked USC.  The question for the night was, how would the CARD respond to a loss? The answer, very well, thank you.

 

            Utah came in averaging almost 87 points a game -- the 4th highest average in the country.  They left having scored only 62 points, 25 under their average -- and three of those were scored on a last second three when the game was already totally over.  Stanford's 74 points were also under their 80 plus average -- but only by 6 points, and it came in a win.

 

            The beginning of the game was a bit stressful for fans looking for reassurance after the CARD's uncharacteristically poor offensive performance in the loss to USC.  Utah jumped out to a 10-2 lead.  But even though the score wasn't comforting, the intensity of Stanford's play, full of motion and aggressive offensive play was encouraging.  That intensity was soon rewarded, with the CARD evening the score at 12-12 with 4:29 left in the first quarter.  With a minute left in the first quarter, Stanford was up by two and never trailed again.  The CARD was up by nine at the end of the first half.  

 

            The second half never turned into a rout, with the Utes pulling to within three several times.  But Stanford remained in the lead for the entire game, entering the 4th quarter with a five-point lead. Stanford stretched its lead into "almost comfortable" territory in the 4th quarter.  By the last two minutes, Stanford fans were able to relax and exhale.

 

            One of the scariest moments of the game came early in the first quarter when Talana Lepolo, our poised freshman point guard leader went down with an ankle injury.  Talana eventually reappeared, first with ice on her ankle, later in a boot, but was obviously unable to re-enter the game -- and almost certainly will not play on Sunday.  The good news was that Indya Nivar entered the game and performed admirably.  Indya's athleticism stood out on several plays, especially a beautiful lay-in against three defenders on a solo fastbreak.  Her final stat line - four points, three assists, two rebounds, a steal and no turnovers -- was a great contribution.  

 

            The "Big Three" came out firing -- with Brink and Jones both scoring 25 points as part of double-doubles.  Hannah Jump was the team's other double-digit scorer, 13 points including two three pointers.  The bad news for the CARD was that only 11 of Stanford's 74 points were scored by players not named Brink, Jones, or Jump.  Now some of the reason the Big Three were able to score was because the other players did their part.  However, it will be good to see other players stepping up their offense.  

 

Questions

 

1.  Having defeated a second highly ranked team in eight days, will the CARD suffer a letdown against Colorado?

Last week Stanford defeated ranked UCLA, then lost to unranked USC.  I'll bet against a let down -- Stanford student's rarely make the same mistake twice. But Colorado has often been a very tough game for Stanford. It may be even tougher without Lepolo's solid play at point-guard against Colorado's aggressive defense.

 

2. Who will step up as a reliable 4th scorer?

Brink and Jones are amazing players.  As I've said before, Stanford fans are privileged to get to watch these two amazing young women play.  Hannah Jump is one of the game's best 3-pt shooters and has turned herself into a well-rounded player.  But, to win a National Championship, the team needs at least one other strong scorer.  Who will it be?

Wake-up Call!

Smacked in the nose

 

            In January of 2021, a Stanford team that had been cruising got its nose blooded by Colorado and UCLA. The team responded by going on a run that ended with a National Championship.  In January of 2023, this Stanford team that had been cruising -- winning even when they were playing poorly -- got its nose bloodied by USC.  Hopefully it won't require a second loss for this talented team to answer the wake-up call.

 

            After her years at CAL, Lindsay Gottlieb knows a lot about how Stanford plays. It is no secret that the way to beat Stanford is to make the game a street fight not a track meet.  USC had the talent to make that plan effective against a Stanford team that was not playing the way it can play.   Stanford's play was marked by sloppy passing, poor shot selection, and defensive lapses. 

 

            Although the CARD outrebounded USC (40 - 36) and shot a slightly higher percentage overall (30.9% to 27.3%) and at the free throw line (80% to 65.4%), Stanford also committed more fouls, (23 to 9), had twice as many turnovers (14 to 7), had fewer assists, and shot worse from three (19% to 42%).  Good screens and fast breaks are the secrets to success from the three-point line by great shooters like Hannah Jump.  For anybody shooting less than 25% from three for the season, the player can figure that if they are wide open from three it is because the other team wants them to shoot from there.  Passing or driving to the basket are probably better decisions unless the coaches have specifically directed the player to shoot from three.

