Season preview: HoopsHD interviews San Francisco coach Chris Gerlufsen

Posted on October 10, 2024 by Jon Teitel

CLICK HERE For All of Hoops HD’s Continued and Extensive Preseason Content

We are still about 4 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 San Francisco coach Chris Gerlufsen, who talked about the importance of analytics and his expectations for this season.

You were captain of the basketball team at Randolph-Macon where you made a pair of D-3 tourneys: how good a player were you back in the day, and what is the secret to being a good leader? In my own mind I was a much better player than I was, which is why I had some level of success. I was extremely confident/competitive and never backed down from a challenge. I like to think that I became a coach due to how I was as a player/leader. It is about being around the right kind of people when I was growing up.

Your father Ron was head coach at UMass: what impact did he have on your own decision to become a coach? I do not think that I ever had a choice to do anything else because it was in my blood: I was in the gym since before I could walk. Basketball was always my driving force: the coaches I had were great mentors/father-figures who taught me the game. Philadelphia is a special city for that: there is something in the water and it is a great place to grow up.

1 of your previous stops as an assistant coach was at Hartford: what was your reaction when the University’s Board of Regents voted to drop its athletic department down to D-3 back in 2021? That was really disappointing to see. I spent 8-9 years there and learned a lot from Dan Leibovitz (Note: Penn Class of 1996!)/John Gallagher. To see all the work that was put in to eventually make the 2021 NCAA tourney…and then drop down was sad to see, but it was a decision the administration thought was best for the school.

In the 2024 NIT Simas Lukosius made the game-winning 3-PT shot with 4 seconds left in a 1-PT OT win by Cincinnati: what did you team learn from that painful postseason loss that you think will help them this season? I have been reliving the last few minutes of that ever since our season ended. San Francisco has had a pretty good level of success over the past 7 years. It is a building block to where we want to go but we aspire to something greater. You must experience those hard times to learn what it takes to get it done.

You won 20+ games during each of your 1st 2 years at San Francisco: how have you been able to come in and be so successful right from the start? #1: we have really good players, which is a good starting point. We also have a solid/experienced staff: I am really thankful for the guys I come to work with every day. Winning is important to San Francisco, and after spending 24 years as an assistant coach I would not want to have changed my path. I was around some successful coaches, which prepared me for the opportunity to be a head coach when it presented itself.

You are known for having an analytically driven offensive system: how do you make it work so effectively? “Analytics” is 1 of the hottest words in the sport over the past several years. We spend a lot of time diving into stats to figure out what shots we want to take and who we want to take them. In year #1 we had 1 of the highest 3-PT rates in the country, but we scaled it back in year #2 based on our personnel. We adjust year to year, but the analytics dictate some of what we do on offense.

While you have many players from California your roster also includes guys from 6 foreign countries (Australia/China/England/Estonia/Georgia/Greece): what sort of recruiting philosophy do you have? We do not care where we must go to find players: we want to find the best players who fit what we do. Everyone on our staff has had a good experience recruiting internationally, and this is a great city for that. Kids from abroad feel comfortable here and our style of play fits well with Europeans. We also have players from all over the country, such as Marcus Williams from Texas.

You had a birthday last month: what did you do for the big day? Not much: we had a team workout. As you get older you want birthdays to fly under the radar, so I think I just tuned into the Falcons-Eagles game on Monday Night Football.

The WCC has been in the news a lot this year: any thoughts on conference realignment? It is kind of the world we are living in now. It was driven by football but is now trickling down to basketball…and we are right in the middle of it. Gonzaga just announced they are leaving the WCC, and I would anticipate some more movement before things settle in as schools jockey for position.

What are your goals for this season, and what are your expectations for this season? The expectation is to continue to move the program forward, which we have done a solid job of during the past 2 years. After making the NIT last year we will chase an NCAA tourney appearance this year. We are excited for the challenge/journey…but it is a long season.

