A Great Team in the Making? Chemistry and Intensity

 

  Warren Grimes

After scoring a mere 87 points against unranked Hawaii, Stanford put up 96 against 9^th ranked Indiana.  Indiana coach Teri Moren described Stanford as “terrific.”  Maybe she was right. 

Indiana met Stanford at Maples on a Sunday mid-November afternoon.  Stanford looked like a formidable final four team.  Indiana scored 64 points but trailed massively early on, with Stanford holding a 54-26 lead at the end of the first half.  The final margin of victory was 32 points.

Indiana is a very good team, likely to compete for a big-10 championship, but Stanford brought intensive defense and unselfish inside-outside play on offense that the Hoosiers could not match.  Is Stanford better than last year?  A bit early to say, but things are looking pretty good.

The loss of All American Haley Jones was big, but that loss is being offset.  This year’s team brings an intangible team chemistry, led by leaders like Cameron Brink.   Brink, and others, bring experience, intensity, and unselfish team play.  In addition to chemistry, there are at least two other notable strengths to this team that contribute to its inside-outside dominance.  First, the returning veterans are improved.  Second, the three freshmen, led by Nunu Agara, are impressive. 

Kiki Iriafen’s improvement, while perhaps expected, is noteworthy.  Last year, Iriafen averaged 6.7 points and 3.8 boards per game.  This year, after two games, the average is 21.5 points and 12 boards.  Last year, Iriafen shared a lot of minutes with Lauren Betts, but the combined total of those two players was 12 points and 7.3 boards.  I expect Iriafen’s totals will moderate as the season progresses, but she is now a part of the best post duo in the conference.  I expect double-doubles will be frequent in Iriafen’s junior season.

The other half of that duo is All American Cameron Brink.  Brink has benefitted from playing 3 on 3 basketball over the past Summer.  Her post moves are quicker than ever, and she has hit 2 of her 4 three-point attempts so far.  She leads the team in boards with 12.5 per game despite playing an average of just 22.5 minutes so far.  Against Indiana, she had 20 points, 17 boards, and 4 blocks (2 against Indiana’s All American center Mackenzie Holmes).  Stretching back to last season, Brink has made over 50 consecutive free throws, and she gets lots of opportunities.

Other starters are also showing improvement.   Fifth year senior Hannah Jump leads the team in minutes played and has converted three-point shots at a 50% rate.  She seems more active in give and go moves, scoring six of her nine baskets inside the three-point line.  Elena Bosgana has started two games and is averaging 10 points per game on a combination of threes and interior moves.

Starting point guard Talana Lepolo continues with major minutes as a ball handler (and swishing 2 of 3 three-point attempts against Indiana).

I’ve not mentioned Brooke Demetre, who once again with her steadiness and outside shooting may lead the team in minutes off the bench.  She can help out in the post positions, as she did late-game against Indiana.

Jzaniya Harriel is a veteran guard also likely to get more minutes this season.  Harriel is averaging 15 minutes and 3 points per game so far. 

Now let’s talk about the freshmen, starting with Nunu Agara.  The preseason hype on 6’2” Agara was that she could play the shooting guard position well and help elsewhere.  That was an understatement, particularly with respect to her inside game.  So far, Agara is averaging 15.5 points (second highest on the team) and 5 boards in an average of just 18 minutes per game.  Wow!  Agara turns out to be quick, strong, and creative on the inside.  She can also shoot from distance (1 for 2 so far).  Although not the highest ranked of the three incoming freshmen (Agara was ranked no. 37 by ESPN Hoopgurlz), she may get more minutes (and a starting assignment) more quickly than her classmates.  Her teammate Cameron Brink says Agara can play any of the 1-5 positions.

Courtney Ogden, ranked no. 10 by Hoopgurlz, is a shooter, but at 6’1” also someone who can battle inside. Ogden is averaging 13 minutes and 3.5 points.  I see an upward curve for Ogden as she adjusts to the faster collegiate game. 

Chloe Clardy, a guard ranked no. 39 by Hoopgurlz, has a great handle and three-point shooting skills, also averaging 3.5 points in just under 13 minutes.  She can play the point and shoot the three (3-8).  Her future looks bright.

