Pac-12 play begins with win over Cal

 

Haley keeps an eye on the action. (Godofredo A. Vasquez/AP)

The Stanford women’s basketball team started its Pac-12 schedule by beating Cal 90-69 on Dec. 23 in a home game attended by 3,970.

Sophomore forward Kiki scored first with two free throws. A subsequent 3 by Cal gave the visitors their biggest and only lead less than a minute into the first quarter.

By the time just over four minutes had elapsed, senior guard Haley Jones already had 8 points. By the end of that quarter, she had 12 points on her way to a team- and game-leading 21 points. Her 10 rebounds led both teams, too. 

Hannah gets back in the 3-point groove

Regaining her 3-point prowess, senior guard Hannah Jump launched five treys plus two free throws, leading to 17 points. Junior forward Cameron Brink also was in double figures with 11. Close behind with 9 each were Kiki, freshman center Lauren Betts and sophomore guard Elena Bosgana.

Besides the five 3’s from Hannah, Cameron and Elena also scored from beyond the arc to give the team seven total.

Unlike some previous games, the bench made a significant contribution with 26 points. All 15 players saw action.

Stanford dominated in the paint with 56 points, compared with Cal’s 24. The team out-rebounded Cal 48-25 and led in every quarter.

Among the people there was the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, a Division III team that had defeated UC Santa Cruz 61-60 Dec. 20.

Starting the Behind the Bench, associate head coach Kate Paye said the Cal game “was a great win for our team.”

Players make holiday plans

With her were Cameron and junior guard Agnes Emma-Nnopu. Cameron said that she and her mother, who was at the game, were flying home to Oregon for the holiday. Agnes, who is Australian, said she was going to fly to Los Angeles to meet relatives for a family Christmas.

Joining Kate, head coach Tara VanDerveer said, “we have some spectacular young players.” She noted that her mother, Rita, who lives in Colorado, was at the game along with Tara’s brother.

The team’s Greek players, Elena and freshman guard Stavi Papadaki, were going to Sacramento to spend the holiday with Stavi’s parents, who were visiting from Greece.

Since seven players are Californians, they’re likely to get home with no problem. Given the horrible weather affecting the rest of the country and disrupting travel, getting home might be harder for the four from east of the Sierra.

The team has a four-day break before returning Dec. 28 to prepare for Arizona State at 6 p.m. Dec. 31 and Arizona at 11:30 a.m. Jan. 2, both at home. Pac-12 will show the first game, Pac-12 Networks the second.

 

 

 

Non-conference schedule ends with wins over Tennessee, Creighton

 

Talana brings the ball upcourt during her 17-point game against Creighton. (Jeff Chiu/AP)

Wrapping up its nonconference schedule, the No. 2-ranked Stanford women’s basketball team defeated Tennessee 77-70 on Dec. 18 and No. 21 Creighton 72-59 on Dec. 20, both at home.

In the Creighton game, attended by 2,988, the team unveiled another secret weapon: freshman guard Talana Lepolo. Fans have known Talana as an efficient point guard, making many assists with few turnovers. Shooting seemed secondary, but not in this game. Instead, she let fly five successful 3’s and made another basket to lead the team with 17 points in 32 minutes.

When the final buzzer sounded and the team gathered at center court to celebrate, her teammates hugged Talana and hoisted her. It was a happy moment before the victory balls went out.

Defenses will have to reckon with Talana

Now, instead of focusing so much on senior guard Hannah Jump, as teams have done recently, they’ll have to keep a close watch on Talana.

Senior guard Haley Jones was right behind Talana with 16 points. Junior forward Cameron Brink came next with 14 points and a team-leading 16 rebounds.

Sophomore forward Kiki Iriafen was the other Cardinal in double figures with 11 points. The usually prolific Hannah had an off night with 4points and went 0-5 from beyond the arc.

The team had a total of seven 3’s: five by Talana and one each by Haley and sophomore guard Elena Bosgana.

Trees grab most rebounds

Stanford doubled Creighton in rebounds, 50-25, perhaps because Creighton’s tallest starter is only 6’1” while four of five Stanford starters are 6’0” or taller.

However, the team had 15 turnovers and shot only 58.3% at the free-throw line.

The five starters carried the scoring load with only 10 points from the bench.

The first quarter ended 27-10 with no fouls and five 3’s already. The team was outscored by 3 in the second quarter and 7 in the fourth after prevailing 14-8 in the third. That’s when it had it largest lead, 22 points, with less than two minutes to go.

Kiki provided a fourth quarter highlight by scoring on an out-of-bounds play with only one second on the clock.

