Women's Basketball Ready to Step It Up in 2001-02
11/7/2001 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 7, 2001
After tasting a bit of success last season, the 2001-02 Demon Deacons are even more motivated and focused on turning Wake Forest women's basketball into a consistent and competitive contender...
Ever since the 2000-01 season came to a close in a thrilling overtime battle with top-seeded and eventual champion Duke in the ACC Tournament in Greensboro, the Wake Forest women's basketball team has been focused - in every sense of the word - on "stepping it up" for the 2001-02 campaign.
The players have focused on improving their strength and skills, the coaching staff has focused on game plans and strategies, and collectively, the Demon Deacons have focused on becoming a cohesive and effective unit - a force to be reckoned with this season.
While college basketball teams around the country begin practice in mid-October for the upcoming season, every member of the Wake Forest women's basketball team committed to her own personal preparations for the 2001-02 season as soon as the buzzer sounded in the Greensboro Coliseum last March. The bit of success the Deacs experienced last season - posting the highest number of wins in four seasons - left them hungry for even more.
"One of the things that gets me excited about this team is the fact that these players want to see it happen," said head coach Charlene Curtis, now entering her fifth season at the helm of the Deacon program. "Our players are very hungry to be successful, and they're not just talking about it. They're getting out there and working for that to happen."
Although the Deacons graduated a large portion of its statistical production from last season (49 percent of it scoring, 36 percent of rebounding), key players return at every position on the floor. Not only was last year a step in the right direction in terms of wins and increased production, it was a good building block for the future as Curtis and her staff used a large rotation of players in nearly every game. All the returning players on this year's roster have seen significant action during their careers.
"This team is much more athletic and skilled than in past years," said Curtis. "We'll be the ones establishing the tempo, we'll be getting after people defensively and we're going to look to score more in transition. I'm excited about the year. I think we're continuing to get better and I think we're going to be an exciting team to watch."
Point Guards
Before the season even begins, Wake Forest will have a real battle at the starting point guard position. Three players return to that role this fall, all with a tremendous amount of experience. Senior Val Klopfer leads the trio in terms of playing time, as she has seen action in 81 games (starting 52) during her career. But fellow senior Adell Harris and sophomore Bianca Brown can state their case for playing time as well, as each played significant minutes in more than 20 games last year.
Each point guard brings different strengths to the court. Klopfer has a tremendous work ethic and is considered a team leader through her actions both on and off the floor. The Albany, N.Y. native is a steady, controlled guard who rarely turns the ball over. Her career assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.24 currently ranks third all-time at Wake. The 5-4 Klopfer is also a tenacious defender, having grabbed 23 steals last season.
Harris, from nearby High Point, N.C., brings a high level of intensity into the game and is a pinpoint passer with a flashy style and exciting moves. Coaches are looking for the 5-8 Harris to show more consistency in her play this year, and to look for more opportunities to score, as both she and Klopfer are excellent three-point shooters.
Brown, one of the fastest players on the team, is a quick-moving, "take-charge" player who showed great improvement over the course of her freshman season. At 5-8, she is also the type of player who can wreak havoc on her opponents with her defensive skills. The Montclair, N.J. product ranked third on the team last season in the steals category (26) and picked up 39 defensive rebounds.
"I think we're going to be good at that position this year," Curtis said of the point guard spot. "I felt good about how we ended last season and I felt even better after our spring workouts. The point guards had very intense and competitive skill workouts and was probably the most impressive group in the spring."
Regardless of who is serving as the Deacons' floor general, the coaching staff is looking for increased offensive production from that position. Wake's point guards averaged less than three points a game last season, and Curtis would like to see that statistic rise.
"We've asked Val to become more willing to shoot the open perimeter shot as well as become a threat to go to the basket," Curtis said. "Because of her size, she has shied away from that in the past. So we're asking her to become more of a presence - an impact - on offense."
"We're also looking for Bianca to become more of a scoring threat," she continued. "We saw in the offseason that she's made great improvements in that area."
Shooting Guards
One the strengths of this year's team is its versatility - many of the players are capable of contributing at several positions. That statement especially applies to the players at the "2" position, where the Deacons boast good shooters who are also capable of playing point guard or even small forward if necessary.
