ChipperF1
01-11-2003, 08:02 PM
It had all the charm of an old-school Oklahoma-Nebraska football game. It was brutal, defensive, and as had been the case in many of those football games, enough Sooner Magic went a long way.
It started about as expected, Oklahoma came out to a 10-4, but I was surprised at how Nebraska didn't put their heads down. My lasses in red responded. The steals by Margaret Richards, some good passes by Jina Johansen and Alexa Johnson and before you knew it Nebraska was up 12-11 and battling.
Unfortunately you could see the cracks forming in the first half. There was a stretch of 4 straight possessions that the Huskers had worked inside to get some easy buckets and they couldn't finish. It was frustrating to watch, especially when it seemed whenever Maria Villaroel or Chelsi Welch needed to make a shot, they'd make it. It was a wonder the score was tied at halftime given the lack of offense Nebraska had.
I loved the first half defensive by Nebraska!!! It was inspiring to see such effort. The Husker do not have a superior defensive player on the team, but they played well for most of the half. I liked the hustle a lot, especially by Margaret Richards, who had never been a solid defensive player, and by Laura Pilakowski (I'll get to to Tigger in a minute!)
But the second half hurt. First offensively. Only 6 baskets for an entire half? You can't win ballgames that way. But even worse was our court sense offensively. When the game was at 36-33 and Oklahoma still wasn't in rhythm, Nebraska had an opportunity to put points on the board. Alexa Johnson had the ball the OU defense flowed towards her, and left Richards wide open on the opposite wing, a good quick pass open a three-pointer who an open alley to drive for a closer shot. Instead, Johnson tries to force the ball into Amanda Cleveland, and the pass ended going out of the bounds.
Next possesion? Same problem. Now its 38-33, and this time Grichaly Cepero has the ball (which in itself is cause for alarm in most cases). She tries to put it on the ground, ignoring Alexa Johnson filling the wing on the left. She has a step, instead, Griech makes a move, loses the ball, and another Sooner possession.
You can talk about 24% shooting, but a more telling stat for me was 25 turnovers, that Oklahoma cashed in for 17 points. During the Sooner 14-0 run, 10 of those points came thanks to poor decisions leading to turnovers. For the second half, Nebraska looked like last years team. No focus and no ability.
WHAT WORKED FOR NEBRASKA TODAY...
1. Margaret Richards...Overall a good game again. She had 17 points, played excellent on defense for the first half. She made a number of plays when the game was still competitive, and was in position to make some that would have kept the game competitive.
2. Laura Pilakowski. She hasn't touched a basketball in competition in about 4 years, although she was a star on her intramural team. Her first regulation competition in 4 years and she's getting floorburns! I LOVE THIS GIRL! There is a reason why her nickname on the volleyball team is "Tigger". She bounds with energy, and it showed today. She had her rusty moments. Four badly missed shots, some turnovers, but there was a moment that years from now should Nebraska ever reach great heights in the Yori era, we should all remember as a turning point.
1:50 left in the half and there's a lose ball on the floor, and a group of players are running for dear life. Laura gets there first, and dives on it, out wrestles the OU player for it and throws it off the opponents leg. Nebraska gains a possession.
Last years team never had this kind of tenacity.
WHAT DIDN'T WORK FOR NEBRASKA
1. Jamaal Johansen.....In 40 minutes, she made exactly 0 shots, airballed two of them. Had 4 assists, but 6 turnovers. We a step behind Dionnah Jackson and Maria Villaroel all day. And the saddest thing is She's the best point guard we have.
Jina's a gutsy kid, she's great to have on the team, but in man-to-man situations she at a decided disadvantage due to a lack of size and a lack of speed, which in turn led to some turnovers, including being stripped of the ball three times.
2. Overall Offense....Nebraska has ever been a good three-point shooting team, but today we could hit lay-ups. Good passes wasted because we failed to finish shot in the interior, and wasted many second and third shot opportunities. Thirteen baskets for an entire ballgame. Alexa Johnson is the biggest offender. If 14 missed shots by her 8 were from 8 feet or closer, including 4 lay-up radius shots.
3. Team Defense, Second half. Too many instances where Nebraska got lazy on defense and Oklahoma race inside for backdoor layups. When the game got to 44-33, Nebraska's discipline broke down in total. We started chasing, and fouling. Maybe fatigue played a part in it, but there were too many instances of Dionnah Jackson backing down Margaret Richards and getting a shot off. And the site of Cepero getting beat on the same play three times by Villaroel, Welch and Shoush was too much. In an interesting note, Nebraska outrebouded Oklahoma 44-43, interesting given that Amanda Cleveland, Johnson and Cepero played rather unaggressive for much of the second half.
