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It's that time of year again, guys! And you should all know how I like my players by now -- athletic, skilled, full of court savvy, tenacious on defense and fierce on the boards. I DO NOT care what your name is or how many times it's been heard on a broadcast and I sure could care less what school you attend. And I 'sho don't wanna hear that 'she's a shooter' crap as yet another blur slashes pass that shooter while on defense.
Nope, my criterion for "Best in Camp" is quite simple -- are you a playa versus do you play ball? Because my basketball vision is calibrated to hone in on talented competitors (emphasis on competitor), there are certain to be some surprises on the list as well as some notable absences.
So let me be crystal clear, of all my journalistic assignments this is the one I take the most seriously because it involves the evaluation of young athletes who have devoted themselves completely to the game we all love. Each player at camp should be commended for having made the sacrifices and having the talent to be invited to the greatest basketball circus in the world. Having said that, I take no prisoners when it comes to calling 'em like I see them. There will be no NCAA politics or WNBA marketing machine at work in my analyses -- either you showed up and by your play made the number on your back stand out or you were just lucky to be there.
With that in mind, here goes my second annual Best of Camp Review.
Well, where do you want me to start with Miss Ferdinand? Her lean, zero fat, perfectly sculpted, built-for-the-pros body? How about her deadly mid-range game or her tremendous crossover explosion to the basket? Ohhh, I know, you like her battle-tested SEC pedigree? Or what I like best, her court savvy and outstanding comprehension of pace and spacing? Folks, Marie isn't just a tremendously gifted athlete, this is absolutely one smart player. Marie's demonstrated poise and on-court demeanor make her my 'Best in Camp' pick. As a matter of fact, after the show she put on in Chicago, I couldn't imagine a single coach not understanding if Lin Dunn decided to make Ferdinand the first name heard April 20th. Ferdinand is simply put, the best pro prospect this side of an injured Tamika Catchings, even without proven three-point ability (which will come!).
Amanda Lassiter 6-1, 145 lbs., small forward, Missouri, first team all-Big 12
You know all those things I said above about Ferdinand -- well, take a little away from the skills and comprehension but add four inches and you have the compelling Lassiter. Lassiter, who burst on the national scene with her performance against Georgia in the NCAAs, is tough to ignore in the small forward-deprived WNBA. I would have loved to see her rebounding totals higher but there is no denying that the talent and athleticism are there to ensure her an entrance and prolonged stay in the league. In the last session (there were three sessions which included four games), the overseers saw fit to draw opposing teams which pitted Lassiter against Ferdinand. All I can say is, no one's eyes even blinked. In the end, it was Lassiter's three to win it at the buzzer by one.
Tamara Stocks 6-3, 165 lbs., power forward, Florida
This was a tough call for me because all my instincts and inclinations lean toward players with more beef at this position. But by virtue of her name being here means that Stocks was simply not to be ignored. Stocks' stats through three games at camp included a second best average of 8.8 ppg while shooting 62.5% from the field. While Tamara's rebounding totals were not as high as some post-height players in camp, she proved she could rebound all season at 10.8 per game in the conference whose favorite game besides basketball is "let's tussle in the lane ev'ry second just 'cause". In addition, Stocks ballhandling skills in the open court and from the perimeter were really impressive. In the last session her field goal percentage suffered only because she banged and drew fouls to the tune of going nine of nine from the line.
Kelly Schumacher 6-5, 190 lbs., center/power forward, Connecticut, set NCAA record of nine blocks in 2000 Championship game
Yesssssss, you are reading right. Ruth who? (She wasn't there by the way.) I've always liked Schumacher's game because of her mobility, acumen and athleticism on defense. [Side Note: Post players with no D make me sick to my stomach.] And with Kelly it's not just weakside help blocks you get -- at camp she threw back stuff from powerful players making strong aggressive moves to challenge her. The reason Kelly's first team, however, is because of what she was able to get done on the offensive end in Chicago. It was obvious those scoring skills were present all the time at UConn, but she became the fifth option only after the second injured star was downed. At camp, though, after three sessions, Schumacher was the leading scorer (not a typo) at 9.5 ppg while shooting at a 63% clip. 'Nuff said.
