Stanford’s Season Ends in the Sweet Sixteen

So the Stanford’s Women’s Basketball Team lost to a very good Notre Dame team 81-60 in the Sweet Sixteen. Not every team can win a championship, and Stanford, Pac-12 Tournament Champions, sure showed those nay-sayers who did not even think they would get this far.

Oddly, it was the first time Stanford’s head coach Tara VanDerveer and Notre Dame’s Muffet McGraw have coached against each other in the post season. They are usually on opposite ends of the bracket with one of them running into the buzz saw that is UConn. Even more oddly, it was only the third time the two teams have met (Stanford won both in the 90’s).

Stanford's Eric McCall went up against a tough and tall Notre Dame Defense (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

The lack of a strong post player who can bang around and score definitely hurt against Notre Dame, although hats off to Erica McCall for scoring 12 and grabbing 10 boards for a double double. Our freshie rebounding Phenom Kailee Johnson had a tougher time when she was in. She finished with zero points and one rebound. She would be wise to work on finishing around the basket for next year.

Also hurting us was when guard Lili Thompson pulled up short with a knee injury. Stanford was only down by five with about nine minutes left in the first half. Replays didn't show her having a traumatic event, just crumpled when running, but she was in a lot of pain. She went to the locker room for most of the first and Notre Dame made some runs. She was never really herself after that and not very effective in the second. She finished with two points.

The third thing hurting us was Notre Dame guard Lindsey Allen. She scored a career high 24 first half points, and made four 3-pointers. I know Stanford was keying on Notre Dame’s other guard Jewel Loyd, and limited her to six points in the first, but you have to at least get a hand in the face of Allen. To illustrate her hot hand, she made 16 threes all season long. Stanford gambled she would not keep hitting, but they also should have gotten to her faster on defense.

Stanford bomber, Bonnie Samuelson tried to keep Stanford in it hitting her threes in the first, but not much production from everyone else.

In the second half, Stanford finally stopped Allen (or she got cold) but then Jewel Loyd got hot. With Lili being limited in minutes, Bri Roberson was in and got into foul trouble, playing with three for most of the game. She was tentative on defense on Loyd and it showed.

However it was nice on the other end of the floor to see Bonnie to continue hitting her threes. When she hit her fifth of the game, she made ND’s Coach take a time out and take out her big player to put a smaller guard on Bonnie. It worked. Bonnie was then ineffective. She finished the game with 17.
Once Lloyd took over, and ND got a few fast break points, all the wind in Stanford’s sails was gone, and that’s all she wrote. Except Imma gonna write more!

It was not how Stanford or their fans wanted it to end, but if any coach did more with less, it was Tara VanDerveer getting great production out of her guards with a completely new offense. Stanford will miss all their seniors, none more than steady guard Amber Orrange and dead-eye Bonnie Samuelson.

Thank you all for a great season!

Now, to see if anyone can knock off UConn (no one gave us a shot in November!)

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Stanford Survives First Round of NCAA Tourney

They say this time of the year survive and advance. They say a win is a win is a win. They say it is okay to win ugly.

C and R say we are very worried for round two.

The Stanford Women’s Basketball team, a number 4 seed played Cal State Northridge (CSUN), number 13 seed, in the first round of the NCAA tournament. Stanford won 73-60, but not before squandering a 20-7 first-half lead. It will be hard to survive and advance when your team goes eight minutes without scoring, as Stanford did in the first, and be behind at the half 29-28 at the half. Stanford offense stalled big time, looking disjointed and jerky. The usually smooth guards kept picking up their dribble, severely disrupting the flow of offense.

Granted, Stanford went on a 24-4 run early in the second, handing CSUN their own seven minute draught, but again Stanford let CSUN come back within six with two minutes left. The next game, two days away is with an Oklahoma team that scored 111 points in their first round victory. No, C’s cat did not sit on her keyboard, Oklahoma scored 111 in a regulation game, no over time needed. (Fun fact, Stanford BBall alum Lindy LaRoque, is a graduate assistant coach for OU). Some defense will have to be played and some shots made by Stanford if they want to survive and win this one. But as R said, if anyone can study the opponent and come up with a good game plan, it is Stanford head coach Tara VanDerveer.


Lili Thompson has her game face on!
(Photo By: StanfordPhoto.com) Hats off to “Tournament Taylor,” that being Taylor Greenfield, the one person who could create her own offense and score. Taylor scored 19 points and was joined in double figures by Lili Thompson with 17, Bonnie Samuelson with14 points (she made three out of four 3-pointers) and Erica McCall added 10. And believe C and R, they will need more points against OU.