 

Questions

 

1. How will this team respond to a loss?

            Losses generally teach more than wins.  Winning without playing up to one's potential - as Stanford had for the last several games - can encourage bad habits.  Talented teams can occasionally need a reminder that games are won by your play not your talent - you must execute the play your talent makes you capable of to win.  Stanford students are generally "quick studies" -- we will see soon whether this was lesson delivered, lesson grasped.

 

2.  How good is USC?

            This USC team is basically a line-up of transfers with a few sophomores getting minutes.  It can take a while for a team with so little history together to "come together."  Time will tell whether USC's win over Stanford was just a lucky blip of catching the CARD while they were sleeping or reflects the real potential of this 14-4 team. 

Stanford Beats UCLA 72 - 59 at Pauley

Photo by AP

Jones and Brink: Leadership and Dominance

            

            The number two ranked team in the country, Stanford, had a road game against the number eight team, UCLA, at Pauley Pavilion.  UCLA was the last Pac-12 team to defeat the Card -- in January 2021.  The Bruins hoped to do it again.  They learned that it’s hard to beat a deep and talented team led by two All Americans. 

 

            The game was relatively even in the first half with six ties and ten lead changes.  No team led by more than five points, and each team had a lead of five at some point.  The first quarter ended with Stanford up by one and the half ended in a tie. 

 

            What was most distressing to Stanford fans (and apparently coaches as well) was that the team seemed flat.  Stanford's normal smooth, high energy, movement-oriented offense seemed off.  A team that usually passes up a good shot to get a great shot was taking too many less than great shots.  In her brief half time media interview on the Pac-12 network Coach Vanderveer said the team wasn't "doing what they need to do" on offense or defense.  It is a testament to the talent on Stanford's roster that, despite not playing well, they were tied with a team ranked #8 in the country.  Stanford's defense held UCLA to 32 points in the first half -- but Stanford's usually potent offense had only scored 32 points.

A Better Second Half

   Photo by AP

 

            It was clear that Tara got the team's attention at halftime.  The CARD came out strong in the 3rd -- with the ball moving.  Stanford's first three baskets were all facilitated by assists.  The defense was also motivated; UCLA had only one basket in the first 3:25 of the second half. Stanford took a seven-point lead -- the game's largest to that point.  That lead eventually stretched to ten -- but with Brink on the bench due to her third foul, UCLA was able to slow the CARD offense.  At the end of the 3rd, Stanford's lead was down to two points.

 

            Stanford shifted into 4th gear for the 4th quarter, putting away a feisty UCLA team 72 -59 with a dominating performance in the quarter.   While the 21 points scored by the CARD in the 4th was the team's highest total, it was the defense that was inspired.  UCLA's coach said coming out for the second half that she thought her team should drive to the basket more. Cameron Brink demonstrated why that was a bad idea.  She was a beast.  Cam had six blocks in the quarter -- matching what had been her career high for a game in one quarter. (She finished with 7.) Brink also had a "steal" in the paint that could have been scored as a block.  Stanford led by 17 with two minutes left in the game. Cam’s paint dominance was supported by the inspired defense of Agnes Emma-Nnopu.  Agnes demonstrated the defensive intensity that earned her a starting role early in the season. 

 

            The crowd at Pauley was full of WNBA coaches and scouts.  They saw Haley Jones demonstrate the mix of skills, will, and leadership that have some basketball observers predicting that Jones could be the top draft pick in this year's WNBA draft.  Haley's stat line: 16 points, 12 rebounds, and 6 assists. They saw Cameron Brink delivering a monster performance. Cam's stat line: 12 points, 11 rebounds, 7 blocks, 2 assists, and a steal!  But although Jones and Brink were the stars, this was a team win.  Eight players not named Brink or Jones scored.  Iriafen and Emma-Nnopu had nine points, Lepolo and Jump had eight.  The success of Leopoldo and Emma-Nnopu from behind the arc was an important factor in the CARD’s victory.  Although Talana may not see herself as the team’s main offensive weapon, it is clear that Stanford plays better when she is willing to take her shots when the defense gives them to her.  The same is true for Emma-Nnopu.  Rebounding was another team strength. Ten players grabbed rebounds as Stanford dominated the boards, 48 to 31. 

 

Questions

 

1.  Who is Stanford's MVP?

On some teams it is crystal clear who is the team's star.  For the 2022-23 Cardinal, not so much.  It's clear that Haley Jones and Cameron Brink are the teams two brightest stars, and that they complement each other's play -- but choosing one over the other is a difficult task.  