Cameron battles for one of her 17 rebounds against Tennessee. (Carlos Avila Gonzalez/SF Chronicle)

Cardinal top the team from Rocky Top

Showing some rust after a two-week break for finals, the team came from behind to defeat Tennessee 77-70 on Dec. 18.

In a Maples filled with 4,480 people, several dozen of them in gold, the afternoon began with the season’s first live rendition of the national anthem, sung thrillingly by Stanford’s Dr. Steven Goodman,  an operatic tenor and Stanford associate dean of clinical and translational research and professor of epidemiology and population health, and medicine.

Another reason to cheer came a few minutes later when it was announced that WNBA star Brittney Griner had been released from a Russian penal colony and returned to the United States, where she plans to play for her team, the Phoenix Mercury, when the season starts.

Tennessee scored first, but Haley answered immediately by making a basket after a nice fake.

Also during the first quarter, the Lady Vols were assessed an administrative technical when the roster it submitted didn’t include the number of a player who took the court. Hannah then stood alone at the free-throw line and made both shots.

Conga on the Court returns

The first quarter ended with a 20-17 advantage for Stanford. That’s when Conga on the Court for kids was seen for the first time since the pandemic began in 2020.

The second quarter was tied, 35-35. During that quarter, the new football coach, Troy Taylor, was introduced, along with his wife and three children.

During halftime, players and staff from Stanford’s 1992 national championship team were recognized as they celebrated the 30^th anniversary of their accomplishment.

In the first few minutes of the third quarter, the score seesawed before Stanford endured a scoring drought that had it down by as many as 8 points. Cameron cut the gap to 5 points by launching a trey in the last few seconds, making the score 53-58 when the buzzer sounded.

The Cardinal rallied in the fourth quarter, scoring 24 points to Tennessee’s 12. Hannah made a 3 in the final seconds, sending the crowd into a frenzy and upping the final score to 77-70.

Rust shows up at free-throw line

Some of the team’s rust was apparent at the free-throw line, when only 18 of 30, or 60 percent, of the shots went in.

Turnovers were another problem with 14, compared with five for the visitors. Even 3’s were below the team’s usual output with only five: three by Hannah and one each by Cameron and senior forward Ashten Prechtel.

On the other hand, Stanford had the advantage in rebounds, 53-38, and blocks, 10-0. Cameron contributed six of them despite playing only 26 minutes with foul trouble.

She made the most of that time by leading the team with 21 points and 17 rebounds. As a result, she was named Pac-12 Player of the Week.

Starters do most of the heavy lifting

Two other starters carried much of the rest of the scoring load and playing time. Hannah played all 40 minutes and had 19 points, with some from nifty back-door cuts. Playing 37 minutes, Haley also had 19 points as well as 12 rebounds.

Belying what has been vaunted as the team’s depth, the six bench players who got into the game added only 6 points.

Tennessee’s tight defense, especially on the perimeter, was a problem. Stanford compensated by scoring 42 points in the paint.

“We gutted it out” even though it wasn’t the team’s best game, associate head coach Kate Paye said during the post-game Behind the Bench.

Fans meet ’92 championship team

This session gave fans a chance to meet members and staff of the ’92 team and hear briefly from each one.

Kate was a freshman walk-on for that team. “It was like a dream come true,” she said.

Tara VanDerveer was its head coach then as now, and the now-retired Amy Tucker was on the coaching staff.

Besides Kate, the team included Niki Sevillian, Tanda Rucker, Molly Goodenbour, Angela Taylor, Chris MacMurdo, Ann Adkins, Kelly Dougherty, Rachel Hemmer, Val Whiting, Anita Kaplan, Christy Hedgpeth and Bobbie Kelsey, who later became an assistant coach on Tara’s staff.

Next up is the start of the Pac-12 season with Stanford hosting Cal at noon Dec. 23. Pac-12 Networks will televise the game. 

  

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Brooke leads the way against Gonzaga

 

Ready for an interview, Brooke is with senior forward Fran Belibi and Haley. (Stanford Athletics)

Continuing its winning ways, the Stanford women’s basketball team upped its season record to 10-1 by defeating Gonzaga 84-63 before a crowd of 3,731 people Dec. 4 in Maples.

This win might come with an asterisk, though. Depleted by injury and illness, Gonzaga had only seven available players while Stanford had all 15 and used 13.

There was lots of credit to go around. Twelve players scored with four in double figures. They were led by sophomore forward Brooke Demetre with 17 points, 15 of them from five 3’s. She had three in a row in the second quarter.

“Brooke had an awesome day today,” associate head coach Kate Paye said during the Behind the Bench that followed the game.