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Metro Atlantic Media Day Recap and Response

Posted on October 9, 2024 by David Griggs

CLICK HERE For All of Hoops HD’s Continued and Extensive Preseason Content

METRO ATLANTIC MEDIA DAY PRESEASON POLL:

  1. Quinnipiac
  2. Marist
  3. Iona
  4. Fairfield
  5. Saint Peter’s
  6. Merrimack
  7. Rider
  8. Niagara
  9. Siena
  10. Manhattan
  11. Mount Saint Mary’s
  12. Canisius
  13. Sacred Heart

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL-MAAC 1ST TEAM:

-Dejour Reaves – SR, G – Iona
-Josh Pascarelli – SO, G – Marist
-Adam “Budd” Clark – SO, G – Merrimack
-Savion Lewis – SR, G – Quinnipiac
-Amarri Monroe – JR, F – Quinnipiac (Preseason Player of the Year)

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL-MAAC 2ND TEAM:

-Deon Perry – JR, G – Fairfield
-James “Biggie” Patterson – JR, G/F – Iona
-Shaquil Bender – SR, G – Manhattan
-Jadin Collins-Roberts – SO, G – Marist
-Paul Otieno – SR, F – Quinnipiac
-Major Freeman – JR, G – Siena

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL-MAAC 3RD TEAM:

-Clarence Rupert – SR, F – Iona
-Jaden Winston – SO, G – Manhattan
-Dola Adebayo – JR, F – Mount Saint Mary’s
-Tanner Thomas – JR, F – Sacred Heart
-Marcus Randolph – SR, G – Saint Peter’s
-Mouhamed Sow – JR, F – Saint Peter’s

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COMMENTS FROM DAVID:

-Quinnipiac was the 1st place team a year ago, and Coach Tom Pecora did a fantastic job in his first year. With three starters back, including Savion Lewis and Amarri Monroe, they are the sensible choice for a first-place finisher again this year. This is a program that has been on an upward trajectory in recent years, and I think that will continue into this season. They are a fun team to watch!

-Marist has high expectations this year with three starters returning from a team that looked pretty good in the second half of conference play a season ago. Josh Pascarelli is a double-digit scorer who can shoot from the outside and gives the Red Foxes some strength out on the perimeter. I do not know if they will finish quite as high as 2nd, but I do think they look good this year.

-Iona lost all their starters from a year ago, and while Coach Tobin Anderson is certainly proven, it is never easy to assess a team that has so many new players. They are a very transfer-heavy team, and while they appear to have some solid pieces, especially with Dejour Reeves (who was a standout player at Northern Colorado a season ago), and while I think they have the potential to be really good, it is still hard to say how guys will play together that have not played together before.

-Coach Chris Casey had a great debut at Fairfield last year, winning 24 total games and finishing 2nd in the league. It was the best season in recent memory for the Stags. They are losing three starters, but are adding 1 very solid transfer in Deon Perry (who was a standout player at Loyola MD a year ago), and adding another grad transfer in Kyle Jenkins. I really like this Fairfield team and think they can make a run at a first place finish.

-Saint Peter’s lost three of their starters from a year ago, but have added some really nice pieces from the transfer portal and should be able to hit the ground running and finish in the top half of the conference without too much trouble. Marcus Randolph and Mouhamed Sow both received preseason honors and will be guys that the Peacocks depend on this year.

-Merrimack makes their Metro Atlantic debut after leaving the NEC. They managed 21 wins last year and advanced to the NEC Championship game. The competition in the MAAC will be a little stronger, and with just two starters back there could be a bit of a transitional phase before we start seeing them at the top of the standings. They were recently a transitional program and during that time proved that they are ready for D-1. Adam “Budd” Clark and Devon Savage make up what should be a more than capable backcourt for the Warriors.

-Rider won each of their final seven regular season games a year ago, which earned them a tie for 3rd in the standings. Two key starters are back, and they also add Jay Alvarez, who was a standout player at Houston Christian. They are adding a couple of decent JUCO transfers as well. I kind of think they’re being undervalued in the preseason poll seeing that they are picked as low as 7th.

-Niagara’s entire starting lineup is gone from a year ago. Like many programs, they were gutted by the portal and are basically having to start from scratch. It is hard to say what kind of pieces they will have this season.