More fun facts, this victory gave Tara VanDerveer her 800th victory at Stanford. She became the 10th college basketball coach -- men's or women's -- with at least 800 victories at a single Division I school ... And, Stanford won their 500th game at Maples Pavilion (with just 87 losses).
See ya Monday at Maples.

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Stanford Women's Basketball Beats LA

Once again it was a tale of two halves for the Stanford Women’s Basketball Team. At least this time after finding themselves down early in the first they dug themselves mostly out of it before it got too late.

Stanford traveled to the land of Beat LA, oops, we mean UCLA. UCLA, boasting the best recruiting class in the country, came out hot. Their freshmen, Jordin Canada is something special, playing with a broken nose and the dreaded mask. She scored 14 in this game, mostly on drives to the basket. Keep your eye on her in the coming years.

For the first half, Stanford went with their three guards and two bigs like they did in the second half against Arizona State when they had that incredible comeback that fell thisssss short. Bri Roberson got the start as the third guard, and it was Bonnie Samuelson instead of Erica McCall joining Stanford’s freshie Kaylee Johnson in the paint.

Couldn’t find a photo of Bri Robersonb in action, so here she is hugging Lili Thompson (Photo: Scott Strazzante, The Chronicle)

Bri Roberson is just a breath of fresh air, with her speed and quickness. Her drives to the basket make you ask “how did she score that?” Stanford’s play this year is the dribble penetrate by the guards and if nothing is there, kick out to the three point line.

Bonnie Samuelson is Stanford’s go-to shooter, and although she made two 3-pointers in the first, surpassing Jennifer Azzi and Lindsey Yamasaki for career threes, she missed a whole bunch more. Well, the whole team did, going 4-14 from the 3-point line in the first. And when they missed, Stanford didn’t get the rebound. What was worse, UCLA made their threes, six for ten, or 60% for those of you scoring at home.

UCLA also doesn’t waste time after a made basket. They go straight to the other hoop and no one with an “S” on their chest stopped ball or got in front of the ball handler. UCLA really used that to their advantage in the first and got up by 10 over Stanford in the first.

Stanford stayed with it and got some defensive stops and some buckets by Amber Orrange. Stanford also go UCLA’s bigs in foul trouble and they had to sit while we shot. Stanford attempted 29 free throws in this game. By half time Stanford was only down 37-40.

Okay, funny moment when Karlee Samuelson was fouled and sister Bonnie, who makes her free throws 90% of the time, went to the line to shoot. The refs caught it and made Karlee take the shots. Still.

Like the last game, Stanford Head Coach Tara VanDerveer did some great adjustments and got her team fired up to open the second. Same thing here. Stanford started the second half with an 11-2 run and did not trail the rest of the game.

Also, UCLA was not hitting their threes, we think they got one with about eight minutes left but that was it .Stanford by contrast WAS hitting threes; for the game, they made 11 on 26 tries. They were patient on offense, working the clock, waiting for that open shot.

UCLA battled back and got within six but there was only two minutes left and then they had to play the foul game. Final score 79-70.

Shout outs:
-Well, there were four Stanford players in double figures, three in the 20s.
-Briana Roberson earned her first start of the season and scored a career-high 21 points. She averages around six points.
-Bonnie Samuelson added 21 points and went 4-10 from the 3-point line.
-Amber Orrange had 20 before she fouled out shortly before the end of the game. She also had four steals and stellar defense.
-Freshie Kaylee Johnson had her 4th double-double with 10 points and a game-high 17 rebounds.

On to USC.

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Stanford Wins in OT over Washington State

Just a quick write up about Stanford’s overtime win over Washington State, as there was a LOT of football on today. Did you know that Stanford has played three overtime games this season, and are two out of three? Did you also know Stanford has NEVER lost to Washington State, and had a 57-0 record going into this game? Think if they lost!

Stanford leaves the state of Washington with a win over Washington State and Washington. Both games had similar themes. In this game vs WSU, Stanford lived and died by their guard play. The post players continue their struggles to finish, but got some better results. Kaylee Johnson got it together and scored 13. Erica McCall also pulled down six rebounds. This game, though, Stanford’s Taylor Greenfield stepped up in the first, scoring seven, which earned her a starting spot in the second. She would end the game with eleven points. It was nice to have more players in double figures than just the guards.