ABOUT OKLAHOMA
Offensively, this team has the making of a good offensive team. They just need to keep jelling. Defensively, Sherri Coale has a team that can really be good as well. I'll admit, I underestimated the Sooner and shouldn't have. This team isn't nearly as good as last years, but they have some kids who will become gamers as the season progress.
CHIPPER REALLY LIKES...
Maria Villaroel and Chelsi Welch This is not the same backcourt I saw against Sanford. Both of them, even when Nebraska defended well, were able to take their shots. Villaroel was hard on defense, and I notice she does a lot of little things well. She's excellent as the "help" on traps. Disrupted our offensive flow the entire day. More consistent shooting and she'll be as nasty as Caulfield or Dales. She already has LaNeisha defensive mean streak.
Chelsi Welch? She has a very sweet shooting stroke. Richards was on her like glue, but still Welch was able to get to her spot and knock it down when she had to. And when Welch is open? That's not an inviting prospect for a defense.
Overall, the Sooners did what an upper division team does, you make the plays when you have to have them.
OVERALL OUTLOOK.
Last year when Nebraska played Oklahoma. The Huskers had no talent, no focus, and worse no heart.
The heart was there today. This team showed a lot of effort. The Huskers didn't back down and that made me happy.
However my happiness is tempered by three realities.
1. This team lacks fundamental basketball skills.
The Huskers shoot poorly, run plays sloppily, and don't handle the ball well.
2. The team is without a consistent threat from the outside.
Today we hit 3 pointer per half. That will not get it done, especially when we don't have a lot of strength inside.
3. The team lacks the athleticism that can cover for #1 and #2
It frustrating to see a team that has enough spirit to stay afloat not have enough scoring punch to move. For the last three game, Nebraska offensive has been nonexistant, and that can mean this year will get very long very quick.
Next up is a trip to face our old friends at Vichy Colorado. Nebraska hasn't won in Boulder since 1985. Based on what I saw today, that streak won't end in 2003.
--ChipperF1
[This message has been edited by ChipperF1 (edited 01-11-2003).]
It started about as expected, Oklahoma came out to a 10-4, but I was surprised at how Nebraska didn't put their heads down. My lasses in red responded. The steals by Margaret Richards, some good passes by Jina Johansen and Alexa Johnson and before you knew it Nebraska was up 12-11 and battling.
Unfortunately you could see the cracks forming in the first half. There was a stretch of 4 straight possessions that the Huskers had worked inside to get some easy buckets and they couldn't finish. It was frustrating to watch, especially when it seemed whenever Maria Villaroel or Chelsi Welch needed to make a shot, they'd make it. It was a wonder the score was tied at halftime given the lack of offense Nebraska had.
I loved the first half defensive by Nebraska!!! It was inspiring to see such effort. The Husker do not have a superior defensive player on the team, but they played well for most of the half. I liked the hustle a lot, especially by Margaret Richards, who had never been a solid defensive player, and by Laura Pilakowski (I'll get to to Tigger in a minute!)
But the second half hurt. First offensively. Only 6 baskets for an entire half? You can't win ballgames that way. But even worse was our court sense offensively. When the game was at 36-33 and Oklahoma still wasn't in rhythm, Nebraska had an opportunity to put points on the board. Alexa Johnson had the ball the OU defense flowed towards her, and left Richards wide open on the opposite wing, a good quick pass open a three-pointer who an open alley to drive for a closer shot. Instead, Johnson tries to force the ball into Amanda Cleveland, and the pass ended going out of the bounds.
Next possesion? Same problem. Now its 38-33, and this time Grichaly Cepero has the ball (which in itself is cause for alarm in most cases). She tries to put it on the ground, ignoring Alexa Johnson filling the wing on the left. She has a step, instead, Griech makes a move, loses the ball, and another Sooner possession.
You can talk about 24% shooting, but a more telling stat for me was 25 turnovers, that Oklahoma cashed in for 17 points. During the Sooner 14-0 run, 10 of those points came thanks to poor decisions leading to turnovers. For the second half, Nebraska looked like last years team. No focus and no ability.
WHAT WORKED FOR NEBRASKA TODAY...