 

To me, Haley is the team's leader.  It's not just her stats, although she is at or near the top in every category on the stat sheet.  It's not just her amazing skill set -- I mean, how many players can make the passes Haley makes from her knees or the shots she makes while falling to the floor!?! It's that she LEADS this team.  She keeps them focused and she keeps them loose.  If I were a WNBA General Manager, Haley Jones would be my first pick in the draft.  She was the number one player in the country her senior year in high school and four years of being coached by Tara Vanderveer has only made her better.  

 

Cameron is the team's dominator!  She scores, she rebounds, and she protects the paint -- blocking and altering shots at an incredible level.  Her body control and timing are a thing of beauty.  Cameron reminds me of Aja Wilson -- I look forward to seeing them square off in the WNBA for many years.  But, for now I "just" see Cameron giving the CARD a legitimate shot at another National Championship trophy.

 

So, which one is the team's MVP?  I don't know -- it's like choosing between sunrise or sunset, they are different and both fabulous.  I think I'll just enjoy the privilege of watching these two amazing athletes lead this talented team.

 

Pulled back from the brink by Brink

It pays to have two All Americans

 

            The weather has been ugly lately, but Stanford's game against CAL might have been uglier. Just as the Bay Area was battered by rain and high wind this week, Stanford was battered by Cal's defensive intensity.  But great teams win games even when they aren't playing their best.  That's what Stanford did at CAL, beating the Bears 60 to 56. 

 

            Of course, when the going gets rough, it helps to have two All American's on the roster -- two players who refuse to lose and have the talent to back up that focused will.  Stanford's two All Americans, Cameron Brink and Haley Jones, accounted for 37 of the team's 60 points, 28 of the CARDS's 46 rebounds, and four of the CARD's seven blocks.  Brink was a warrior! Her numbers are eye-popping; 25 points, 17 rebounds, and three blocks. Time and again, especially in the second half, despite being hounded and battered by CAL's swarming defense, she answered CAL's baskets with one of her own. Haley Jones' numbers are slightly less impressive, "only" a double-double (12 points, 11 board, 4 assists, and a block); but her play was AMAZING.  This woman has all-world focus, body control, court vision, basketball skills, and will-to-win. Perhaps the most striking sequence came late in the 3rd when Haley corralled the rebound from a Brink miss, was knocked to the floor by CAL's defense (no foul called), kept her dribble alive from her knees, and from the floor passed the ball out to Hannah Jump.  Jump knocked down the three-pointer to give Stanford a four-point lead with ten minutes and 23 seconds left in the game.  

 

            Jump and Kiki Iriafen were the only other Stanford players to score more than one basket. Although FIVE others scored at least two points, and collectively corralled five steals and 10 rebounds.  Hannah, like Haley, played all 40 minutes of the game, scoring seven points and dishing 3 assists. Brooke Demetre made particularly valuable contributions in her 24 minutes on the floor; including solid defense, plus four rebounds, three assists, and a steal.  Perhaps Brooke's most important contribution was hitting two free throws in the game's waning seconds to give the CARD a four-point margin, putting the game basically out of reach, eliminating the possibility of a miracle ending for CAL.

 

            The going was rough in this game because the CAL defense was VERY physical.  Even though much of the rough play went uncalled, CAL put the CARD on the free-throw line frequently.  Stanford's plus nine at the charity stripe (16 of 19 compared to 7 of 10) was greater than the margin of victory. That physical defense contributed to the game's general ugliness -- it had a disjointed and hectic feel.  The lack of flow is reflected in Stanford's low score total (over 23 below their season average) and uncharacteristically low assist total -- only 11 compared to an average of over 17.  

 

            In addition to escaping with the win, the good news for Stanford was how well the CARD defense played.  Only one CAL player, Leilani McIntosh, scored in double figures (19).  CAL star Jada Curry was held to nine points, that's six under her season average, and hit only one of five from three. 

 

            Rivalry games as generally considered "special" -- with frequent upsets.  Unfortunately for Stanford, every team looks at their game against Stanford as a rivalry game.  Every team wants to knock off the defending Pac-12 champion, ranked #2 in the nation! That means that Stanford had better get ready for the type of intensity CAL brought at Hass. 

 

Questions

 

1. How well will this young team travel?

            The CAL game was Stanford's first Pac-12 road game, and it was only across the Bay. Friday night Stanford will be playing #12 UCLA on their home court and a tough USC team on theirs.  Hopefully the lessons from this tough win will carry over. 

 

 

Starting the New Year right!