Kaylee Johnson had 13 points and 15 rebounds in Stanford's overtime win. (Photo by Hector Garcia Molina/stanfordphoto.com)

In the first half both teams were pretty evenly matched, with both teams shooting around 38%, the difference being WSU forced Stanford into eight turnovers which lead to nine points. WSU by comparison only had two turnovers and Stanford got no points from them. Stanford also was 4-8 from the 3-point line, in the first, but WSU kept pace, going 4-9.

The Stanford guard play of Amber Orrange and Lili Thompson, as we mentioned, was well scouted by Washington. When Amber drove left, they were on to it and were able to limit it. It didn’t help matters that Lili Thompson started out cold and didn’t score in the first half. She would make up for it in the second.
WSU has a pretty impressive pair of guards as well, so nickname the Tia and Lia show. Tia Presley and Lia Galdeira can score, too. However, Stanford can scout, too, and held them to 3-12 shooting in the first.

Stanford had several long stretches in the first where they could not score, and were lucky to only be down by five, 28-33, at the half.

In the second, Amber Orrange played lock-down defense on Lia, but Lili had a more difficult time with Tia. She got hot and scored 16 in the second, totaling 23 for the game. Washington lead for most of the game, and at one point Stanford was down by 11, but good ol’ three-point specialist Bonnie Samuelson knocked down a three with 2:19 left in regulation to put Stanford within one. Then she knocked down some free throws a few seconds later to give Stanford a one point lead.  Both teams kept trading the lead, mostly on free throws in the final two minutes until Bonnie hit a three with 10 seconds left to put Stanford up by two. But then Stanford made the rookie mistake of not stopping ball and Lia scored a jumper to tie it in the final seconds, 71-71.

When overtime started, one of the Washington State, Mariah Cook players got called for her fifth foul and went down hard. After being helped off the court, all the life seemed to go out of WSU. Stanford’s Briana Roberson iced the game with 6 free throws in the final 44 seconds and Stanford would win 86-76.

Shout out to Six Stanford Scorers in Double Figures (say that seven times fast):
-Amber Orrange scored 19, including a three
-Bonnie Samuelson scored 18 and was 5-of-7 for 3-pointers, her second time this season with at least that many 3-point makes
-Lili Thompson added 13, including 2-4 from three point land
-Kaylee Johnson notched her third career double-double with 13 points and 15 rebounds and one block
-Taylor Greenfield scored a season-high 11, and was 4-4 from the line
-Roberson was a perfect 8-8 from the line, to end up with 10 points.

Now back home against the Arizonas.

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Stanford Survives Colorado

They say the Pac-12 is up for grabs (Or else C and R said it is, can’t remember if we read it or dreamt it). The statement was in action when the Stanford Women’s Basketball Team played Colorado. The lead changed hands four times and Stanford squandered an 11 point lead and let Colorado get within three with a minute to go before pulling out a 62-55 win.

Stanford, having seen the Ogwumike sisters graduate, miss their ability to put close games away with their rebounding and points, and there does not seem to be anyone from Stanford taking their place, at least not in the post position. Stanford guard Amber Orrange was the closest thing Stanford had to a take-charge player. To Amber’s credit, she scored a career high 26 points. Unfortunately, it seemed to be the same play, Amber driving to the basket from the left (she did score two 3-pointers to keep the defense honest). For variety, Amber drove right. She would either get the bucket or the foul. And if your game plan is to draw fouls, you need to make free throws. Stanford was 12-21 or 57% as a team. The fact that Amber scored 12 of Stanford’s final 17 points in the final 10 minutes could be looked upon as a good thing…or bad thing, meaning no one else stepped up.

Amber Orrange scored a career-high 26 points. (Photo by Bob Drebin/stanfordphoto.com)

Stanford’s other guard, Lili Thompson also played big. She scored 17 points, and made two 3-pointers. The guards combined for 43 of the points, and no one else was in double figures. As C and R have said in other blog posts, Stanford’s lack of post play is hurting them on offense. Tonight it even hurt then on defense. Colorado’s posts were able to score almost at will when they got the ball in the paint. Special shout out to three point specialist Bonnie Samuelsson who had noticeable good D, limiting Colorado’s taller players and using her long arms to stop Colorado from shooting. We notice Colorado was 1-10 for threes for the game. Other special shout out to Erica Payne. When she was inserted into the lineup, she added some much needed hustle and intensity and seemed to pick the team up.

