A look back: Part two of two

 

Happy players and coaches celebrate the Florida State win. (John Lozano/ISI Photos)

After the winter holiday break, the team hit the road for two ACC games. Both resulted in losses: 67-63 at SMU on Jan. 2 and 65-61 in overtime at Clemson on Jan. 5.

Returning home, the team prevailed 89-84 over Florida State on Jan. 9 but lost to North Carolina State 81-67 on Jan. 12.

Spending nearly a week in North Carolina, the team enjoyed its first-ever ACC road win 74-71 over Wake Forest on Jan. 16 followed by a 74-49 loss to Duke on Jan. 19.

The Wake Forest win was highlighted by junior guard Tess Heal’s 24 points, thanks in part to her six 3’s, four of them in the first quarter. Sophomore forward Nunu Agara was right behind her with 23 points.

Cross-bay rival Cal came to Maples on Jan. 23 and left with a 75-72 win.

A week later, still at Maples, Stanford defeated Pittsburgh 58-46 on Jan. 30 and nearly upset the then-No. 15 University of North Carolina 69-67 on Feb. 2.

Although the Pitt game brought the home team’s lowest score so far in the season, it had some bright spots, such as a perfect 15-15 at the free-throw line.

Sophomore guard Chloe Clardy and senior guard Elena Bosgana led the team with 14 points each. Elena’s parents were visiting from Greece and saw her play for the first time in her collegiate career.

Elena also electrified the crowd by scoring a buzzer-beater after a fast break to end the first half, when the score was only 19-14 in Stanford’s favor.

Record falls under .500

Playing on Eastern Time, which is three hours ahead of Pacific Time, the team came away with two losses, dropping its season record to below .500, 11-12.

The team lost 96-47 to Notre Dame on Feb. 6 and 74-65 to Louisiana on Feb. 9.

The loss to Notre Dame set a record for the team, but it wasn’t a record anyone wanted. It was the largest margin of defeat in program history.

The team suffered another loss, too, when leading scorer Nunu fell hard on her backside just five minutes into the game. Aided by trainer Katelin Knox, she walked to the locker room. She returned to the bench later but didn’t play.

She didn’t play in Louisville either, so sophomore forward Mary Ashley Stevenson took her place in the starting lineup. She became one of the four Stanford players in double figures with 15 points. She was just behind Chloe, who had 16.

The penultimate home stand resulted in two wins: 79-58 over Syracuse on Feb. 13 and 80-75 over Boston College on Feb 16, raising the season record to 13-12.

Redshirt junior guard Jzaniya Harriel was in uniform for the Syracuse game after missing several, but she didn’t play. Nunu was out again. Freshman guard Harper Peterson was out, too.

Elena led the team with 18 points plus 11 rebounds and both of the team’s two blocks.

Senior forward Brooke Demetre and Chloe both had 14 points. Chloe also had a team-high 14 assists. Thus Brooke broke out of a scoring slump, making three 3’s in a row during the first quarter.

Freshman guard Shay Ijiwoye had what should have been a game highlight with a buzzer-beater to end the first quarter, but the refs ruled it was too late.

Nunu didn’t start against Boston College, but she came in to applause about midway through the first quarter. However, she played less than a total of seven minutes and added two rebounds and an assist. Jzaniya also saw limited action.

Fans learn about Lifetime Cardinal

After the game, an information session about Lifetime Cardinal filled Kissick Auditorium.

Lifetime Cardinal will provide financial support to Stanford student athletes. It responds to the changing collegiate landscape that allows players to be paid for NIL, name, image and likeness.

Fans can make a tax-deductible donation and direct it to a specific team, such as women’s basketball. Go to www.lifetimecardinal.com.

The season’s final road trip ended with a thrilling overtime win, 75-74 at Virginia Tech on Feb. 20.

According to Stanford Athletics, freshmen and sophomores scored 65 of the team’s 75 points. Sophomore forward Courtney Clardy had 15. Despite four fouls, Shay had a career-high 10 points, including the two free throws that iced the win in OT.

Still recovering, Nunu didn’t make the trip.

The outcome was different when the team visited the University of Virginia – an 89-69 loss on Feb. 23.

Courtney led the team with a career-high 17 points as well as eight rebounds.

Shay and Elena celebrate the win over Georgia Tech. (Nhat V.. Meyer (Bay Area News Group)

Season ends with two home wins, Senior Day

Two home wins highlighted the end of the regular season: 86-69 over Miami on Feb. 27 an 87-82 over Georgia Tech on March 2.

Stanford’s score against Miami was boosted by 14 3’s, courtesy of Chloe, Brooke, Courtney, Elena, Shay and Tess.

It was Senior Day for the Georgia Tech game. Kate gave flowers to the visiting seniors before the game.

And in honor of Elena, who hails from Greece, the Greek national anthem preceded “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

She started the game and led the team with 19 points.

The Senior Day ceremony after the game started by honoring the team managers and male practice players.

Then there were tributes to Elena, Brooke and Jzaniya.