The chemistry seems exceptional.  The players play with intensity and support for one another.  The future looks bright for a team that has superior inside-outside potential.   

New Season Optimism: How Much?

Warren Grimes

Best Year Ever!

That’s the slogan for this year’s Stanford women’s basketball team in the final year of Pac-12 play.

Can that happen?  Here are two takes on the prospects for this year’s team.  The first lists some reasons why optimism should be guarded.   The second examines why the team could substantially outperform its preseason ranking of 15 (AP poll).

Reasons for Guarded Optimism

Stanford has lost versatile All-American Haley Jones.   A point forward who could lead the fast break, Jones led the team in assists and steals; she was a close second to Cameron Brink in points and rebounds.  She was a go-to player able to create her own shot in a crowded interior.. 

Jones was one of two #1 ranked high school recruits that left the team.  The other was promising post Lauren Betts, who transferred to UCLA.  Another transfer loss was Indya Nivar, an athletic and versatile guard who left to play at North Carolina.

The loss of Betts, Ashten Prechtel and Jones means Stanford has lost depth and rebounding in the post positions.  Once the conference’s leader in post depth, Stanford is now a bit thin in these positions.

Meanwhile, the road to a conference championship is as difficult as it’s ever been.  The conference’s top five rivals for Stanford have maintained a solid roster or even improved (UCLA being a primary example).  UCLA and Utah are ranked #4 and #5 in the preseason AP poll and three more Pac-12 teams are ranked behind Stanford in the top 25 (Colorado, USC and WSU).  Arizona, Oregon, and Washington also received votes.

Reasons Stanford May Exceed Expectations

Stanford brings back four of its five starters from last year.  Those four, and other veterans, will be better, more experienced players. Cameron Brink and Kiki Iriafen are probably the best four-five combination in the conference.  Brink is a candidate for the Naismith award.  Iriafen is an improving strong and athletic post player with solid moves and rebounding skills.  In addition, Hanna Jump, who has improved every year, will be back as a three-point shooting guard as good as any in the conference. 

Talana Lepola also returns as the team’s starting guard with a good handle and an excellent 2:1 assist/turnover ratio.  Lepola can increase the team's offensive diversity if she asserts herself from the three-point line. 

To replace Jones, there are several prospects, including veteran Elena Boscana.  Last year, Boscana shot at a 44% clip overall and 32% from distance.   Her defense is improving, and she can create shots.  Against Dominican, Boscana started and scored 19 points, including 2-4 from distance.  Three-point shooting is a skill that Jones did not demonstrate in her last year at Stanford.  If Jones’ replacement is a three-point threat, this could help open up the inside.    

Last season, Brooke Demetre had more minutes off the bench than any other Stanford player.  Demetre may or may not start, but she is destined again for major minutes.  She is steady, with 2:1 assist-turnover ratio, and can shoot from the outside (33% last year).  Against Dominican, Demetre had an off night shooting but pulled down 12 boards in 21 minutes on the floor.  Expect Demetre to be playing the post positions much more than last year when she was used mostly on the perimeter.  A post player who can shoot from the outside is always a major plus. 

In conference play, Stanford could also benefit from scheduling.  This season, Stanford plays only a single game against four of its top-five ranked opponents.  Stanford has only one home game each against UCLA and USC and only one away game each against Utah and Colorado.

The Role of the Three Freshmen

Its risky to draw too many conclusions from the exhibition game against overmatched Dominican, but the 126 point-performance is a positive.  With Elena Boscana in the starting lineup along with last year’s starters, that group scored 66 points while averaging just over 16 minutes each on the floor.  The group was scoring at .80 points per player per minute.  Not to be forgotten, Stanford’s three freshmen (Nuna Agara, Courtney Ogden, and Chloe Clardy) came off the bench for an average of just over 17 minutes each and contributed 40 points (or .78 points per player per minute).   That's exciting.  The full  story of these freshmen has yet to be written, but all seem destined for major minutes.  Ogden added 10 boards and 2 assists to her 16-point total, all in just 14 minutes on the floor.  Ogden’s ability to score inside and out while rebounding well makes her another promising replacement for Haley Jones. 

We will know more in two weeks, after four more games in a two week period, including one against higher ranked Indiana and another against highly respected Duke.

I'm excited.