2010-11 OREGON WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
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2010-11 OREGON WOMEN’S BASKETBALL • WWW.GODUCKS.COM
2010-11 OREGON WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
2010-11 season
PREVIEW
In just one season as head coach of the Oregon women’s basketball program, Paul Westhead’s influence proved effective quickly. In 2010, the Ducks reached the postseason for the first time since 2007, won their most games (18) since 2005, and were second in the country averaging 81.4 points per game. Westhead’s run-and-gun style suited the Ducks well in 2010, but with leading scorers and AllPac-10 guards Micaela Cocks and Taylor Lilley graduated, the question becomes who will now fill those roles. The duo averaged a combined 31.9 points and 6.0 assists per game last season. “I don’t think it will be just one or two players who step into those scoring roles,” Westhead said. “I think several of our returners will increase their contributions from last year, and the newcomers will be expected to play immediately.” Last year Westhead was reluctant to move further down the bench past his 7 or 8-player rotation. Although Oregon increased its scoring average from the previous season by nearly 25 points per game, UO’s short bench in the run-and-gun system took a toll on players just learning the system.
“I plan on using a much deeper bench this season, Westhead said. “With a year of experience under their belts, our players are prepared more physically and mentally for this system.” SCHEDULE Westhead refers to his offense as the circus, and in non-conference action the circus will be on the road after opening the season at home with Western Oregon on Nov. 13. The Ducks will head south to play Long Beach State (Nov. 19) for a quick trip, before returning to the Northwest for the 27th all-time meeting with Portland at the Chiles Center on Nov. 22. UO will then host the Oregon Invitational from Nov. 26-28 with Idaho, Cal State Bakersfield and Sacramento State making their final trips to McArthur Court. After the three-day tourney, Oregon will head to Boise State on Dec. 3, and will return home with home dates against 2010 NCAA Tournament participant UC Riverside (Dec. 14) and Denver (Dec. 17). The Ducks end the non-conference portion of their schedule in the Bay Area, taking on Saint Mary’s (Dec. 19) and Santa Clara (Dec. 21) in their final prep for Pac-10 play.
“I think this year’s schedule offers a good balance of home and away games,” Westhead said. “We have the task of preparing five new players for the Pac-10 season, and I believe this schedule will give us ample opportunity to experience travel and high-quality opponents. I expect our veterans to direct our team through the first part of our season.” The veterans Westhead is referring to include seniors Nicole Canepa and Victoria Kenyon, as well as juniors Jasmin Holliday, Nia Jackson and Amanda Johnson. Although the Ducks lost nearly 40 percent of their scoring last season in Cocks and Lilley, Jackson and Johnson both averaged double figures a season ago, while Johnson, Holliday, Kenyon and Canepa all averaged at least 4.0 rebounds per game. GUARDS With Lilley and Cocks gone, Westhead will be looking to replenish his starting five. Jackson will return as the squad’s starting point guard after averaging 10.5 points, 3.6 assists and 2.4 steals per game, while shooting a teambest .467 from the floor. Jackson’s quickness and eye for the final pass were key in helping UO operate the run-and-gun last year.
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2010-11 OREGON WOMEN’S BASKETBALL • WWW.GODUCKS.COM
2010-11 OREGON WOMEN’S BASKETBALL The Seattle native did all that just one year after having ACL surgery in September 2008, and this season is expected to be healthier and fitter. “Nia has shown great improvement, and is even more fit and confident than last year,” Westhead said. “She is ready to step up and lead.” Jackson is being pushed by talented freshman point guard Ariel Thomas. Expected to be the back up to Jackson in Westhead’s run-and-gun system, Thomas averaged 25.9 points and 4.9 assists per game as a Sacramento Bee All-Metro First Team pick out of McClatchy High School. “Ariel has everything necessary to be a terrific point guard in the speed game,” Westhead said. “She’s fast and strong, and can knock down shots consistently.” Sophomore Laura Stanulis also returns to Oregon after walking on to the team a year ago. “Laura is a tough kid and hard worker who does everything asked of her,” Westhead said. “Every day she helps the team get better at practice.” For the last three seasons, Oregon penciled in Lilley to the starting spot at shooting guard, but that spot will be taken by someone new now. Currently senior guards Kristi Fallin and Candyce Flynn, and junior guard Ashley Buis are all vying for the starting job. Each player brings different attributes to the system. Fallin proved last season that she is a consistent spot-up 3-point shooter as well as tough rebounder in her 24 games off the bench. “Kristi is a known quantity for us,” Westhead said. “She can spot up and shoot, and she rebounds well at her position.” Flynn suits the run-and-gun system well and brings strong defensive skills to the position, while Buis is a long distance threat from anywhere on the court. “Candyce has shown a lot of improvement from last year,” Westhead said. “She has been working on transitioning her game from a point guard to a shooting guard, and brings an added dimension of penetration capability to the position. Candyce does well on the defensive end, and fits in well with the press-and-run scheme.” Buis, an All-American guard from Vincennes University, averaged 14.0 points per game and knocked down 69 three-pointers last season. “Ashley is a terrific shooter, and she can fire it up from distance which will help stretch opposing defenses,” Westhead said. “Ashley has a knack of knowing where to be on the floor to find her shot and knock it down.” WINGS Oregon used a three-guard set starting Micaela Cocks at the wing position last season, but the look of the Ducks will change as junior Jasmin Holliday is expected to enter the starting lineup. One of Westhead’s first players off the bench last season, Holliday averaged a career high 6.1 points and 5.9 rebounds per game during her sophomore campaign. “Since last season, Jasmin has improved on her shot, form and consistency,” Westhead said. “I think we are just scratching the surface with Jasmin and the gifts she has. Keeping her activated and involved in everything we do will be key. She can rebound defensively and power dribble out, as well as get us second-chance opportunities on the offensive end.” Also expected to play at small forward is senior Tatianna Thomas. An athletic player since she arrived on campus three years ago, Thomas has shown the ability to get to the basket and defend aggressively. She also could see time at shooting guard.