Speaking of paint, Colorado came into this game leading the Pac-12 in rebounds (no we didn’t make that up, we read that). The rebounding for this game was about even, Stanford with 37 and Colorado with 35. (Although it looked to C and R like Colorado was holding the Stanford players on box outs, especially in the first half). It hurt Stanford to have their leading rebounder, Kaylee Johnson sitting the bench for most of the first half with two fouls. The freshmen would foul out with two minutes left and only five rebounds and no points in her 19 minutes. The freshie will have to learn how not to foul when blocking, something Stanford center Jayne Appel had to learn her freshmen year, too.

Something new C and R saw tonight was Stanford’s full court press. It is used so rarely, and when it is only for a play or two. This time Head Coach Tara VanDerveer used it for a good portion of the second half. However, no good deed goes unpunished. Colorado also pressed Stanford, and they have not traditionally been good breaking it. When guard Amber Orrange was on the beach, Stanford looked frazzled. Stanford had 16 turnovers to Colorado’s 13. It kept the game close.

Still a win is a win. Looking forward to the rest of the Pac-12 season.

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Stanford Blows Out UC Santa Barbara

Stanford blew out UC Santa Barbara 90-34. The undersized gauchos only shot 20% the first 20 minutes, resulting in 13 points at the half. And what exactly is a gaucho, you ask? Well, we learned from a helpful person wearing a UC Barbara shirt that a gaucho is an Argentinean cowboy, and not stylish short pants.

Brittany McPhee (12) rebounds next to teammate Amber Orrange (33) (GEORGE NIKITIN — AP Photo)

With the lopsided score, Stanford Head Coach Tara VanDerveer got to rest her starters and play all 15 Stanford players, and 12 of them scored. Even with the limited minutes, four players were in double figures. Lili Thompson lead Stanford with 12, Karlee Samuleson and Briana Roberson each had 11, and freshie Brittany McPhee had 10. Loved Brittanys hustle, diving after balls, making blocks, and doing the little things to help her team. Bonnie Samuelson added nine. Speaking of the sharp-shooting Samuelson sisters (say that five times fast), each made three 3-pointers, going a combined 6-9 from downtown. Shout out to Erica McCall with a career high 12 rebounds and eight points. Double shoot out to Jasmine Camp who scored her first basket of the season, a three. She followed that up with a second three pointer.

And yet…

Here, let’s let our guest blogger, D, tell you about it (She got to take R’s place, who is out of town for the holidays).
D: Two things I noticed. When the Stanford posts screen, they are not effective. The other team sees them coming and can slip by the screen.
C: I heard the other team shout our “screen” as it was being set.
D: Exactly, the screen is telegraphed too much.
C: And you can’t discount the fact Stanford has been doing this high screen all season long and teams are noticing this on game film. What was the other thing?
D: Remember that cheer. BE aggressive, B-E aggressive!?
C: Yes.
D:  The post players are just not aggressive, in my opinion. They are not absolute ball hounds going for rebounds and when they catch the ball outside the paint, they are not a threat. They catch the ball and are on their heels looking for the next pass. They do not look like a threat to shoot or drive. The other team can back off of them on defense. They should be able to hit a shot outside the paint to keep the defense honest.
C: Yes, the lack of post play has been a concern of many who follow Stanford. Let’s hope they can keep working on this as Pac-12 play starts.
D: And what is up with the Stanford Tree?
C: That's three things, and I think he is supposed to be a palm tree.
D: I prefer the more Christmas-tree look of past seasons.
C: You gotta admit he is a great dancer.
D: That he is. Let me go take some video…


Enjoy the rest of 2014. We will see everyone back at Maples in 2015 for Pac-12 play (look out for Oregon State).

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Stanford Wins at Home vs UC Davis

The Stanford women’s basketball team won at home, after their not so successful trip to Tennessee, but the game was closer than the score indicates. The score was Stanford 71, UC Davis 59, but at the half Stanford only had a 34-30 lead. UC Davis played a tough game, out rebounded the Card, and hung around until late in the game.

Stanford also had a bit of a new look on offense. All five players stood on the perimeter. Not a single person in red and white in the key. Then guards would dribble penetrate and kick out to a waiting three point specialist. Most of the time it worked.

Stanford's Bonnie Samuelson (left) scored a career-high 30 points and teamed with her sister, Karlie (44), to help down UC Davis (Photo by Bob Drebin/stanfordphoto.com)

Stanford hit 10 out of 17 of their threes. The Samuelson sisters made nine of them. Speaking of the sisters, they both got the start in this game, and you know how Stanford loves sister combinations. This was the first time both of them have started in the two years they have both been at Stanford. Younger Karlie (KSam) usually gets the start, but this was older sister Bonnie’s (BSam) first start this year. And of course starting Bonnie made Stanford head coach Tara VanDerveer look like a genius.