Cara Consuegra 5-8, 145 lbs., point guard, Iowa, first team all-Big Ten
Gotta have a point guard to drive this fine Caddy, right? My pick is Ms. Consuegra. To tell you the truth I didn't realize until just looking it up that the Iowa Hawkeye was 5-8 - which is a bonus at the next level -- because of her quickness at camp I assumed her to be smaller. There was a lot of solid point guard play, but Consuegra distanced herself from the rest of the pack by making really good decisions with the ball. A 3.5:1 assist to turnover ratio through the first three sessions seemed to confirm my impression from watching her floor leadership. Consuegra just displayed really fine knowledge of when, to whom and how to pass, without forcing the issue herself (which was unnecessary with the caliber of players around her, although some seemed not to understand that). Although I have no specific notes on her defense it must have been solid or surely there would have been comments. Don't be surprised if Consuegra is selected before some of the more tossed around names playing this position.
It was extremely painful for me not to include Randall on the first team. Besides the Lassiter/Ferdinand duke-out, my most vivid memories of this camp consist of Randall left, Randall right, Randall down the middle for a touch ... oh, I'm sorry, basket. You guys can pick apart her game until the sun comes up and at the end of the day I still love her passion and would rather have her on my side than playing against me. Simply put, someone released the 'cracken' in the camp and Semeka was the firebug we all know and love. Hustling all over the place, creating havoc on defense and the offensive boards, and lo and behold, even finding her shooting touch. Through three sessions, Randall was fifth in average scoring with a shooting percentage of 67% while amassing rebounds like a power forward. When draft day comes this year's NCAA tournament, this year, the last two years for those who are really critical, will be tossed out the window because the things Semeka has more of than anyone shy of her fallen running mate are passion and heart.
Jenny Mowe 6-5, 240 lbs., center, Oregon
Do not adjust your dial -- repeat, there is no need to panic. The chickens have not taken over the roost. But, Roz, Jenny who? I know, trust me, I know. I kept doing the same thing every time I looked up information on da' 'big girl'. But, I tell you what, if I got Jenny's name on this list it means she can play; which for a post player means run the court, defend the post area, snag tough rebounds and score in the paint. So, why haven't any of us highly informed FCP subscribers raised even one brow regarding Ms. Mowe? I'da know, but I can tell you a little about my top secret weapon; Mowe shot 59.5% from the field this season but didn't get that many touches. And although her career rebounding totals aren't great (5.1 rpg), Mowe didn't look deficient in that department at camp. To make sure I wasn't desperate to find someone to trip the readers out, I got unsolicited agreement with my assessment from one of the WNBA coaches -- so there!
LaQuanda Barksdale 5-11, 155 lbs., shooting guard/small forward, North Carolina, first team all-ACC '00, '01
Listed at 5-11, Barksdale has got to play as if she's at least 6-1. Possessing an extraordinary wingspan, LaQuanda is capable of making remarkably athletic plays off the boards and on defense. Some people say her offensive style is ugly, well it looked more like danger to me -- like how in the world do I stop this? And that's the beauty of lankiness combined with good perimeter skills. When Barksdale is on offense, if you're as quick you're probably shorter and she'll go over the top and pound you down low; if you're taller she'll blow past you to the spot. Barksdale's shooting and shot selection has been questioned, but every time I've seen her play she gets the job done when necessary. In other words, shot selection can be taught but the other tools Barksdale brings can not.