Sophomore Tonia Brown is the leading candidate to start at shooting guard this season, as she gained valuable experience as a rookie behind senior starter Kristen Shaffer. Brown saw action in every game in 2000-01, averaging nearly 15 minutes and 4.4 points an outing. She was also the Deacons' leader in three-point field goals, hitting 20 treys over the course of the year.
If a taller lineup is needed, the 5-10 Brown could also see action at the point. She spent the offseason working with the point guards and showed improvement in that aspect of her game.
"Tonia has very good court awareness - she's a good passer, gets the ball inside and sees the floor well," said Curtis. " I see her as someone who can make plays for us. But she's also being asked to put the ball in the basket."
Newcomer Meredith Bell is another player capable of playing point guard, as she did for a very successful AAU program in the Washington, D.C., area. The Wake Forest coaches, however, are looking to capitalize on her strong shooting skills, including an excellent three-point shot, and feel she is someone who could contribute early on. The 5-9 Bell earned several accolades in her home state of Maryland while leading her Westlake High School team to an appearance in the state semifinals as a senior.
"Meredith is an exciting player who will be looking to find her niche on this team right away," predicted Curtis. "She brings the experience of being on successful teams and is the type of player that is used to leading those teams."
Small Forwards
Small forward Heather Miller is another versatile player who, because of her sharp shooting skills beyond the arc, could also see some action at the two position. The 5-10 junior from Bassett, Va., saw action in 26 games last season, averaging seven minutes an outing with 1.9 points and 1.3 rebounds. Miller is one of the best offensive rebounders on the team, and was the only Deacon to pull down more offensive rebounds (20) than defensive (14) last season.
Miller is also an excellent free throw shooter, and because of her versatility, coaches are looking for her to create three-point plays - whether its beyond the arc or drawing a foul on the inside.
"Heather's charge in the offseason was to get in the gym and take lots and lots of shots," Curtis said. "She needs to be one of those players that when we put her on the floor, we know she's going to get us a three."
Sophomore Tracy Alston spent her freshman campaign transitioning from a high school post player to more of a perimeter player in the Wake Forest lineup. A Raleigh, N.C., product, she proved to be a quick learner and developed into a tenacious defender while seeing action in all but one game last season. Named the team's Best Defensive Player, Alston often drew the top defensive assignment and provided a smothering presence against the opponent.
This year, coaches look for the 5-10 Alston to continue using her defensive skills while developing an offensive presence as well. She showed she was very capable of doing just that in offseason drills.
"She proved to us that she is a very capable scorer off the dribble," Curtis said. "So we are still going to count on her as a defensive stopper, but she also needs to show she's capable of being a positive on the offensive end as well."
Another sophomore forward, Eafton Hill, was perhaps Wake's biggest surprise last season. Averaging a team-best 11.4 points per game, the 6-1 Hill from Boone, N.C. became the first freshman to lead the Deacons in scoring since Tracy Connor in 1993. She also ranked second on the squad in rebounding with 5.9 boards per game, a blocked a team-high 35 shots on the year.
Hill's numbers also ranked high among ACC freshmen - she led all league rookies in rebounding and ranked second in points and blocked shots - figures that were impressive enough to land her a spot on the ACC All-Freshman Team.
"I knew she was capable of being a good player in the ACC and at this level of basketball, but I didn't imagine she would do it as early in her career as she did," Curtis said. "I think she has the ability to leave her stamp here at Wake Forest and to make a name not only for herself but for our program as well."
The majority of Hill's points last season came from mid-range shots off the dribble and out on the perimeter (she scored 16 three-pointers last year). This season, the coaching staff is looking for Hill to become more of a scoring threat down low.
"We want her to accept that another one of her strengths is scoring down low," Curtis said. "So we envision her playing the '3' and '4' for us this year - primarily the '3', but we want to post her up as well."
Freshman Jennifer Johnson joins the Deacon squad from Mt. Juliet, Tenn., and is yet another player who brings a great deal of versatility to the lineup. A natural small forward, Johnson has gained a great deal of size and strength in recent months, giving her the ability to swing to the "4" position if needed. She also comes into the program with well-developed ball-handling skills that would allow her to play the "2" in a tall lineup.