Early exits from ACC, WBIT tournaments

It was on to Greensboro, N.C., and the team’s first ACC tournament. It ended with a 63-46 loss to Clemson on March 5.

One consolation was Nunu’s return. She didn’t get into the game until late in the first half and went on to play just 17 minutes. She contributed eight points, three rebounds and two steals.

Failing to make the NCAA tournament for the first time in 37 years, the team had to settle for the Women’s Basketball Invitational Tournament. It ended with a heartbreaking 69-68 overtime loss to Portland in the first round at Maples on March 20.

It was a back-and-forth game played in front of a sparse crowd of 1,106. The upper areas were roped off. One reason for the low attendance was that it was the end of finals week, so some students might have left for spring break.

Thus the season ended with a 16-15 record.

Fans say farewell at banquet

Several hundred fans gathered for one last farewell to the team at the annual banquet April 8 at the Arrillaga Alumni Center.

Early in the program head coach Kate Paye announced that Katelin is leaving Stanford to become head trainer for the Golden State Valkyries, the WNBA’s newest team.

Kate opened the program by saying that 2024-25 “was a season of change and challenge,” but the theme of sisterhood prevailed.

She thanked everyone behind the team and introduced by players by class, starting with the freshmen and ending with the seniors.

After a video of season highlights, she looked ahead, noting that the five outstanding recruits will be mentored by the returning players.

“We are hungry to get back to our championship ways…The best is yet to come,” she concluded.

 

A look back: Part one of two

 

The 2024-25 team. (Stanford Athletics)

Fans of Stanford women’s basketball are a spoiled lot.

Just four years ago the team won a national championship. This season, though, was an entirely different story.

A series of changes led to just a 16-15 record, no NCAA tournament for the first time since 1967 and a heart-wrenching loss in the first round of the WBIT tournament.

As for the changes – First, legendary head coach Tara VanDerveer retired, handing the reins over to her longtime assistant, Kate Paye.

Next, the Pac-12 Conference imploded, so Stanford moved to the Atlantic Coast Conference, necessitating tens of thousands of miles in travel and frequent three-hour time differences.

Then there was the loss of last year’s most prolific scorers. Hannah Jump and Cameron Brink graduated, and Kiki Iriafen transferred to USC. On top of that, junior point guard Talana Lepolo missed almost all of the season because of injury.

On the other hand, three promising freshmen arrived along with two transfers.

The team also had two new staff members: Victoria Saucedo, sports performance coach; and Heather Oesterle, assistant coach.

Players faced their first competition by playing against and defeating three Italian teams during a 10-day trip to Italy starting Aug. 18.

Fans got their first look at the team during the annual Cardinal-White scrimmage Oct. 26, Stanford’s homecoming.

They got an even better look when the team played its first five games at home.

Home wins kick off competition

First, there was the 91-70 exhibition win over Cal State LA on Oct. 30.

Starters were senior guard Elena Bosgana, senior forward Brooke Demetre, red shirt junior guard Jzaniya Harriel, junior guard Tess Heal (one of the transfers) and sophomore forward Nunu Agara.

Some of the first players off the bench were sophomores: forwards Courtney Ogden and Mary Ashley Stevenson (the other transfer), and guard Chloe Clardy.

Nunu led the team with 25 points and 13 rebounds.

The night before the exhibition, Buck Cardinal Club members gathered at the Hall of Champions for a chance to meet the team and hear from Kate.

Kate recorded her first regular season win as head coach when the team defeated LeMoyne College 107-43 on Nov. 4.

In another first, the team set a program record of 18 3’s, led by Jzaniya with six. She also led the team with 24 points.

The starters were Elena, Brooke, Jzaniya, Nunu and Talana.

Washington State was the next to fall, 94-65 on Nov. 7, followed by Gonzaga, 89-58 on Nov. 10. That win vaulted previously unranked Stanford to No. 24 in AP’s Nov. 11 weekly poll.

Tata with alums and coaches at the unveiling of Tara VanDerveer Court. (SF Chronicle)

The crowd of 3,865 at the Gonzaga game saw not only a victory but also the unveiling of Tara VanDerveer Court in honor of the then-winningest basketball coach of all.

A reception in the Hall of Champions followed the game. During her remarks, Tara praised Kate. She also noted that she’s working part-time in the office of athletic director Bernard Muir.

This initial home stand ended with another win: 69-56 over UC Davis on Nov. 13.

First road trip results in first loss

The first road trip brought the season’s first loss: 79-66 against Indiana on Nov. 17

Back at home, though, the team logged three more wins: 91-49 over Morgan State on Nov. 22, 81-45 over Cal Poly on Nov. 25 and 84-54 over UC San Diego on Nov. 29. Talana missed the Cal Poly game and all the rest to come.

UC San Diego is coached by Tara’s younger sister, Heidi. Since the game came the day after Thanksgiving, the two teams celebrated Thanksgiving with dinner together in the Hall of Champions.

