Game Two in SF

Wow, has a week gone by already? C and R were going to update you on the baby Stanford women's basketball players and their championship game at the Summer Pro-Am league, but every time we sat down to the computer, more pressing problems took precedence (Say that five times fast).

So, whew, we have a bit of a breather, so let’s get you updated. They lost.

Yes, yes, we were there, on Sunday. After that thrashing they got in the opening game of the best of three series, we were curious to see how their team responded. First, they played with more energy and intensity in general, and that was good to see. Second, they opened the game sticking to their game plan of getting it to Sarah Boothe, who at 6-4,  was the tallest player on the floor, beating their center by a good 5-6 inches. But when the other team’s guards pressured the backcourt, they abandoned the plan. At least the refs did a better job of calling the slapping and fouls on the guards (and rightfully t’d up the opposing coach, again!).  But we could not work it inside. Many passes to Sarah were intercepted or knocked away because we either telegraphed it, throw it too softly or slowly, or made them too low. Geez, throw the ball six inches above Sarah’s outstretched fingers were no one else could get it, have her jump for it, turn and shoot. We lost a lot of passes inside, and that hurt us.  

The score was closer, 75-70, and in the closing minutes we even got it to 71-70 before we played the fouling game to stop the clock. All in all, the Stanford players looked like young colts, wild, energetic, unstructured and undisciplined, Chiney Ogumike in particular. She was jumping all over the place, leaving her man, hair flying out of her ponytail… Although when they didn’t give her a hair time out, she decided to fix it standing in the paint. The sight of 6-3 Chiney standing in the middle of the key with her hands on top of her head, elbows pointed outward were enough to give all opposing players pause. Drive inside and you get an elbow in your eye. Maybe she should play defense that way every day. Well, let Tara VanDerveer get a hold of them and give discipline to their talents, and the full Stanford team again will be a formidable foe.

Now what are C and R going to do with their weekends? (Hint, go see the traveling French Impressionist paintings at the DeYoung, practically right next door to Kezar Pavilion)