FRESHMEN FRENZY!!!
Monday, Nov. 3, 2008
On Sunday we finally got to see the 2008-09 squad face off against opponents wearing a different color jersey...even if that opponent – Northwest Christian University - resides about only eight blocks away from Mac Court.
So what was your favorite memory from Sunday afternoon at Mac Court during Oregon’s 87-40 exhibition win?
Was it the play of true freshman Amanda Johnson?
The native of Santa Rosa, Calif., scored a game-high 18 points and brought down seven boards – four on the offensive end. In addition, she managed four steals and three assists. In her first four minutes of collegiate action, AJ had two layups, one steal and one assist.
Or maybe you were impressed with the play of combo guard Darriel Gaynor.
The three-time Nevada state champ with Bishop Gorman High School was able to show off her defensive attitude as the Ducks instituted full-court pressure during stretches of the game. Gaynor ended up with three steals, but what most surprised me was her shooting touch. Although I saw her knock down outside shots at the team’s scrimmage last Wednesday, I was pleasantly surprised by her 11-point and 3-of-6 performance from outside the arc.
While the freshmen were busy stealing the show, the vets were quietly putting the game out of reach for NCU.
It’s no secret that Ellie Manou and has been playing with a competitive fire since the first game of the Italy trip, and Sunday was no different. Ellie scored 13 points and grabbed four rebounds in just 15 minutes of action. She played a major role in building the Ducks early 11-0 lead by winning the tip, scoring five points, grabbing two rebounds and adding one assist and one steal during that stretch.
Starting point guard and 2008 Olympian Micaela Cocks also reached double figures with 13 points, shooting 5-of-8 from the floor, including three treys.
There were also some very impressive marks from the team as a whole...the .507 (34-of-67) shooting percentage...the 21 assists on 34 buckets...forcing NCU into 33 turnovers while tallying up 17 steals.
Other memories of the game for me are Rita Kollo’s leadership on the floor and her game-high nine assists...Jasmin Holliday’s first-half stuff that drew some serious oohs and aahs from the crowd...Nicole Canepa’s relentless work under the basket.
So what were your impressions of game numero uno...feel free to share. Also check out the photo gallery from the game provided by the photography of Eric Evans, Makenzie Harrington and Weronika Budak.
Until next time...