Traveling to Louisiana State on Dec. 5 and playing in front of more than 10,000 people, the team went toe-to-toe against the then-undefeated and ranked No. 5 hosts. It held a lead until the fourth quarter’s final second when LSU scored two points to tie at 80-80.

Going into overtime, Stanford lost 94-88. Nunu led the charge with 29 points and 13 rebounds. According to Sports Reference, she was the first D1 player with these stats in a true road game against a top 5 AP opponent since Nov. 21, 2021.

Back in the Bay Area, the Cardinal went to Cal and lost 83-63 on Dec. 13, just after the end of finals. Brooke led the team with 18 points.

On Dec. 16, though, the team returned to Maples and beat UT San Antonio 62-57.

Stanford was clinging to a 60-57 lead with only a few seconds left. UTSA inbounded the ball, but Jzaniya stole the ball, ran down the court and scored the game-clinching buzzer-beater. She finished with 12 points, behind Elena’s 13.

Undefeated and then-No. 11 Ohio State was too hot to handle, handing Stanford a 84-59 loss on Dec.  20 during the Invisilign Bay Area Women’s Classic at Chase Center in San Francisco.

Next: 2025

 

One final salute to team at banqet

Several hundred Stanford women’s basketball fans said their final farewell to the 2024-25 team at the annual banquet April 8 at the Arrillaga Alumni Center.

First-year head coach Kate Paye presided over the evening’s program, which included thanks to the many people behind the team. It also included introduction of the players.

The biggest news from the gathering is that longtime trainer Katelin Knox is leaving Stanford to become head athletic trainer for the WNBA’s newest team, the Golden State Valkyries.

Kate opened the program by saying “it was a season of change and challenge,” but the theme of sisterhood prevailed.

She mentioned some season highlights such as the trip to Italy during the summer and the record 18 3’s against LeMoyne in the first regular season game – a home game that Stanford won 107-43.

On the other hand, moving from the now-defunct Pac-12 Conference to the ACC meant that “the travel was not easy.” She also noted that the relatively young team’s inexperience showed at times. Still, the team stuck together.

She then asked the three freshmen to come to the podium. She said they made the transition into college-level ball and “will be big pieces to our future.”

She said guard Shay Ijiwoye “is a high-energy player” with good defense and speed as well as a 4.0+ GPA.

Forward Harper Peterson, one foot still in a boot, was limited by injury, but she’s a skilled stretch 4. “We need what you do,” Kate said.

Center Kennedy Umeh, aka Special K, is the only true center whose confidence grew through the season. She wants to become a doctor and will be “a big key to our team’s future success,” Kate said.

The four sophomores showed great improvement. For example, forward Nunu Agara led the team in several areas, and “she’s just scratching the surface,” the coach said.

Guard Chloe Clardy, who often played point guard, “never backed down from a challenge,” Kate said.

Forward Courtney Ogden can play the 1-4 spots and, like her classmates, improved through the season.

Forward Mary Ashley Stevenson, who transferred from Purdue, was an “instant contributor” who shot 49% for the season and has a 4.0+ GPA.

Guard Tess Heal wasn’t there with the other juniors, apparently because she has entered the transfer portal.

As for her classmates, guard Lauren Green ran the scout team as a point guard and never missed a practice.

Guard Stavi Papadaki was a beloved and respected scout team member and, like Lauren, never missed a practice. She’s going for both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees and is on the Greek national team in her home country.

Guard Talana Lepolo, who was sidelined by an injury after five games, helped to guide the younger guards.

Before introducing the seniors, Kate brought her fellow coaches to the front and called them the best in the country.

Assistant coach Jeanette Pohlen, ’11, was an All-American who works with the guards. Assistant coach Erica “Bird” McCall, ’17, is a “post-whisperer.”

Assistant coach Heather Oesterle was a Stanford coaching intern in 2002 and has returned as offensive coordinator. Assistant coach Katy Steding, ’90, is “a legend as a coach and player” and has many responsibilities.

Associate head coach Tempie Brown, back for her second coaching stint on the Farm, oversees recruiting and admissions and serves as defensive coordinator.

The coaches stayed upfront as the seniors joined them.

Guard Jzaniya Harriel is a strong two-way player, but health problems limited her playing time, Kate said. As a red shirt with another year of eligibility, the political science major plans to be a graduate senior transfer. “Choosing Stanford was a dream come true,” she said.

Guard Elena Bosgana, the team’s first European player, had “some spectacular performances her senior season,” Kate said. She, too, will play for the Greek national team.

“I love my teammates,” said Elena, who’s graduating with a degree in science, technology and society.

Forward Brooke Demetre, who had celebrated her birthday two days earlier, was serenaded with “Happy Birthday” before Kate called her “big shot Brooke.”

The product design major will probably play oversees. The senior captain said, “I have loved playing for Stanford.”

Following a video with season highlights, Kate looked ahead, noting that the five outstanding recruits will be mentored by the returning players.

“We are hungry to get back to our championship ways,” Kate said. “The best is yet to come.”