Junior forward Cameron Brink and senior guard Hannah Jump had 14 points each, while senior guard Haley Jones had 12. Cameron also had a team-leading 16 rebounds for a double-double.

Team launches 15 3’s

In addition to Brooke’s five 3’s, Hannah had four. Six other players had one each: Cameron, Haley, freshman guard Talana Lepolo, junior guard Agnes Emma-Nnopu, senior forward Ashten Prechtel and redshirt freshman guard Jzaniya Harriel, giving the team a total of 15.

Gonzaga kept the score close in the first quarter, which ended 19-18 in Stanford’s favor. After that Stanford outscored Gonzaga in the next three quarters.

The starting lineup remained the same as it has been in previous games with Cameron, Hannah, Haley, Talana and sophomore forward Kiki Iriafen. Bench players tallied almost half of the final score with 39 points.

Also during the Behind the Bench Kate said of Gonzaga, “Every time we play them we improve.”

Elena joins Kate at the Behind the Bench

With her was the team’s first European player, sophomore guard Elena Bosgana, who’s from Greece. She has played on the Greek national team.

“She’s just scratching the surface” of what she can do, Kate said.

Elena had never been to the United States when she decided to go to Stanford and had never seen it in person until arriving from the airport for her freshman year.

She conceded she gets homesick, but she’s pleased that another Greek, freshman guard Stavi Papadaki, has joined the team, so they can converse in their native language.

Because it was her birthday, the crowd sang “Happy Birthday” to her as she blushed.

Tara comments on game

Taking the microphone, head coach Tara VanDerveer began by saying, “This was a very good game for us.” Later she said, “This is a work in progress.”

Gonzaga guard Kaylynne Truong had 20 points in the first half, teaching younger Stanford guards a lesson, Tara said. Stanford’s changed its defensive strategy and allowed her to score only 2 in the second half.

Like Kate, Tara praised Brooke, calling her the team’s secret weapon.

Looking ahead to the Tennessee game at home at noon Dec. 18, Tara said, “We will get their A game,” although the Lady Volunteers recently lost to Gonzaga, which had more players for that game.

The Tennessee game will be nationally televised by ABC at noon Dec. 18. After that, Pac-12 Bay Area will show the Creighton game at 7 p.m. Dec. 20. Pac-12 Networks will broadcast the Cal game at noon Dec. 23 to open Pac-12 competition. All three games will be played in Maples.

Before then, the team has time off for finals, which end Dec. 16.

 

Cardinal rack up four more wins

 

Fran drives on her way to 12 points  against Santa Clara. (Tony Avelar  for the SF Chronicle)

Returning home from three wins in three days over the Thanksgiving weekend in Hawaii, the Stanford women’s basketball team upped its season record to 9-1 by defeating Santa Clara 82-69 at home on Nov. 30.

Starters remained the same: Junior forward Cameron Brink, senior guards Hannah Jump and Haley Jones, sophomore forward Kiki Iriafen and freshman guard Talana Lepolo.

They logged the most minutes and the most points. The bench added only 18 points, 12 of them coming from senior forward Fran Belibi, who had three consecutive put-backs in the second quarter. She also had eight rebounds in only 13 minutes.

Four starters in double figures

Except for Talana, who nevertheless had a team-high six assists, all of the starters were in double figures. Hannah had 19 points, Kiki 16 (11 in the first quarter alone), Haley 14 and Cameron 12 despite playing only 19 minutes because of foul trouble.

The team had only six 3’s, four of them from Hannah, with one each from Cameron and Talana.

On the other hand, Santa Clara’s 13 3’s kept the score tight.

During halftime, a video featured individual players saying what they stand for and why, such as love, kindness, mental health and the like. They were part of Stanford Athletics’ Stand For campaign meant to offset the negativity that pervades much of the country.

This win marked the 1,166^th in head coach Tara VanDerveer’s career.

The players dressed up for Thanksgiving dinner. (Stanford Athletics)

Team adds to win total in Hawaii

Competition in Honolulu began with a 93-69 defeat of Florida Gulf Coast on Nov. 25, followed by an 87-50 victory over Grambling (of Louisiana) on Nov. 26 and ending with a 68-39 win over Hawaii on Nov. 27.

Thus the team returned home with another trophy to add to the program’s collection. Moreover, Haley was named the tournament’s most valuable player, and Cameron was named to the all-tournament team.

Haley took scoring honors against Florida Gulf Coast with 24 points to go with 14 rebounds. Kiki had 16, and Cameron had 13.

Hannah was the high scorer against Grambling with 19 points, aided by five 3’s.  Freshman center Lauren Betts and sophomore guard Elena Bosgana had 11 points each.