    

        Stanford's game against #15 Arizona had an 11:30 am start time.  Three-and-a-half minutes into the game it seemed the Cardinal needed a wakeup call.  Stanford had three fouls - two of the on Haley Jones, four turnovers, three missed shots, and zero points.  Haley Jones and Hannah Jump delivered that call with a Jones steal leading to a Jump three pointer.  Less than four minutes later an Indya Nivar layup on an assist from Haley Jones put the Stanford ahead for good. The CARD had turned a 0-6 deficit into a 12-11 lead.  

 

            Coming into the game both teams had high power offenses; Stanford averaging over 85 points per game, Arizona averaging over 81. And, both teams pride themselves in their tough defense. The CARD holding opponents to an average of only 57 points, the Wildcats holding opponents to just over 59.  On paper those stats suggest a close game.  It wasn't.  Stanford won 73 - 57. Kudos to the defenses -- Arizona held Stanford to 12 points under their average, but Stanford held Arizona to 24 points under theirs. In the second quarter Stanford scored 17 points while holding Arizona to only 7, giving the CARD a comfortable cushion that they held onto for the rest of the game.

 

            Before the game, Coach Paye warned that we could expect this game to be "gritty not pretty."  After the game Coach VanDerveer summed up the game as "gritty not pretty."  There seems to be a theme there!  It was a pretty good description. Both teams were aggressive on defense - with Arizona being whistled for 26 fouls, including one flagrant foul.  The CARD's 20 points at the free throw line compared to Arizona's 7 was a significant contributor to the final result. 

            As usual, this was a team victory -- ten players entered the game and all of them contributed -- whether it was scoring, rebounding, setting a screen, or just making a defensive play.  But, also as usual, there was an All American with a star-turn and an impressive performance by the "star du jour."  All American Haley Jones had a double-double (18 pts., 16 rebounds) and again put numbers into ever statistical category - adding five assists, a block, and three steals.  Unfortunately, she also had an uncharacteristic four personal fouls and seven turnovers -- giving her, as she put it, something to correct. The "star du jour" was Fran Belibi, one of the "funky four" senior class.  Fran's minutes have been down this year.  She is one of Stanford's loaded group of bigs and has been dealing with an injury to her thumb.  Today she was a star -- a double-double with 14 pts and 10 rebounds and a steal in 17 minutes. 

 

            Fran and Haley were joined in double digit scoring by Hannah Jump and Cameron Brink.  Hannah's four three pointers added to her nation leading total. Cam's four blocks keep her comfortably among the nation's block leaders. Talana Lepolo added four assists to her team leading total along with 6 pts and 3 rebounds. Kiki Iriafen also showed off her speed, court sense, and defensive chops. Indya Nivar and Lauren Betts also displayed the exciting talent that will make this team even stronger as they grow more comfortable in the college game.

 

Questions

 

1. How are fans going to manage without any home games for the next 18 DAYS?!!!

            We've had seven straight home games -- and only five of Stanford's 16 games have been outside of Maples.  I guess we can start by making the trek over to CAL, despite all the flooding and such.  At least all the games will be on the Pac-12 Network.

 

2. How good is this team?

            Stanford was undefeated in December. Tne game against #15 Arizona was expected to be a toughl test.  If it really was, then this group is looking like a truly elite team.   One thing for sure -- it's a fun team to watch.  

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.

 

Pac-12 Play Begins

            

            Stanford tipped-off its Pac-12 season with an easy 90-69 win over Cal. The Bear's only lead came in the opening minute when a 3-pointer from McIntosh put them up 3-2.  Stanford quickly reclaimed the lead on a 3-pointer from Cameron Brink and never looked back.  By game's end, all 15 of Stanford's players had seen action for at least two minutes and 12 players spent at least nine minutes on the court.  Tara was active on the sidelines, instructing her young players and encouraging their play. 

            Haley Jones led all scorers with 21 points in only 27 minutes.  Her stat line - 21 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 block, and 2 steals - reflects Haley's amazing "Swiss Army knife" skill set. But the stat line doesn't include the important leadership role Haley plays.  Her enthusiasm and evident joy on the floor are Steph Curry-like and infectious.  Haley makes the game fun for everybody -- her teammates and the fans!  

            Hannah Jump had the other starring role -- five threes and 17 points.  Cameron Brink scored 11 points in 17 minutes but also managed to pick up three fouls.  Her stat line would undoubtedly been more extensive (she also had five rebounds, two blocks, and two assists) if Stanford had needed her on the floor. The same is true of Kiki Iriafen, who scored 9 points with seven rebounds, an assist, and a steal in her 15 minutes on the floor.  Lauren Betts again averaged almost a point a minute, scoring nine in her ten minutes on the floor. 

