01-29-2012, 01:30 PM
I thought Tara's move to insert Bonnie and Taylor in for Lindy and I think Jos was a great move. Brittany Boyd had been unstoppable and was threatening to take over the game and will the Bears to victory - but Taylor stopped her on the first possession and then Bonnie hit her first 3, then IIRC Taylor got the rebound and Bonnie hit another 3. That really stopped the Bears from overtaking us. In fact, at that point, it seemed like a typical Stanford game where the opposition keeps it close and then we blow them out in the second half of the second period.
But Nneka went down hard in the middle of the half and didn't seem the same. She couldn't run or jump effectively and after winning the opening tipoff she easily lost the overtime jump ball. I'm not sure she scored afterwards. Add to Nneka going down hard - being sick all week and going almost the entire game with the Bears doubling and collapsing on her, but mostly aggressively getting hands on the ball and challenging her on every rebound and shot explained her difficulties and I think those things had a lot to do with us losing our lead and not finishing as we often do.
Chiney was brobdingnagian! And to her credit she went a long time without a foul - which was important because in the stretch at the end she had 4 fouls. I seriously felt that if she fouled out - we would lose the game. I mean she just owned the backboard and grabbed just about every rebound down the stretch and just took it to the basket and was unstoppable.
Lindy is a good 3-point shooter that has been in a slump - but she's taking the right shots and that's what Tara wants. Tara is not playing Sara James because she wasn't taking the shots when the team and play have set her up to take them. In this game Amber struggled early - perhaps uncharacteristically, but she turned the ball over several times - so Lindy played a lot more. And I think Lindy directs our team on the floor at both ends. With so much youth on the floor you need someone out there telling them what to do, where to go, and who to guard. This is a young team and the season is all towards winning games, which we are doing, developing our younger players, and becoming more cohesive. I think Lindy - as frustrating as it is for her and us to have her miss shots or have quick guards blow by her - is playing a very important role for us.
Toni really seemed to step it up this game. I did think her quick 3 miss at the end was a mistake but to see her take Boyd one on one and beat her at will was beautiful. Boyd had her best game of the year but I have to think Toni being able to just blow by her and then the next time, stop for a quick jumper had to get into Boyd's head.
Jos had a good game - she seems to often be in the right place at the right time - and she blocked some shots and fought and won rebounds. Great to see. Taylor is just quicker and a better ball handler - so with the Bears more athletic lineup and aggressive, sometimes trapping defense, Tara needed Taylor in a lot and she responded well.
Overall - I think the Bears played a great game and I think Coach Gottlieb has made a brobdingnagian difference over Boyle. In the past, they would lose their confidence down the end but she kept them fighting and believing. They have some great guards - Boyd is much better than Gray-Lawson. It'll be fun to watch her develop and grow. And she has a strong, deep frontline that can play aggressive and go toe-to-toe with anyone. It's going to be a tough game at Harmon where it will be LOUD!
I'm not so concerned that we lost our lead - I'm more happy that we didn't lose but won a close game. Cal is a good team.
Yes - we aren't a Final Four team right now - but we don't need to be yet. When our shots start falling, it will all feel a lot better.
But Nneka went down hard in the middle of the half and didn't seem the same. She couldn't run or jump effectively and after winning the opening tipoff she easily lost the overtime jump ball. I'm not sure she scored afterwards. Add to Nneka going down hard - being sick all week and going almost the entire game with the Bears doubling and collapsing on her, but mostly aggressively getting hands on the ball and challenging her on every rebound and shot explained her difficulties and I think those things had a lot to do with us losing our lead and not finishing as we often do.
Chiney was brobdingnagian! And to her credit she went a long time without a foul - which was important because in the stretch at the end she had 4 fouls. I seriously felt that if she fouled out - we would lose the game. I mean she just owned the backboard and grabbed just about every rebound down the stretch and just took it to the basket and was unstoppable.
Lindy is a good 3-point shooter that has been in a slump - but she's taking the right shots and that's what Tara wants. Tara is not playing Sara James because she wasn't taking the shots when the team and play have set her up to take them. In this game Amber struggled early - perhaps uncharacteristically, but she turned the ball over several times - so Lindy played a lot more. And I think Lindy directs our team on the floor at both ends. With so much youth on the floor you need someone out there telling them what to do, where to go, and who to guard. This is a young team and the season is all towards winning games, which we are doing, developing our younger players, and becoming more cohesive. I think Lindy - as frustrating as it is for her and us to have her miss shots or have quick guards blow by her - is playing a very important role for us.
Toni really seemed to step it up this game. I did think her quick 3 miss at the end was a mistake but to see her take Boyd one on one and beat her at will was beautiful. Boyd had her best game of the year but I have to think Toni being able to just blow by her and then the next time, stop for a quick jumper had to get into Boyd's head.
Jos had a good game - she seems to often be in the right place at the right time - and she blocked some shots and fought and won rebounds. Great to see. Taylor is just quicker and a better ball handler - so with the Bears more athletic lineup and aggressive, sometimes trapping defense, Tara needed Taylor in a lot and she responded well.
Overall - I think the Bears played a great game and I think Coach Gottlieb has made a brobdingnagian difference over Boyle. In the past, they would lose their confidence down the end but she kept them fighting and believing. They have some great guards - Boyd is much better than Gray-Lawson. It'll be fun to watch her develop and grow. And she has a strong, deep frontline that can play aggressive and go toe-to-toe with anyone. It's going to be a tough game at Harmon where it will be LOUD!
I'm not so concerned that we lost our lead - I'm more happy that we didn't lose but won a close game. Cal is a good team.
Yes - we aren't a Final Four team right now - but we don't need to be yet. When our shots start falling, it will all feel a lot better.