Yet another player led the way against Hawaii as senior forward Ashten Prechtel contributed 17 points, thanks in large part to a career-best five 3’s. She also snared 11 rebounds. Cameron had 15 points, while Haley had 11.

The Hawaii outcome, 68-39, marked the team’s lowest scoring output to date in this season, but the team also allowed the fewest points so far this season.

In addition to their usual uniforms and everyday wear, the players packed dressier duds for Thanksgiving dinner at their hotel and bathing suits for fun in the sun at the beach.

Next up for the Cardinal is Gonzaga at noon Dec. 4 at Maples. Fans are asked to donate unopened toys to be collected by the Good Tidings Foundation charity supported by the team. Pac-12 Bay Area will televise the game.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Overcome in overtime

A determined Haley drives to the basket through a pair of defenders.

After breezing to five easy wins to start the season, the No. 2 Stanford women’s basketball team faced its first big test and faltered. No. 1 South Carolina prevailed 76-71 in overtime Nov. 20 at Maples.

Stanford had the edge for most of the nationally televised game, leading 21-11 after the first quarter, 35-31 at the half and 54-44 after the third quarter before South Carolina tied the score 61-61 at the fourth quarter buzzer.

The overtime score seesawed until the final few seconds when, as the SF Chronicle put it the next day, “Errors cost Cardinal.”

With 10 seconds left and Stanford trailing 71-73, senior guard Haley Jones failed to inbound the ball in time, giving possession to South Carolina.

With the clock showing 3.1 seconds, Stanford secured the ball in front of the opponent’s bench. Sophomore forward Kiki Iriafen called a timeout to advance to ball to home court, but there were no timeouts left. Kiki was called for a technical, and South Carolina was able to score three more points to ice the win.

“This was a game that could have gone either way,” associate head coach Kate Paye said afterward during the season’s first Behind the Bench.

Large crowd backs home team

Maples was packed with a reported crowd of 7,287 that lent vocal support to the home team throughout the game.

The starting lineup featured Haley, Kiki, junior forward Cameron Brink, senior guard Hannah Jump and freshman guard Talana Lepolo, who served as point guard.

Unlike previous games, the bulk of minutes went to the starters, with Hannah and Haley each logging 44 minutes. Talana was close behind with 41.

Of the six bench players who got in, only senior guard Ashten Prechtel had double-digit minutes with 32. Moreover, the bench added only 9 points, while South Carolina’s bench had 34.

Cameron is closely guarded by South Carolina's Aliyah Boston.

Cameron leads everyone in scoring

Despite foul trouble that limited her to 24 minutes (she fouled out in overtime), Cameron led both teams in scoring with 25 points. Kiki and Hannah were her only other teammates in double figures, each with 11.

Stanford had only six 3’s, in part because South Carolina guard Zia Cooke stuck to  sharp-shooting Hannah like Velcro throughout the game. Thus, Hannah had only two 3’s. Cameron also had two 3’s. Talana and Ashten added the other two.

Stanford had 47 rebounds to the Gamecocks’ 41, and had 15 assists to the opponent’s nine. Stanford led in blocks, 10-7, including five from Ashten, four from Cameron and one from Haley.

On the other hand, turnovers were costly with Stanford committing 22 to South Carolina’s 11.

Free-throw shooting also favored South Carolina, who made 15 to Stanford’s 11 – a 4-point difference that might have affected the final outcome.

Grads join the crowd

The crowd included 2022 SWBB alumnae Lexie and Lacie Hull and Alyssa Jerome, who were shown during the game and introduced at the Behind the Bench. Teammate Anna Wilson also was reported to be there, and I spotted several other grads.

Jayne Appel-Marinelli, ’10, associate director of player operations for the WNBA Players Association, was on the sidelines with her family. Jayne has been a leader in the campaign to free Phoenix Suns star Brittney Griner from Russian custody.

Jayne, several other alums, the two head coaches and others wore long-sleeve T-shirts supporting Brittney. A table in the west concourse had paper for people to write notes of support. A video before the game and a moment of silence also honored her.

At the Behind the Bench, Kate introduced the five freshmen: Talana, center Lauren Betts and guards Indya Nivar, Stavi Papadaki and Lauren Green.

During that session, head coach Tara VanDerveer praised Talana, calling her fantastic.

She called the game exciting and said, “We’ll only get better. We played toe-to-toe with them.”

SC coach praises Tara

She was followed by South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley, who played on the 1996 USA Olympic gold-winning team coached by Tara.

“She led the way,” Dawn said of Tara, adding that she learned a lot from Tara.