2010-11 OREGON WOMEN’S BASKETBALL • WWW.GODUCKS.COM
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2010-11 OREGON WOMEN’S BASKETBALL “Tatianna does a lot of good things in the pressand-run, and she has the skills necessary to do well in our system,” Westhead said. “This year Tatianna has been very engaged and she is ready to contribute.”
front court positions, and seems much more ready for the grind of a full season in the pressand-run.”
Also expected to come off the bench for the Ducks is freshman Deanna Weaver. A threetime DeAnza League First Team selection out of Wilcox High School, the Santa Clara, Calif., native, averaged 18.4 points per game her senior season.
Backing Johnson up is senior Nicole Canepa. Now in her fourth year with Ducks, Canepa enters the season with career averages of 7.4 points and 3.9 rebounds per game. During her four-year career, Canepa has shown glimpses of her potential to be a force in the post, and as she approaches her senior year, consistency is the main goal.
“Deanna is just a true basketball player,” Westhead said. “She will be in the mix at several positions, and can help the team both offensively and defensively. She’s tough, rebounds well and knows what to do when the basketball is in her hands.”
“Last season Nicole showed flashes of what she can do in this system,” Westhead said of the San Francisco native who scored 38 points at Arizona. “We need Nicole to continue to look for opportunities this season, and bring some consistency in her senior year.”
FORWARDS Oregon’s returning leading scorer is junior forward Amanda Johnson. Exceptional off the court and on it, Johnson had a breakout season as a sophomore. The Santa Rosa, Calif., native, averaged 12.7 points and a team-leading 8.5 rebounds per game, while recording 11 doubledoubles.
Behind Johnson and Canepa is newcomer Chynna Miley. The freshman and native of Atlanta, Ga., knows all about winning after capturing three consecutive state titles at Southwest DeKalb High School.
Expected to be a leader on the floor along with Jackson, Johnson graduated in the top two percent of her class as a double major in psychology and sociology this past summer, and is already pursuing her master’s. “Amanda has really stepped up and should be one of our go-to players this year,” Westhead said. “She has a terrific skill set for both post
The Australian native averaged 7.1 points per game while being the key to Westhead’s system in full-court pressure with her defensive presence from baseline-to-baseline. “Victoria does so much for the team in a lot of areas that aren’t always seen or appreciated,” Westhead said. “We expect Victoria to be every bit as good as she was last season, while continuing to contribute on the offensive end.” Ellyce Ironmonger, Oregon’s other fourth-year forward from Australia continues to rehab from an ankle procedure she had performed in the offseason. Ironmonger appeared in just 20 games last season, but fits into Westhead’s system well as a trailing post who can knock down shots. “We know that Ellyce can shoot as a trailing post in this system, and we are looking forward to seeing her 100 percent healthy and back on the court,” Westhead said.
“Chynna can score and rebound around the basket, and we are looking forward to her helping us in the future,” Westhead said.
Oregon’s last newcomer is freshman Danielle Love. A 6-foot-2 forward out of Everett, Wash., Love was a three-time all-Wesco North second team selection averaging 13.4 points and 9.1 rebounds per game as a senior.
CENTERS One of four fourth-year seniors on the roster, Westhead’s new system breathed life into Victoria Kenyon last season. After averaging 2.9 points per game during her freshman and sophomore campaigns, Kenyon emerged as a key in Westhead’s uptempo offense.
“Danielle has been a nice surprise,” Westhead said. “I am not sure what I expected, but she’s shown the staff a lot since we have been practicing. Danielle can score, handle the ball and has good instincts in our system.”
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2010-11 OREGON WOMEN’S BASKETBALL • WWW.GODUCKS.COM