            The defense was good, especially in the opening twenty minutes.  Cal's Jada Curry was held to two points in the first half. She did manage 20 points for the game, but most of them were scored against reserves with the game's outcome already settled.  

            The lighthearted-feel good atmosphere carried over into the behind the bench Q&A.  Fans were provided a holiday treat that included an appearance by juniors Cameron Brink and Agnes Emma-Nnopu. Coach VanDerveer shared her delight at having her mother Rita at the game, a rarity due to COVID.  Coach Paye noted that players were scrambling to catch flights to join family for the teams' four-day holiday break.  

 

The Second Part of the Season

 

            For a successful team like Stanford, the season can be divided into three parts.  First comes the non-conference season, then the Pac-12 season, and finally the post-season.  The non-conference season usually has two goals -- to get the team ready to compete in their conference and to establish the team's credentials for post-season seeding.  That first part concluded with the team's victory over Creighton, its twelfth.  Unfortunately, that game was only one of three against ranked teams on Stanford's non-conference dance card.  That changes with the beginning of Pac-12 play.  Four Pac-12 teams are ranked in the top 20 and there isn't a "gimmie" game anywhere.  

            One confusing thing about the Pac-12 season this year is number of familiar players on a different team.  We saw the first round of that against Cal when Peanut Tuitele, previously with Colorado, showed up on the Cal team.  In her post-game comments, Tara pointed out that Stanford is the only Pac-12 school whose roster does not include a transfer from another Pac-12 school!  That should make for an interesting season!  Given the quality of Pac-12 teams, the next 17 games will be exciting -- so get ready to enjoy the journey.

12-1 in Non-Conference Play

Get Ready to Shoot Talana

            For their final game of the non-conference schedule, Stanford defeated #21 Creighton 72 - 59.  It was a game where the final score makes the game look closer than it was. After Creighton scored to make the game 3 - 3 in the opening minute, the Cardinal led the rest of the way.  With 2:41 left in the first quarter, Haley Jones hit a 3 pointer on a pass from Cameron Brink to put the Cardinal up 20-10. After that, Creighton never trailed by less than double digits, going down by as much as 22 points late in the 3rd quarter. By the second quarter it is hard to believe that anybody not sitting on the Creighton bench (and probably not even the folks on that bench) thought the Blue Jays were going to win.

            While the outcome never really felt in doubt, Creighton kept the game from being a total blowout and outscored Stanford in the 2nd and 4th quarters.  Part of that was because the Blue Jays never gave up and their frenetic unscripted style of play allowed them to get some open looks, especially late in the shot clock. Part of it was that, with the probable outcome clear, Tara used a variety of players often in unusual combinations. Thirteen players got minutes, even though the starters got most of the minutes and scored most of the points. Four of the five starters scored in double digits -- led by Talana Lepolo's 17 points. Lepolo responded to a Creighton defensive plan that dared her to shoot by sagging off her to double team other players by knocking down 5 triples!  On a night when Stanford shot 26.9% from three and Hannah Jump came up empty, Lepolo hit over 45% from three.

            It is encouraging to note that although Stanford had a total of 16 turnovers, the two primary ball handlers, Jones and Leoplo only had one.  In fact, the starters had fifteen assists and six turnovers, a respectable ratio.  As the season goes on and the younger players get more experience, those turnovers will almost certainly come down.

 

Conference Play Starts Friday

 

            For Stanford the toughest part of the schedule is coming up with Conference play.  Five Pac-12 schools are ranked in the top 20, including undefeated Utah and UCLA whose only loss was a close game with South Carolina.  Utah, with the addition of Alissa Pili, is going to be a tough team to beat.  Alissa gave the Card fits before she got injured when she played for USC, and she is having a great season.  In fact, it will be hard to find a Pac-12 game that could be taken for granted. Getting through the Pac-12 undefeated would be remarkable.

            The good news is that although considerable East Coast bias still exists, at least Pac-12 teams have gained respect. That matters because respect determines seeding in the NCAA tournament and success in the tournament -- which depends to a considerable extent on seeding -- is based on respect for the quality of the teams played.  There is a degree of circularity to the calculus.  For years, when good teams in the Pac-12 suffered from that East Coast bias, any Pac-12 losses cost Stanford dearly in the seeding equation.  

