We are less than 6 weeks away from the tip-off of a new college basketball season, which means that we have plenty of time to start preparing for the action ahead. We will do so via a series of season previews featuring the best players/coaches in the country. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel continues our coverage with Sacramento State PG Benthe Versteeg, who talked about having a triple-double last year and her expectations for this season.
You were born/raised in the Netherlands: how big is basketball in Holland? It is not that big a sport, especially compared to how big it is in the US. Soccer is the biggest sport in the Netherlands, but basketball is growing more popular each year.
Why did you choose Sacramento State for college? Former coach Mark Campbell recruited me and told me that he wanted to grow the program. Sacramento is the state capital and the community is great so there is a big opportunity here. I wanted to go somewhere where I felt welcomed and could be a part of something that would make a difference.
In the 2023 NCAA tourney you played 15 minutes in a loss at UCLA: what are your memories of your only March Madness experience so far? That was an amazing time. Playing in March Madness was huge: we came back to campus after our conference tourney and everyone was cheering for us. We were also on TV during the selection show, which was cool. UCLA was a good team and the stadium was packed so it was an awesome experience: hopefully I can experience that again.
In 2024 your 38.4 minutes/game were #2 in the nation: how exhausted were you by the end of that season? I played a lot of minutes, which helped me get into the best shape of my career. It was important for me to take care of my body, and my coaches/trainers helped me to sustain that many minutes. I was able to remain healthy all season, and was not as exhausted by the end as I thought I would be.
Last February you had the 1st triple-double in school history with 14 PTS/12 REB/10 AST in an 8-PT loss at Montana: where does that rank among the best all-around games of your career? I would not say that it was my best game, but my teammates gave me the opportunity to get a triple-double: I could not have done it without them. It is not just about the AST: I could not have gotten that many REB if my teammates did not box out. My best game was last March against Montana State: they were undefeated in conference play at the time and I remember my coach telling me during halftime (when we trailed 38-31) that we could not win unless I picked it up. That 2nd half was my best half of the entire season.
Last March you became the 1st player in school history to be named to the all-tournament team in multiple years: how are you able to play your best when it matters the most? It is all about your mindset. I thrive on big opportunities: games in March when your season is on the line is when I get the most excited because that is what you work for during the entire season. Winning in March is the best feeling there is: even thinking about it now makes me so excited!
You were also named to the conference All-Defensive Team for the 2nd straight season: what is the key to playing good defense? Defense is very important so I always take pride in that: when you play good defense your offense will follow. If you can hold your opponent under 50 PTS then you have a much easier chance of winning the game.
You are 1 of 3 seniors on the roster: how much pressure is there on you to be a leader this year? Since this is my “last ride” it feels different. I thought it might be stressful but I know that I have the experience to lead the team.
You have led the conference in AST and TO during each of the past 2 seasons: as a PG how will you try to get more of the former and less of the latter this season? I need is to make better decisions and let the game come to me, which will hopefully result in fewer turnovers. I try to pass to whoever is open for our team’s best shot: I love to share the ball and see my teammates be successful. When you play good team basketball it hypes everyone up.
What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? We want to get another ring and go back to the NCAA tourney. We have a lot of talent and I am excited to play with everyone. I want to take care of the ball, enjoy the season, and make some great memories while being part of something that is bigger than basketball.