With this game in the record books, the Stanford women now set their sights on Thanksgiving weekend at the Rainbow Wahine Showdown in Honolulu. On the schedule are Florida Gulf Coast at 2 p.m. Nov. 25, Grambling State at 2 p.m. Nov. 26 and Hawaii at 4:30 p.m. Nov. 27. All times are Pacific Standard. Hawaii time is two hours earlier.

All three games will be broadcast on radio by Varsity Network. The Hawaii game also will be shown on Spectrum Sports.

After flying home, the team will host Santa Clara at 7 p.m. Nov. 30 and Gonzaga at noon Dec. 4. The Santa Clara game will be available on Stanford Live Stream. Pac-12 Bay Area will show the Gonzaga game.

Photos by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Team goes undefeated through first five games

Hannah was the 3-point ace with eight against Cal Poly. (Godofredo A. Vasquez/AP)

Upping its season record to 5-0, the Stanford women’s basketball team defeated Cal Poly 80-43 Nov. 16 at Maples.

Senior guard Hannah Jump headlined this game. She matched career-highs with 24 points and eight 3’s. In all, the team had 10 3’s.

She stayed with her long-range shot despite missing her first four attempts during the first quarter, but then connected on the fifth try. She electrified the crowd of 2,469 and her teammates by making three in a row during the third quarter.

Hannah was part of the starting lineup along with senior guard Haley Jones, junior forward Cameron Brink, sophomore forward Kiki Iriafen and freshman guard Talana Lepolo.

Height gives Stanford an advantage

Stanford’s superior height was no match for the much shorter Cal Poly players, who had several shot-clock violations, but they made up for it with tenacity and feistiness. Five of them hail from the Bay Area, so presumably they had family and friends on hand.

Kiki started the game by scoring the team’s first four points.  

Head coach Tara VanDerveer sent in five new players during the first quarter, starting with senior forwards Ashten Prechtel and Fran Belibi followed by freshman guard Indya Nivar, sophomore guard Elena Bosgana and junior guard Agnes Emma-Nnopu.

Collectively, the 10 players outscored Cal Poly 23-8 during the opening quarter.

Hannah, Lauren in double figures

Four more players got into the game overall, and 12 scored. Besides Hannah, the only other Cardinal in double figures was freshman center Lauren Betts, who scored 13 points in 14 minutes and added a team-high seven rebounds.

Talana and Hannah logged the most minutes with 23 each.

Stanford dominated Cal Poly in every statistical category even while committing 13 turnovers. (Cal Poly had 20.)

First road trip, two more wins

This victory followed a successful road trip with Pacific falling 98-44 Nov. 11 and Portland going down 87-47 Nov. 13.

Kiki led the team against Pacific with 15 points, followed by Hannah with 14 and Ashten with 11. Three-pointers hit a season high with 12, thanks to 4 of 4 by Hannah and the rest by six others.

After missing the Cal State Northridge game, assistant coach Katy Steding was back with the team.

Haley leads the team against Portland

For the first time this season, Haley led the team in scoring with 17 against Portland. Three other players were in double figures, too.

And for the first time this season, the starting lineup changed somewhat, with Talana stepping in for Agnes. Splitting point guard duties with Haley, she recorded nine assists.

According to Stanford Athletics, through Nov. 14 Cameron led the nation in total blocks with 17 while Hannah had the most 3’s, 12. Talana was second in assists with 26, and Kiki was ninth in field goal percentage at 78.6.

Including the exhibition game against Vanguard, four different players were the top scorers in five games: Hannah with 12 against Vanguard, Kiki with 16 against San Diego State and 15 against Pacific, Lauren with 18 against Cal State Northridge and Haley against Portland with 17.

South Carolina next on the schedule

Coming up is the No. 2-ranked team’s sternest test to date: hosting No. 1 South Carolina at noon Nov. 20 in a game nationally televised by ABC.

This game will be followed by the season’s first Behind the Bench. South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley is expected to speak.

Cardinal players will spend the Thanksgiving break at the Rainbow Wahine Showdown in Honolulu. On the schedule are Florida Gulf Coast at 2 p.m. Nov. 25, Grambling State at 2 p.m. Nov. 26 and Hawaii at 4:30 p.m. Nov. 27. All times are Pacific Standard.

All three games will be broadcast on radio by Varsity Network. The Hawaii game also will be shown on Spectrum Sports.

 

  

Season starts with two dominating wins

 

Indya goes for a layup against San Diego State. (Carlos Avila Gonzalez/SF Chronicle)

The Stanford women’s basketball season got off to a strong start with home wins against San Diego State 86-48 on Nov. 7 and Cal State Northridge 104-40 on Nov. 9.