What we've learned so far

 

            The first thing that stands out about this season is that the current iteration of the Cardinal is just plain fun to watch.  Led by All-American Haley Jones' infectious joy and All-American Cameron Brink's fierce intensity, this team is both exciting and delightful.  In addition to her individual talent, Haley is a leader who makes everybody better and Cam is just plain awesome.  We 've also learned that Talana Lepolo is a point guard.  At the beginning of the season the biggest question mark for Stanford was who was going to handle the ball.  Lepolo has demonstrated that she is ready to be the answer.  She has great court vision, good handles, and can knock down her shots when asked -- or dared -- to do so.  We' also learned that this is still a young team.  Only six of the team's sixteen players are juniors or seniors.  Other than Jones and Brink, only Hannah Jump had averaged more than 20 minutes per game in any prior season.  That means, the best is still to come!!!  Let's enjoy the journey!

 

Questions

 

1.  What is and isn't a flagrant foul?

            At the beginning of the season, it appeared that anytime a player got hit above the neck, officials reviewed the tape to see if they should call the contact excessive and award a technical foul.  On at least one play, Lauren Betts got charged with a technical when it looked to fans (and the TV announcers) that her only fault was "playing basketball while very tall." Recently we have seen Cameron Brink get hit in the head so often and so hard that I keep expecting to hear she is in concussion protocol!  Yet the officials have never reviewed the tape on those hits, much less called the other team for a technical.  It's as if the new rule is that it's okay to hit another player in the head as long as they are taller than you...?

 

2.  Can there be a moving screen if a player never stops moving?

            Before the game, Coach Paye said the Creighton offense was run around like crazy until somebody gets an open shot. Watching Creighton, it often seemed as if their players got free because Stanford players got picked-off of the player they were guarding as that player passed close to a moving teammate. Given the general chaos of the Creighton offense, it is hard to argue that those were actually moving screens -- but it is interesting....

 

3.  Who will get the next solo?

            Stanford's team is sometimes compared to a symphony where each individual is part of making beautiful music and the featured soloist changes.  This season, Haley is the concert master and Cam is a "featured artist" every game -- but the identity of the other star soloist changes.  Against Creighton it was Talana's five three-pointers (and 17 points), but for another game it was Brooke's three-point barrage, and before that Ashton's.  Often it is Hannah's fabulous shooting.  So -- who is going to "go off" on Cal and will the star turn be on offense or defense?

Another Win Against Tennessee

The 1992 Championship Team -- 30 years later!

            Stanford celebrated their 1992 National Championship team this weekend -- and many of the players from that team noted that their championship run was fueled by a December comeback victory over Tennessee at Maples.  We can hope that this year's team will be similarly fueled by their 77 - 70 comeback victory -- erasing an eight-point deficit late in the 3rd Quarter to take a ten-point lead with 25 seconds to go. It is important for a team to gain confidence that they can come back decisively against a good team -- but it would have been a little more comfortable for the fans if this year's team hadn't done this particular full reprise of the 1992 team's experience.  It did make for an entertaining game.

            The game was back and forth for the first half -- freqent lead changes and neither team ahead by more than five points.  Tennessee's Jordan Horston made a layup with one second left to send the game into half-time tied.  The game continued to be close in the third quarter until Stanford hit a roughly five minute dry spell and Tennessee took an eight point lead. With less than 30 seconds left in the third, Agnes Emma-Nnopu got a block to start a Stanford possession that ended the quarter with a Cameron Brink three pointer!  That cut the Tennessee lead to five points and gave the Cardinal a huge momentum swing.  The team and the crowd were electrified.  Stanford came out determined for the fourth quarter and with just under eight minutes to go, Stanford took a lead on a Brink layup (assisted by Brooke Demetre) and never trailed again.

 

Brink, Jones an' Jump

 

            This game put two basketball truisms on full display: "Basketball is a team game" and "Big-time players play big in big games." This was a team win.  Every one of the eleven players who got into the game contributed to the win -- whether it was setting a screen, hitting a key basket, getting an assist, grabbing a rebound, boxing out, a defensive play, or just giving somebody else a rest.  Some of those things didn't show up on the stat sheet -- but they mattered. Yet 59 of Stanford's 77 points and 31 of the team's 53 rebounds were recorded by the three starters with National Championship experience -- Cameron Brink, Haley Jones, and Hannah Jump.  Our preseason All-Americans Brink and Jones both had double-doubles. 