-Up until recently, it seemed like Siena was one of the stronger programs in the conference. Last year, they had just four total wins, and this year none of their starters are back. That may be a good thing for new coach Gerry McNamara, who clearly has his work cut out for him.

-Manhattan struggled last season, but there is reason to be optimistic that we may see some improvement this year. Brett Rumpel was unable to play the majority of last year due to injury, so just having him back in addition to two other returning starters should mean a few more wins for the Jaspers this year.

-Mount Saint Mary’s has a new head coach in Donny Lind, and he could be in for a rough start. Expectations are rather low: they were a modest 9-11 in league play last year, and several key pieces are gone.

-Jim Christian takes over as head coach at Canisius, which is a fantastic hire. Unfortunately for him, they do not have a whole lot in the way of personnel. I think he will do well as head coach, but they could be in for a long year this year.

-Sacred Heart is another team that is in their first year of MAAC play after being long-time members of the NEC. And, the expectations are…well…not great. Tanner Thomas is a solid player, but he will need some help from his supporting cast if the Pioneers are going to have any success this year.

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MEAC Media Day Recap and Response

Posted on October 9, 2024 by David Griggs

CLICK HERE For All of Hoops HD’s Continued and Extensive Preseason Content

MEAC MEDIA DAY PRESEASON POLL:

  1. Howard
  2. Norfolk State
  3. NC Central
  4. Morgan State
  5. South Carolina State (tied 5th)
  6. Delaware State (tied 5th)
  7. UMES
  8. Coppin State

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL MEAC 1ST TEAM

-Martaz Robinson – Delaware State
-Bryce Harris – Howard
-Wynston Tabbs – Morgan State
-Will Thomas – Morgan State
-Po’Boigh King – NC Central

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL MEAC 2ND TEAM:

-Ryan Archey – Coppin State
-Marcus Dockery – Howard
-Christian Ings – Norfolk State
-Chris Fields Jr. – Norfolk State
-Mitchell Taylor – SC State

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL MEAC 3RD TEAM:

-Kameron Hobbs – Morgan State
-Jaylani Darden – Norfolk State
-Sin’Cere McMahon – Norfolk State
-Keishon Porter – NC Central
-Omar Croskey – SC State

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COMMENTS FROM DAVID:

-After struggling through most of the season and the first half of conference play, Howard had a tremendous run down the stretch where they won 6 out of their final 8 regular season games, then won the MEAC Tournament before losing in the First Four of the NCAA Tournament. Only two starters are back, but Bryce Harris/Marcus Dockery look to be two of the better players in the conference and will be the nucleus for what should be a strong team again this year. They also add several grad transfers to the roster, which should provide some talent and experience as well.

-It seems like I am always picking Norfolk State to win this league, and this year…I am picking them again! They were the first-place team a year ago, four regular starters from that team are back, and while they did lose some of their top players they look to have the experience they need in order to win the league. Some notable transfers with D-1 experience will also be joining the roster.

-NC Central has just one starter back from a year ago and is in a bit of a rebuild mode. Po’Boigh King is back, and is one of the better players in the conference, so they will be depending on him rather heavily this year. Some JUCO and D-1 transfers have also been added, which should provide them with some experience.

-Morgan State won just 8 D-1 games a year ago, and there does not appear to be much to get excited about, but with four starters back that experience and familiarity in playing with one another could be a benefit to the Bears this year.

-I am a little surprised that South Carolina State is picked as low as they are. Overall, they struggled last year, but they did play very well in the second half of conference play (winning 7 of their final 9 regular season games), and with four starters back it seems to me that they should be picked much higher than this. Mitchell Taylor/Omar Croskey are both solid players who received preseason awards, so I guess SC State is my darkhorse pick.

-After failing to win more than 6 total games in any of the previous 4 seasons, Delaware State was much improved last year withh 15 total wins. Three starters are back from last year’s team, and it is not a stretch to think we will see continued improvement. Martaz Robinson is one of the best players in the conference, and they should get some contributions out of the transfers they added. I kind of like this Delaware State team and think they can finish in the top half of the league.

-UMES was not good last year, and no starters have returned. They are routinely outside the top-300 of most D-1 metrics and I think it sill be a long season for them again this year.