Starters for both games were the same as the exhibition against Vanguard with senior guards Haley Jones and Hannah Jump, junior forward Cameron Brink, junior guard Agnes Emma-Nnopu and sophomore forward Kiki Iriafen getting the nod.

With attendance at 3,012 with a sizable number of students, including the band, Tree, Dollies and cheerleaders, this game took on all the trappings of a regular game with Betty Ann Hagenau announcing.

The band offered a welcome respite from the too loud, canned rap sound tracks that substitute for real music.

Moment of silence for Brittney Griner

Before the teams’ starters were introduced at both games, Betty Ann asked for a moment of silence for the WNBA’s Brittney Griner, who’s imprisoned in Russia.

Cameron got the game under way with a 3-pointer. She went on to score 13 points and lead the team with eight rebounds and six blocks in 20 minutes.

She wasn’t the scoring leader, though. That honor went to Kiki, who had 16 points. Also in double figures were sophomore guard Elena Bosgana with 15 and freshman guard Indya Nivar with 13.

All 15 players contributed in some way, and no one played more than Haley’s 23 minutes.

As it did against Vanguard, the team had 11 3’s, led by Indya and Elena with three each and sophomore forward Brooke Demetre with two. Cameron, Hannah and redshirt freshman guard Jzaniya Harriel each had one.

Cardinal dominate statistically

The Cardinal dominated the Aztecs statistically. For example, the rebound advantage was 50-23.

One highlight came at the end of the second quarter, when Elena made a buzzer-beating 3, delighting her teammates.

Haley, who started as the point guard, made some long, pinpoint passes to Cameron, who was waiting under the basket and scored.

Freshman guard Talana Lepolo, who also served at the point, had 11 of the team’s 26 assists.

Overall, the team played at a fast pace, quickly passing rather than dribbling.

Head coach Tara VanDerveer substituted freely, apparently looking for the right combination in each situation.

Cal State Northridge falls to Stanford

In the team’s overwhelming defeat of Cal State Northridge before 2,421 fans, including the Warriors' Stephen Curry and his wife, Tara still substituted, but she kept some combinations together longer. (Associate coach Katy Steding wasn't seen.)

Nevertheless, everyone got in and contributed in some way. No one played more than 23 minutes (Haley).

When the fourth quarter opened, Stanford was leading 72-31 with three freshmen and two sophomores taking the court.

Lauren shoots over a Cal State Northridge defender. (Godofredo A. Vasquez/AP)

The Lauren Betts show

You could call that quarter the Lauren Betts show, as the 6’7” freshman center logged 16 of her game-high 18 points.

For a time, the plan for each possession seemed to be “give the ball to Lauren,” reminiscent of a time when the call seemed to be “give the ball to Jayne,” referring to Jayne Appel, ’10.

Lauren wasn’t the only one in double figures. Joining her were Hannah with 17, Brooke with 13, Cameron with 11 (plus 11 rebounds) and Kiki with 10.

Hannah records five 3’s

The bulk of Hannah’s points came from five 3’s, including three in a row during the third quarter. Also logging 3’s were Brooke with three, senior forward Ashten Prechtel with two and Elena with one.

Haley recorded seven of the team’s 22 assists. Cameron and Lauren with three each accounted for most of the team’s nine blocks.

Stanford again dominated in every statistical category while making only six turnovers.

Coming up next, the team is on the road to face Pacific in Stockton at 6 p.m. Nov. 11 and Portland at 2 p.m. Nov. 13. The Pacific game will be shown on the WCC Network, while ESPN2 will air the Portland game.

Then it’s back home for Cal Poly at 8 p.m. Nov. 16 (PAC-12 Networks) and the marquee game against defending national champion South Carolina at noon Nov. 20. This game will receive national coverage on ABC.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Easin’ into the season

Here's the 2022-23 team -- all 15 players. (Stanford photo)

“We don’t have any stars. We have a galaxy. We have great, great players,” head coach Tara VanDerveer said recently about the Stanford women’s basketball team.

The team displayed some of its prowess Nov. 2, breezing to a 102-25 exhibition victory over Vanguard.

Although the game didn’t count in the season record, it did provide a chance for all 15 players to compete against someone other than their teammates.

Cameron, Hannah, Haley, Kiki, Agnes get the starting nod

The starting lineup featured junior forward Cameron Brink, senior guard Hannah Jump, senior guard Haley Jones at the point, sophomore forward Kiki Iriafen and junior guard Agnes Emma-Nnopu.

They started somewhat slowly, leading only 6-5 about halfway through the first quarter, but holding a 19-10 advantage when the quarter ended.