Bonnie scored a career-high 30 points, including six three pointers. It was the fifth time she scored six three and her previous game high was 21 points. She also scored 8-10 free throws. Normally that is a great percentage, but Bonnie had a 44-staight streak going on. So to miss once on FTs for her is rare, twice, doubly rare. She had not missed a FT since December 28, 1990. Although when UC Davis played the foul game at near the end Stanford smartly gave her the ball to absorb the foul.And oh, Bonnie’s 30 was the first non-Ogwumike 30-point game at Stanford since Jeanette Pohlen on December 30, 2010.

Freshmen Kaylee Johnson added 11 points and 11 rebounds for Stanford (7-4). Her second double double game. No one else got in double figures, which must vex Tara, and strangely, the other three was made by Lii Thompson but was her only points for the game. She started out the year with a couple of great games including 24 against UConn, (‘member that game?). Not sure what has happened to make her production go down.

Next game is after Christmas on December 28 back at Maples. Hope the players get to go home for the holidays and refresh before the Pac-12 conference games start in January.

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Stanford Beats Santa Clara After Long Lay Off

The Stanford Women’s Basketball Team shook off the rust of a two week vacation, if you call studying and taking finals at Stanford a vacation, and beat neighbor Santa Clara in a not very neighborly fashion. Although the final score was 82-43 and Stanford Head Coach Tara VanDerveer got to play everyone healthy, Stanford really did look rusty.

Stanford came out slow, and played from behind for the first four and a half minutes of the game. Stanford also did not make many threes, just going 4-9 for the game. In fact, Stanford’s three point specialist Bonnie Samuelson made the first Stanford three with about one minute to play in the first half. However Stanford did finish the first half strong, going on a 22-4 run.. Santa Clara had zero free throw attempts in the first (and went 1-4 for the game).

Kaylee Johnson had 22 rebounds. (Photo by Bob Drebin/stanfordphoto.com)

What was working in the first half was freshmen Kaylee Johnson. She was a rebounding fool. She has 11 boards in the first half, and finished the game with 22, which tied her career high set at New Mexico this year. She also scored nine points. In only eight games so far this season, she has two 20+ rebounding games. Quick, can you name another outstanding Stanford rebounder who had multiple 20+ rebounding games in a season? Answer, Chiney Ogwumike, who holds the Pac-12 rebounding record. Kaylee’s high school coach said she would break that record, and now we know he was not blowing smoke! But wait, there’s more. Kaylee Johnson is the only player in the whole NCAA with multiple 20-rebound games this season.

What was working for Stanford as a team in the second half was better ball movement, points off turnovers and second chances on put backs. They won the rebounding war 57-33. And Tara rested her starters to give her bench playing time.

Other career highs
Amber Orrange scored a season high 20 points and it was her 4^th career game of at least 20 points. Her career high is 22, I believe set against UConn (‘remember that game?). Freshmen Brittany McPhee scored a career high 11 points (Bonnie Samuelson was the only other player besides Brittany and Amber to score in double figures. She added 11 from the bench).

So now Stanford travels back east to the land of too early games and too cold weather to play two Tennessee teams. They first play pardon me boy, is that the chattanooga choo choo (Chattanooga) and then the Tennessee Lady Vols. Pat Summit might be gone, but they physical style of play is not. Will be another big test on the road for Stanford. Hope they pass.

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Stanford Beats UConn in OT 88-86

There are so many outstanding moments to highlight in Stanford’s come-from-behind, overtime win over #1 UConn, ending a 47-game win streak. Yes, that’s right, we said it... The Stanford Women’s Basketball team beat UConn!!

Nom, Nom Nom
That is the sound of C and R eating their words. Heck, it is the sound of the Nation eating their words. NO one believed Stanford could do it, not the National Media, not the local media, not UConn, not the Stanford fans, not the bloggers and tweeters, including us, Stanford’s biggest homer fans. Heck, even Stanford Head Coach Tara VanDerveer was hedging her bets, saying in a SJ Merc article that this will be a great learning situation regardless of the score, just want to see the team battle. Mea Culpe to you, Stanford team.

Stanford's Amber Orrange (33) takes on UConn (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)

So, as we said, there are so many great moments in this game. The Freshmen Kaylee  Johnson pulling down big boards (wonder how those announcers faired on ESPN2 with the two Johnsons, Kaylee and Kailee, no relation, and the two Samuelson sisters, who are related and what about youngest Samuelson going to UConn? Think she is regretting that decision right about now? But we digress).