-After winning just 2 total games a year ago, Coppin State is also likely in for a very long year again this year.

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Season preview: HoopsHD interviews Kansas SO G S’Mya Nichols

Posted on October 9, 2024 by Jon Teitel

CLICK HERE For All of Hoops HD’s Continued and Extensive Preseason Content

We are still about 4 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 Kansas SO G S’Mya Nichols, who talked about her great freshman year and her expectations for this season.

You were a member of Team USA at the 2022 FIBA U18 Women’s Americas Championship: what did it mean to you to represent your country, and what did it mean to you to win a gold medal (even though you did not get to play due to health and safety protocols)? The experience was great. A lot of people underestimate Team USA because we are always expected to win. It was 1 of the hardest things I have ever went through because all my teammates were already in college while I was still in high school. I had a point to prove and loved the relationships I made with the other girls. I did not get to play due to COVID…but I did not let it take away the fact that I still won a gold medal.

You were born in Missouri/raised in Kansas: what made you choose the Jayhawks? I decided to stay home because who would not want to play for a school that has such an amazing support system?! It is close to home/my family and I felt that I was blessed. When my grandmother passed away last month, I could just get in a car and drive home to be with my family.

You play for Coach Brandon Schneider: what makes him such a good coach, and what is the most important thing that you have learned from him so far? He is understanding and will not put you in bad positions. He knows what you would like to do on the court and talks with you to figure out what play/pass works best for you. He is very confident in me and just wants me to keep growing on both offense/defense. He puts all of us in position to be the best that we can be.

Last season your 15.4 PPG was the 2nd-highest by a freshman in school history: how were you able to make such a smooth transition from high school to college? I did not think it was smooth: I thought it was hard and it seemed like everyone else was running so fast! It eventually got to a point where I just tried to be myself and play aggressive. I choose a word for myself before the start of each season: last year was “consistency” and it paid off. This year’s words are “dominant” and “dog” (as in be a dog).

You also led the team in AST/STL: how are you able to balance your scoring with your passing with your defense? We had great screeners, which helped a lot. My teammates were in the right position, and when I passed them the ball they would knock down the shot every single time. I did not think that defense was my specialty last year so that stat surprises me. I am good at taking charges, so I did that a lot and enjoyed it because it is impactful to the game.

In the 2024 NCAA tourney you scored 15 PTS in a 9-PT win over Michigan and scored 22 PTS in a loss to USC: what did you learn from that postseason run that you think will help you this season? Recovery is key: we were exhausted and did not take enough pride in the recovery department. If you want to go far then you need to take every little thing seriously. I also learned that I need to get better at a lot of things: boxing out, rebounding, etc. We should not be waiting until the end of the game: we need to attack from the jump.

Last year you were named All-Big 12 1st team and last week you were named to the preseason All-Big 12 team: what did it mean to you to receive such outstanding honors? It meant a lot: last year I had to ask someone for the rundown about what exactly it was.

The Big 12 had several additions/subtractions this year: any thoughts on conference realignment? It is only my 2nd year here so I think it would be a bigger deal for someone who was a senior. We will try to beat whoever is on our schedule.

Your stepfather Dane Griffin played football at Kansas: who is the best athlete in the family? It is me…but he is athletic. It is a debate that goes back and forth…but it is me!

What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? I think we will be underestimated going into conference play without a pair of 6’6” players down low. I really want to win the Big 12 title and make the Sweet 16/Elite 8, which would be a big jump for us. As far as individual goals, winning conference POY would be cool…but I am focused on the team goals, so I would love 1 of my teammates to win conference newcomer of the year.