Brink wins the tip-off

Cameron scored 21 points, 17 rebounds, and tied her career high with six blocks.  Those six blocks significantly under count the number of Tennessee shots that didn't go in because of Brink.  Time and time again, Cameron's presence caused Tennessee players to change their normal shot -- and the result went awry often becoming a Stanford rebound. Haley's 19 points and 12 rebounds came while she played multiple minutes at the point -- her leadership throughout the game was obvious and important. Hannah Jump, Stanford's leading 3-point shooter, again hit the majority of the team's three-pointers while scoring eight points on baskets inside the three-point line and continuing to be perfect from the free-throw line.

 

Getting the rust off

 

            Some people wondered if the Cardinal thought Tennessee would be an easy win. But it is hard to believe that a VanDerveer coached team would take Tennessee lightly!  Especially a Tennessee team that despite a rough start to the season has the talented players who earned Tennessee a top five preseason ranking.  Once Tennessee gets its two "draft pick" transfers Horston and Jackson fully integrated into their team, we can expect to see them playing late into March. 

    This was the Stanford's first game after two weeks off for Fall Quarter final exams.  Stanford players are student athletes -- nobody is taking basket weaving -- and especially for the younger players finals time is stressful.  Even though they practiced during that time, getting back to game focus can take a little time. That is a probable explanation for the team's slow start and regression from the free throw line.  That hypothesis is supported by the free throw stats -- 50% in the first half but 71% in the second.  Those second half numbers are closer to their season norm. The second half field goal percentages also improved, although they remained below Stanford's season average.  However, in the 4th Quarter Stanford made nearly 53% of the shots they attempted and played dominating defense - leading to a solid win.

 

 Planning the comeback

            

This week's Questions

 

            With Finals over, it's time to go back to asking Fan Girl Questions, so here are a few.

 

1.  Will the team that played in the second half against Tennessee show up against Creighton? 

            Creighton just dropped a tough game to #21 Arkansas, so they are going to come in wanting to avoid the back-to-back losses that would likely drop the Blue Jays out of the top 25.  They are one of those smaller, opportunistic teams that can be difficult to contain.  Hopefully the post-finals dust is gone so another comeback won't be needed.

 

2.  Can Cameron Brink stay on the floor longer?

            Although different players step up in almost every game, Haley Jones and Cameron Brink are the team's leaders.  When the two of them are on the floor together, it can be magical.  Cameron is doing better at avoiding silly or over-exuberant fouls, but when she is on the bench the team is just not as good.  We look forward to Brink continuing her improvement in this area -- with Cam on the floor, this team National Championship aspirations are legit. 

 

3.  Will anybody show up for the CAL game?

            This team deserves a good crowd for every game.  Their last game before the Christmas break is at NOON on Friday, Dec. 23.  That is a rough time slot -- folks are running around completing holiday preparations.  Hopefully fans will show up to collect an early Christmas present from the Cardinal!  The team is running a "Warm Coat Drive" at the Cal game -- so bring a contribution for the collection bin!

FastBreak Club Interview with Tara

Coach takes time to talk to FastBreak Club fans!!

Bring a donation of warm clothing to the Tennessee game!   Be there, be loud,

be supportive of this exciting team!

WBCA Award Voting is OPEN

 

            Fan Voting is Open for the WBCA "Starting Five" Award

 

            Before getting into Stanford's most recent game, I want to call attention to the Fan Voting for the WBCA "Starting Five" awards.  Four of our players were nominated -- and more should have been (Hannah Jump for best shooting guard).  These awards give some weight to fan voting.  It is open NOW.  And, unlike governmental elections -- there is nothing wrong with voting early and voting often.  In fact, you can vote every day.  The link is: 

http://www.hoophallawards.com/women/vote.php

 

            Stanford Players Start Dead-Week and Fall Finals on a High Note

 

            The Stanford women's team go off into their two-week break for finals riding high after defeating 23rd ranked Gonzaga 84-63.  The much-needed rain that has been soaking the Bay Area let up to allow fans to get to the game, but inside Maples the Cardinal buried Gonzaga in a storm of threes! Stanford hit fifteen three-pointers (15 of 28 for a torrid 53.6%). The three-point barrage was led by Brooke Demetre's five and Hannah Jump's four, but six other Stanford players hit one apiece.  Over half of Stanford's 84 points came from behind the arc!  Brooke's five three-pointers and 17 total points were both career highs for this talented sophomore.  