1. Margaret Richards...Overall a good game again. She had 17 points, played excellent on defense for the first half. She made a number of plays when the game was still competitive, and was in position to make some that would have kept the game competitive.
2. Laura Pilakowski. She hasn't touched a basketball in competition in about 4 years, although she was a star on her intramural team. Her first regulation competition in 4 years and she's getting floorburns! I LOVE THIS GIRL! There is a reason why her nickname on the volleyball team is "Tigger". She bounds with energy, and it showed today. She had her rusty moments. Four badly missed shots, some turnovers, but there was a moment that years from now should Nebraska ever reach great heights in the Yori era, we should all remember as a turning point.
1:50 left in the half and there's a lose ball on the floor, and a group of players are running for dear life. Laura gets there first, and dives on it, out wrestles the OU player for it and throws it off the opponents leg. Nebraska gains a possession.
Last years team never had this kind of tenacity.
WHAT DIDN'T WORK FOR NEBRASKA
1. Jamaal Johansen.....In 40 minutes, she made exactly 0 shots, airballed two of them. Had 4 assists, but 6 turnovers. We a step behind Dionnah Jackson and Maria Villaroel all day. And the saddest thing is She's the best point guard we have.
Jina's a gutsy kid, she's great to have on the team, but in man-to-man situations she at a decided disadvantage due to a lack of size and a lack of speed, which in turn led to some turnovers, including being stripped of the ball three times.
2. Overall Offense....Nebraska has ever been a good three-point shooting team, but today we could hit lay-ups. Good passes wasted because we failed to finish shot in the interior, and wasted many second and third shot opportunities. Thirteen baskets for an entire ballgame. Alexa Johnson is the biggest offender. If 14 missed shots by her 8 were from 8 feet or closer, including 4 lay-up radius shots.
3. Team Defense, Second half. Too many instances where Nebraska got lazy on defense and Oklahoma race inside for backdoor layups. When the game got to 44-33, Nebraska's discipline broke down in total. We started chasing, and fouling. Maybe fatigue played a part in it, but there were too many instances of Dionnah Jackson backing down Margaret Richards and getting a shot off. And the site of Cepero getting beat on the same play three times by Villaroel, Welch and Shoush was too much. In an interesting note, Nebraska outrebouded Oklahoma 44-43, interesting given that Amanda Cleveland, Johnson and Cepero played rather unaggressive for much of the second half.
ABOUT OKLAHOMA
Offensively, this team has the making of a good offensive team. They just need to keep jelling. Defensively, Sherri Coale has a team that can really be good as well. I'll admit, I underestimated the Sooner and shouldn't have. This team isn't nearly as good as last years, but they have some kids who will become gamers as the season progress.
CHIPPER REALLY LIKES...
Maria Villaroel and Chelsi Welch This is not the same backcourt I saw against Sanford. Both of them, even when Nebraska defended well, were able to take their shots. Villaroel was hard on defense, and I notice she does a lot of little things well. She's excellent as the "help" on traps. Disrupted our offensive flow the entire day. More consistent shooting and she'll be as nasty as Caulfield or Dales. She already has LaNeisha defensive mean streak.
Chelsi Welch? She has a very sweet shooting stroke. Richards was on her like glue, but still Welch was able to get to her spot and knock it down when she had to. And when Welch is open? That's not an inviting prospect for a defense.
Overall, the Sooners did what an upper division team does, you make the plays when you have to have them.
OVERALL OUTLOOK.
Last year when Nebraska played Oklahoma. The Huskers had no talent, no focus, and worse no heart.
The heart was there today. This team showed a lot of effort. The Huskers didn't back down and that made me happy.
However my happiness is tempered by three realities.
1. This team lacks fundamental basketball skills.
The Huskers shoot poorly, run plays sloppily, and don't handle the ball well.
2. The team is without a consistent threat from the outside.
Today we hit 3 pointer per half. That will not get it done, especially when we don't have a lot of strength inside.
3. The team lacks the athleticism that can cover for #1 and #2
It frustrating to see a team that has enough spirit to stay afloat not have enough scoring punch to move. For the last three game, Nebraska offensive has been nonexistant, and that can mean this year will get very long very quick.
Next up is a trip to face our old friends at Vichy Colorado. Nebraska hasn't won in Boulder since 1985. Based on what I saw today, that streak won't end in 2003.
--ChipperF1
[This message has been edited by ChipperF1 (edited 01-11-2003).]