Oh yeah, big plays: Stanford guards Amber Orrange and Lili Thonpson driving the lane for baskets in TVD’s new offense, including Amber’s pair of lay ins in the final seconds to keep it close. Or how about Amber’s three with 1.4 seconds left in regulation to tie the game at 77? UConn guarded the Samuelsons but left Amber alone…BAM. Lili was flying all over the floor and scored 24, including two free throws to cut the lead to 71-70 with 42 seconds to play. However it was Amber Orrange’s 17 points at key, key points that kept Stanford in it. Amber even made a go-ahead jumper with 1:38 left in overtime, and was trending on twitter, something that is hard to do for women’s sports.

And what about D? In overtime, Stanford forced a 5-second violation and prevented the Huskies from getting off a final shot on OT. Stanford shut down UConn’s three point shooter, Kalena Mosqueda-Lewis. She was guarded primarily by Karlie Samuelson, had only two points in the half. She only got four shots off and missed them all. Her points came on the free-throw line. She finally made her first basket, a three, with 9:40 left in regulation. UConn’s preseason All-America Breana Stewart, at one point in the second half, scored about 8 points in like, two seconds to start to pull UConn away, and C turned to R and said, oh no, here we go. She looks like a player who could take over a game, like our very own Nneka Ogwumike. And then she disappeared. If she can learn that skill to go for the kill, then they will be unstoppable. This variation of UConn looked beatable.

But, there before the grace of god go I...or us...or Stanford. Really, with a two point win in OT, it was really just one bad foul call away from going the other way. I just want to give a shout out to all the UConn fans I saw in social media. They were gracious, and if there were any bad sports, C and R don’t want to hear about them. Yes, this is just the second game of the season, both teams will look very differently in March, when the games really count. We know, we know. Someone on twitter said, after watching the Stanford student body storm the court, geez, Stanford acts like they won the National Championship or something. When you feel like an underdog, and it is reflected back to you by so many outside sources, this IS a national championship, a very hard thing to win, and something that those players will remember forever.

Looking forward to a great season! C and R really, really mean it this time!

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Stanford Shines in Preseason

Stanford women’s Basketball Fans got a look at what we have been waiting for: The Stanford Women’s Basketball Team. More specifically, this offense that is dubbed “not the triangle.”
Stanford played NAIA Vanguard University, and despite the lack of height (although Vanguard was even smaller), ran all over them to the tune of 105-50. And boy do we mean run. Sophomore Briana Roberson is so, so quick.

Sophomore guard Lili Thonpson is picking up right where she ended her freshmen year, hitting killer shots, pushing the ball, seeing the floor well, and not backing down. She was a bright spot among many (four Stanford players in double figures). Lili scored 26 points. Fellow sophomore Erica McCall had 15 points and 10 boards, one of the players in double figures but she hit hers in the first half! Karlie Samuelson (KSam) added 17 points in 19 minutes. Her specialties are threes and she was 3-6 behind the line. Freshmen Kaylee Johnson had 12 points and 16 boards.

Lili Thompson goes for two (Photo Courtesy of GoStanford -Stanford Official Site)

Yes, we have two players with the same last names, and no they are not sisters. One is Sophomore Kailee Johnson and one is Freshmen Kaylee Johnson. One is pronounced Kay-lee and one is pronounced Ki-lee, but we can’t tell you which one is which. Not to be confused with two players with the same last name of Samuelson, who ARE sisters. Senior Bonnie and sophomore Karlie, hence the BSam and KSam nicknames. Maybe for the Johnsons, KJ1 and KJ2 for the freshie? Or thing 1 and thing 2? What do they do in practice?

Speaking of freshmen, C and R were hoping to get a good look at all the freshies, but one stayed under wraps and on the bench. Kailee Johnson started and scored (See above), Taylor Rooks came in the second half but did not score. We did not get to see freshie Brittany McPhee.

So Stanford proved they were able to score without a triangle or a super tall person. There were a couple of times where they did all the right things, cut to the basket, passed, hit the open man, but the ball did not fall. That is fixable and will come later. C and R were a little leery of the defense. When a Vanguard guard drive by our guards, other Stanford players had trouble picking them up and impeding their path to the basket. Something super all-everything Chiney Ogwumike was very, very good at doing. But it is still early…. And preseason.

Looking forward to more.

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