"Jennifer is the kind of player that could play a game and not score a point but make us better," Curtis said. "She understands the game. She'll get the ball where she needs to be, she'll set the screen, she'll box out, she'll get the key rebound. She's a well-rounded player, and it will be exciting to see just how she develops as the season goes along."
Johnson has been somewhat limited in the preseason after straining the medial collateral ligament (MCL) in her right knee in September, but should be back to 100 percent by the start of the season.
Power Forwards
Tiffani Listenbee enters her junior campaign with high expectations after winning the team's Most Improved award last season. The 6-1 native of Clinton Township, Mich., showed signs of progress in every aspect of her game - from skill level to strength to confidence - between her freshman and sophomore seasons.
Listenbee was counted on heavily in the low post last year, seeing action in every game - starting 10 contests in midseason - and averaging 3.5 points and 3.3 rebounds an outing. Coaches will look for more production from Listenbee this season in both of those areas, in addition to aggressive defense.
"We need more rebounding and point production from our post players, and a lot of that weight will fall on Tiffani's shoulders early, because she showed us signs of that last season," Curtis said. "Another big key for Tiffani is to be an aggressive defender without getting called for fouls."
Freshman Erin Ferrell will factor into the mix at the power forward slot. Coached by her father at one of the top private school programs in the Washington, D.C., area, Ferrell adds to the overall athleticism and competitiveness of the team.
"Erin has a good sense of the game, and she'll do what it takes to get the job done," said Curtis. "When it's crunch time, she's the one on the floor tying up the ball for a jump ball possession, or she's hustling to get the loose ball, or she's getting the offensive rebound and sticking it back in. She just gets down in the trenches and gets it done."
The 6-0 Ferrell has been working with a strength coach as well as a shooting coach and has noticeably improved in both areas since her prep basketball days.
Center
Perhaps the biggest question mark in the Deacon lineup entering the 2001-02 campaign is at the center spot. Though neither one was a "true center", graduated seniors Olivia Dardy and Brenda Mock Kirkpatrick made the most impact in the middle last season, as both averaged double-figure scoring and ranked among the team's top three players in rebounding.
Their departure leaves an opportunity for a trio of upperclassmen - seniors Lachina Robinson and LaTisha Pearson and junior Johanna Bj?rklund - to step up this season.
Robinson, at 6-4, is the most experienced returning player in the low post, as she has seen action in every contest of her collegiate career (84 games). A 1999 ACC All-Freshman selection, Robinson's numbers decreased somewhat last season after strong freshman and sophomore campaigns.
"I'm hoping that since this is LaChina's last year, she is very focused and very determined to leave her mark," Curtis said. "We need an inside presence and she's capable of doing it."
Robinson has averaged 5.3 points and 3.6 rebounds during her career, and currently ranks seventh on Wake's all-time blocked shots list with 52 career rejections.
Pearson, another 6-4 senior, has a real opportunity to make an impact in her final campaign, after playing a limited role in past years.
"LaTisha is the kind of player that has shown moments of brilliance, and we need to see it on a consistent level," Curtis said. "She's capable of being a very good rebounder and transition-type post player."
Curtis points to Wake Forest assistant coach Sharon Manning as an example of the type of role Pearson can play on this squad. Manning enjoyed a successful professional basketball career - both overseas and in the WNBA - primarily as a rebounder and defensive player.
"As LaTisha realizes that being a rebounder and defender is how she can contribute right away, then this team will be better," Curtis said.
The 6-5 Bj?rklund, WFU's tallest player ever, is a versatile type of post player. The coaching staff has realized this and plans to utilize her strengths in a variety of ways. Hailing from Stockholm, Sweden, Bjorklund will still see plenty of action underneath the basket, but will also be allowed to move outside, where she has been more comfortable in the past.
"Johanna has such a good sense of the game, she has great hands and is an excellent passer," Curtis said. "She's capable of being one of the team's top assist people if we can get her in the right places on the floor."