In the meantime, others began coming in, giving nine players some floor time. First off the bench was freshman guard Talana Lepolo, then senior forward Fran Belibi, quickly followed by freshman guard Indya Nivar and sophomore forward Brooke Demetre.

By the time halftime rolled around, the team was up 43-17, and 12 players had seen action. By contrast, Vanguard used only nine players for the game.

Vanguard was held to only 2 points in the third quarter as the Cardinal zipped to a 73-19 lead. By then everyone had played.

Thirteen players score despite their limited minutes

Statistics are impressive. No one played more than 18 minutes (Hannah and Talana), and everyone played at least six minutes.

Thirteen players scored with five in double figures: Hannah, 12; sophomore guard Elena Bosgana and senior forward Ashten Prechtel, 11 each; Cameron and freshman center Lauren Betts, 10 each. Everyone contributed in some way, though.

For example, Talana had no points, but she dished out a team-high six assists and had two steals. Playing the point guard position, she moved the ball quickly and efficiently (no turnovers) and seemed content to facilitate.

Eleven 3’s add to total

The team’s sharp-shooting was evidenced with 11 3’s, thanks to four by Hannah, two by redshirt freshman Jzaniya Harriel, and one each by Ashten, Elena, Brooke, Indya and freshman guard Stavi Papadaki.

With its superior height, Stanford snared 59 rebounds (eight by Elena), compared with 23 by Vanguard.

In short, it was an impressive first look.

Tara speaks during Buck/Cardinal Club event

Tara’s comment about the team’s galaxy came during a Buck/Cardinal Club event Nov. 1.

It started with an open practice with some welcome developments: Unlike the scrimmage on Oct. 29,  Hannah was making her 3’s.

In addition, Fran participated in this practice, unlike the earlier one. However, when the team did pushups, she did sit-ups, presumably to avoid pressure on her taped left hand. She removed the tape afterward.

There were two mishaps: Elena seemed to have hurt her hand, but she shook it off.  Lauren went down hard under the north basket and headed for the locker room. Tara said later that she had been hit in the eye.

And some bright spots: Jzaniya played point guard sometimes and looked good.  Cameron made several 3’s, as did several other players, and she even hit a half-court shot during a drill.

After the practice ended at 6:30, the team posed for a photo. Haley, Indya and Stavi weren’t there because they had to rush off to classes.

Panelists answer questions

Next there was a panel with Fran, Hannah, Brooke and Kiki, who answered questions by Kevin Danna, play-by-play radio broadcaster for SWBB games and others.

Because the sound system was distorted, it was hard to understand some  answers. Hannah did produce one quotable answer: “Anyone can go off on any night.”

Her comment was in line with Tara’s, which came as part of a fan Q&A during a reception in the Home of Champions after the practice and panel.

Among other notable information, Tara said that this year’s seniors have the option of another season because of the COVID-disrupted season two years ago. She didn’t say who might stay although Haley plans to turn professional.

Tara praises freshmen

Tara spoke highly of all five freshmen, especially Lauren, who was the No. 1-rated player last year. “She is a talent” with “fabulous hands. …She makes life miserable for the other posts,” Tara said.

Competition starts for real against San Diego State at 7 p.m. Nov. 7, followed by Cal State Northridge, a late addition to the schedule, at 6 p.m. Nov. 9.

Both home games will be shown via Stanford Live Stream.

 

 

 

Scrimmage points to bright future

Fans of Stanford women’s basketball had their first chance to see the 2022-23 team in action at a scrimmage Oct. 29 and liked a lot of what they saw.

Speaking to several hundred fans and several dozen students, head coach Tara VanDerveer started the gathering by introducing all 15 players plus the other coaches, support staff, managers and male practice players.

The men and 14 of the women practiced in two teams, red and white. Senior forward Fran Belibi, whose left hand and wrist were bandaged, was sidelined.

Tara coached the white team with assistant coach Britney Anderson, while associate head coach Kate Paye oversaw the red team with assistant coach Katy Steding.

The scrimmage followed game format with four quarters and three referees.

White team starters were senior guards Haley Jones (point) and Hannah Jump, junior forward Cameron Brink, junior guard Agnes Emma-Nnopu and sophomore forward Kiki Iriafen.

Representing the red team to start were senior forward Ashten Prechtel, sophomore forward Brooke Demetre, freshman center Lauren Betts, freshman guard Talana Lepolo (point) and redshirt freshman guard Jzaniya Harriel.

Thereafter other players subbed in and out, and several switched sides.  Thus neither side was the clear winner. Instead everyone had a chance to play in different combinations.