            Tara likes to say that teams have to pick their poison when you play the Cardinal.  Gonzaga apparently took one look at the way Stanford has been dominating teams with points-in-the-paint and decided to limit inside play. That was a reasonable decision given that, on average, over 45 of Stanford's points per game had come from players who had made a combined TOTAL of SIX three-point shots in Stanford's first 10 games. They guarded Hannah Jump (the nation's leading three-point shooter) and Ashton Prechtal (Stanford's second leading three-point shooter) tight but otherwise packed the paint. What they didn't count on was Demetre.  Earlier in the season Brooke had a number of good looks from three rim out -- and both Tara and Cameron Brink say the team has confidence in Brooke's high arcing, quick release shot.  The Gonzaga game was her game to shine.  

 

            The All-American's make it Look Easy

 

            Of course, our All-American's continued to play like All-Americans.  Cameron had another double-double - 16 rebounds, 14 points, two assists, a block, a steal -- and only ONE foul. Haley scored 12 points, had five rebounds, one steal and SIX assists (and zero turnovers) while taking on point guard duty for the 13 minutes when Lepolo was not on the floor. But lots of players contributed.  Eight players had double-digit minutes, and Bosgana had nine.  Lauren Betts only played five minutes but had eight points, three rebounds and a block.  

            Gonzaga came limping into Maples on a hot streak. How can that be -- well Gonzaga had recent wins over Louisville (in overtime), Marquette, and Tennessee and blowouts of several other teams but injuries and illness left then with only 7 healthy players.  Those seven players played hard.  In the end Stanford's talent, depth, and coaching were too much for the Zags.  

 

            The Chess Match

            

            At the pre-game chalk talk, Coach Steding said that because the two teams know each other well, this was likely to be a bit of a chess match with coaches making plans and adjustments to take away what the other team does well.  Stanford did a good job on Gonzaga's leading scorer Ejim -- holding her to eight points for the game.  But Kaylynne Truong burned the Cardinal for 20 points in the first half.  She got two points in the second half as Tara's defensive adjustments worked. Gonzaga wasn't able to successfully adjust its defense as the Cardinal hit seven of their 15 threes in the second half winning that half by a 12-point margin. 

 

            In the Spirit of Finals -- Questions

            With the team hitting the books for finals, it seems like a good time to ask a few questions.

 

1.  How much better can this team get?

            Stanford isn't playing the Princeton offense this year.  One of Coach Vanderveer's hallmarks is that she adjusts what she asks her team to do based on the strengths of the players she has.  The Princeton offense is a complex guard heavy offense - it is hard to learn.   This year's team is loaded with talented POST players but has mostly young and/or inexperienced (although also talented) guards.  The flow offense Stanford is using this year doesn't require the intricate work of reading and reacting and it is easier to learn - but the team is still learning!  The puzzle pieces are AMAZING.  Each of the returning players has improved and the freshmen are incredibly talented.  The team is playing at a very high level. But they haven't truly meshed yet...!  What will it look like as the young players gain  confidence in their ability to play at this level and the entire team has mastered the new offense? South Carolina had most of the pieces back from their championship run -- yet we were toe-to-toe with them down to the final seconds of overtime.  This team will only get better, and we will have fun watching them do that.

 

2. Is Haley Jones the best small forward in the country?

            Tara calls Haley a "Swiss Army Knife player."  She is so talented and so versatile.  She can do anything -- and does.  Haley's versatility is reflected in her stats.  She doesn't lead the Cardinal in any positive category -- but she is second in almost every category.  (Okay, Haley is third in total blocks behind Cam with 33- and Lauren with 11.)  In addition to doing everything and doing it well, the biggest thing Haley does is make everybody on her team better.  She is the personification of unselfish, a leader whose enthusiasm is contagious. Haley is on the WBCA ballot for small forward -- and in my book she's the best.

 

3.  Is Cameron Brink the best power forward in the country? 

            Cam was already a pre-season All American -- that was based on what people saw her do LAST year.  This year she is even better.  She has moved out to the wing, added a confident 3-point shot to her game and is showing an ability to drive to the basket.  Even better -- her free throw shooting has improved!  Cam has had a number of games where she was PERFECT from the line.  She is second in the nation in blocks, leads the team in rebounds, and is tied with Hannah Jump as the team's high scorer.  But she also leads the team in personal fouls. Cam has improved from last year in that regard -- but she needs to continue to reduce the fouls to truly live up to her potential.  Cam is on the WBCA ballot for power forward -- another winner in my book.