Tere Williams 5-11, 158 lbs., shooting guard/small forward, Virginia Tech, second team all-Big East '01
'Who is that?' 'What school is she from?' That's all I kept asking myself over and over again as I watched Tere Williams play. Tere's one of those silky smooth, glide-on-the-court, make-every-play-look-effortless players that I love. But don't let the smooth taste fool ya'; she is tough on defense and the boards with a high basketball IQ and tremendous enthusiasm. My notes read 'I like her game' but they were not necessary after watching her play in the last session. In the final game Williams actually outplayed teammate Ferdinand to the tune of six of nine (0-2 from three) shooting, six rebounds (two offensive), four steals and an assist -- all the while encouraging each player on her team and working in perfect harmony with the supremely smooth Ferdinand. It says here 'She can play ...'
Tammy Sutton-Brown 6-4, 199 lbs., power forward, Rutgers, third team all-Big East '99, '01
I like post players who snag rebounds, swat ill-advised shots taken in or around the lane, snarl and finish in traffic. So based on Sutton-Brown's attraction to fouls during the season and dispassionate play I was prepared to write her off as just another great body. But at some point between the earlier sessions and the last one, where there's play on only one court and all eyes are on that court, Sutton-Brown found her passion, her toughness and her game. Before the last game, Tammy had performed decently by shooting a high percentage from the field but showing little interest in rebounding. With the spotlight on this is the monster game she pulled out: six of eight FGs, five of five FTs, nine rebounds (five offensive), two assists, one TO, one steal, six fouls. And just like that, Sutton-Brown went from just another great bod to a force to be reckoned with ...
Kristen Clement 5-11, 160 lbs., point/shooting guard, Tennessee
Trust me, I am surprised as you are. Clement's smart, poised and savvy play during camp belied whatever issues existed while donning the orange apparel. I believe Kristen's outward appearance to be a distraction that contradicts her toughness, competitiveness and even her athleticism. I will admit to being guilty to some degree in making assumptions about Clement based on her physical appearance, but her camp numbers scream for fairness in our judgment of her ability. Through three sessions, Clement had the second highest number of assists and second highest assist-to-turnover ratio (3:1). Those numbers answer a lot of concerns regarding ability to handle pressure and decision-making. Clement balanced her passing ability with great shooting as she managed 60% accuracy from two-point range and three of four from behind the arc through the three sessions. It was a simple play that sold me however: a hard high pass fired from the baseline to Clement's wing position was snagged and reigned in with one arm. To possess the athleticism to make that play look easy was enough for me to understand ... don't let the looks fool you.
Coco Miller (Georgia), Kelly Miller (Georgia), Juana Brown (North Carolina), Diana Caramanico (Pennslyvania), Angelina Wolvert (Oregon), Tasha Pointer (Rutgers), Maren Walseth (Penn State), ShaRonda Lasseter (Houston), Yelena Karpova (Russian National Team), Levys Torres (Columbian National Team), Katie Smrcka-Duffy (Georgetown), Michaela Pavlickova (Denver), Jennifer Phillips (Xavier), Kristeena Alexander (George Washington), Jaclyn Johnson (Kansas).
There were obvious top prospects electing not to participate (or not being able to due to injury) -- and they were:
Tamika Catchings (Tennessee), Svetlana Abrosimova (Connecticut), Ruth Riley (Notre Dame), Niele Ivey (Notre Dame), Jackie Stiles (Southwest Missouri State), Camille Cooper (Purdue), Katie Douglas (Purdue), Lauren Jackson (Australian National Team)
That's it folks! And I make no apologies for it. As a matter of fact based on last year's Best of Camp Review, I believe my playa radar to be properly calibrated, as I placed Stacey Thomas, arguably last year's second best rookie, on my first team, and placed an unknown free agent named Kelley Gibson on my second team. Thanks, Kelley, for proceeding to make me look very good by finding a home with the world champion Comets.
Check back for other observations regarding the camp goings-on, information on how the Bubbling"players fared, plus details on the performance of others you may have expected to see highlighted.
4/10/01