One scare came late in the third quarter when Haley had a hard fall after scoring. She limped to the locker room with trainer Katelin Knox but soon returned to loud applause and played in the final quarter with no apparent problem.

Otherwise, here are some impressions about individual contributions:

Haley and Cameron, who were outstanding last year, are even better this year. Both are quick to the basket. Haley made some tough, acrobatic shots under the basket, and Cameron has added 3-pointers to her repertoire.

Kiki, who was impressive as a freshman, was even more so this time with quick, smart moves on both sides of the court.

Going into this season, there were questions about who would handle point guard duties. Haley was the first choice, but two freshmen, Talana and Indya Nivar, looked like two excellent candidates. Speedy Talana seemed especially confident and in command.

Jzaniya also had some good minutes at the point.

Hannah, who made so many 3’s last season, didn’t fare well with them this time, but she scored quite a few points from midrange and under the basket, two new skills for her. After the scrimmage, however, she was at the north basket making one 3 after another.

On the whole, everyone did well and made some good plays on both offense and defense, especially the returnees. We didn’t see much of 6’7” Lauren Betts, who sat out most of the second half.

In short, this team has a lot of potential and a boatload of talent. It will be fun to watch.

Next up for the team are an open practice for Buck Cardinal Club members on Nov. 1 and an exhibition game against Vanguard at 7 p.m. Nov. 2.

Competition starts for real against San Diego State at 7 p.m. Nov. 7, followed by Cal State Northridge, a late addition to the schedule, at 6 p.m. Nov. 9.

All three games will be available via Stanford Live Stream.

 

 

 

 

Future looks bright for upcoming season

Brooke Demetre (left), Kiki Iriafen, Jzaniya Haarriel and Fran Belibi at the 3x3 tournament in May. (Stanford Athletics)

With an abundance of talent on its 14-player roster, the Stanford women’s basketball team has high hopes for the coming season.

Everyone is available to practice, so the team is off to a great start, said associate head coach Kate Paye in a recent phone interview.

Thirteen players are on campus. The fourth, sophomore guard Elena Bosgana, is in her native Greece playing for her country’s U20 team in July.

Another Greek, freshman guard Stavi Papadaki, had a chance to play for Greece’s U18  team but made the difficult decision to come to Stanford to adjust to all that is new, Kate said.

As usual, returning players are welcoming the newcomers and helping them get adjusted. Besides Stavi, those newcomers are guards Indya Niver and Talana Lepolo along with forward Lauren Betts.

Power outage cancels classes

One glitch came June 21 when a fire near Edgewood Park between San Carlos and Redwood City resulted in a power outage that left much of the campus in the dark for several days and led to cancellation of classes through June 27.

It “made for an unusual week,” Kate said. The girls basketball day camp was cancelled, but the elite camp continued on a limited basis. One plus for no classes was that Stanford players could work at the camp all day.

Even before summer school started June 20, several players besides Elena were involved in competitions.

Players compete on national teams

Senior forward Fran Belibi and three of the sophomores, forward Kiki Iriafen and guards Brooke Demetre and Jzaniya Harriel, were on USA Basketball’s 3x3 team May 12 to 16 at the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass., and made it to the semifinals.

Senior guard Hannah Jump played for her native England in the FIBA 3x3 Europe Cup qualifiers in Romania in early June. Indya was on the US National U18 team that won the gold.

Jeannette named to new position

In another recent development, Jeanette Pohlen, ’11, was named to the new position of director of player development after serving as a coaching intern last season.

Among other things, she will assume some of the duties of women’s basketball administrator Amy Tucker, who has fully retired.

She also will focus on alumni relations with former SWBB players, the team’s community service and off-court support for present players. Yet another duty will be “serving as a liaison with a number of other departments, on campus and beyond,” Stanford Athletics reported.

Kate said she’ll be “another resource for the team. She understands Stanford,” and the players respect her.

More students wanted at games

One of the program’s goals for the coming season is greater student attendance. Therefore, lower level sections 14-16 at the north end of Maples will be reserved for students.

Some season ticket holders will have to move, but “the role students play in creating a home court advantage for our team and enhancing the game day atmosphere for all attendees inside Maples Pavilion is critical,” Tara wrote in a message to season ticket holders.

Also looking ahead, the coaches foresee playing in a somewhat different way to use the front court more and “take advantage of (our) size,” Kate said.

Bright future foreseen

The team has some outstanding veteran forwards along with 6’7” Lauren, who moves well and is “eager to learn,” Kate said.

Thus the coaches have to figure out “how to take advantage of our strengths … We have great players on our team,” Kate said.

“We expect to have a championship season,” she concluded.