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Atlantic 10 Media Day Recap and Response

Posted on October 8, 2024 by David Griggs

CLICK HERE For All of Hoops HD’s Continued and Extensive Preseason Content

ATLANTIC 10 MEDIA DAY PRESEASON POLL:

  1. VCU
  2. Dayton
  3. Saint Joseph’s
  4. Saint Louis
  5. Loyola Chicago
  6. George Mason
  7. Richmond
  8. Duquesne
  9. UMass
  10. Saint Bonaventure
  11. Rhode Island
  12. Davidson
  13. George Washington
  14. Fordham
  15. La Salle

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL A10 1ST TEAM:

-Nate Santos – Dayton
-Des Watson – Loyola Chicago
-Erik Reynolds II – Saint Joseph’s
-Robbie Avila – Saint Louis
-Gibson Jimerson – Saint Louis
-Max Shulga – VCU

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL A10 2ND TEAM:

-Posh Alexander – Dayton
-Darius Maddox – George Mason
-Darren Buchanan Jr. – George Washington
-Xzayvier Brown – Saint Joseph’s
-Joe Bamisile – VCU
-Zeb Jackson – VCU

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL A10 3RD TEAM:

-Reed Bailey – Davidson
-Rahsool Diggins – UMass
-Miles Rubin – Loyola Chicago
-Jaden House – Rhode Island
-Rasheer Fleming – Saint Joseph’s
-Isaiah Swope – Saint Louis

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COMMENTS FROM DAVID:

I have always been a fan of this league. It has pieces of the Big 5, some fanbases that are very unique with programs like Saint Bonaventure and Davidson, a program in Dayton that has virtual P4 level support and resources, other successful brands like Loyola Chicago, VCU, and George Mason (all of whom have made Final Fours prior to joining the A-10), and it is in a lot of big markets. Having said all that, it feels to me that collectively this league is oftentimes overlooked: why is that?? Well, I also feel that as good as some of the schools have been in recent years, for whatever reason the league just does not collectively rise up to what I think its ceiling could (and should) be. I am not saying that I expect it to be as good as the Big East from top to bottom, but it seems to me that it should be a hell of a lot closer to that than what they typically are. Having said that, this could be a year where we see the A-10 really shine. I think there are four or five teams that appear to be really strong and can make a run at the NCAA Tournament. As for the rest of the league, I do think there is a bit of a drop-off, but I also think a lot of those programs are moving in the right direction.

-VCU was a modest 11-7 in league play last year, but won 24 games overall before losing in the NIT quarters. Coach Ryan Odom has his top-three scorers back and the expectations are high for the Rams this year. Max Shulga appears to be one of the better players in the conference, and if this team could develop some depth they will likely be well inside the bubble come March. We may see this team in the rankings at some point this season.

-Dayton also has three starters back. The Flyers had a great season last year where they made it to the NCAA Round of 32 and expectations are once again high for this year. They are tasked with replacing DaRon Holmes II, but if the other returning players can step up the Flyers will likely be an NCAA Tournament team once again. This should also be one of the better defensive teams in the conference. Ever since Coach Anthony Grant arrived in 2017 they have been very good on the defensive end.

-Saint Joseph’s won 21 games a season ago before losing in the NIT, and the expectations are high for the Hawks this year. Three starters are back including Erik Reynolds II, who averaged over 17ppg last year and is a very good shooter. Xzayvier Brown is another key returner who averaged in double figures and who can light it up from the outside. They were just 9-9 in league play a year ago, and picking them to finish this high may seem like a bit of a stretch, but I agree that Saint Joe’s is going to be a tough team this year.

-Josh Schertz takes over as Head Coach at Saint Louis after a very successful run at Indiana State. Robbie Avila and Isaiah Swope are also transferring in from Indiana State, which helps rebuild a Billikens roster that was in desperate need of rebuilding. SLU could turn out to be one of the more improved teams in the country considering the high-caliber transfers they added, the strength of their new coach, and the quality of the two starters that did return.

-Loyola Chicago is yet another team that I think can be in the mix this year and make a run at the NCAA Tournament. The Ramblers were 15-3 in league play last year, which earned them a 1st place tie and a trip to the NIT, and while they did not get the big profile wins they needed early on to land inside the NCAA Tournament bubble, they were really looking good down the stretch. With three starters back, including Des Watson who is an all-conference player and a really good shooter, the ceiling is high this year for the Ramblers.

-George Mason has had back-to-back 20-win seasons and has shown noticeable improvement in recent years, but still has a ways to go before we are ready to declare them an NCAA Tournament-caliber team. Still, a preseason 6th place finish in a league as good as this is a high expectation for second-year coach (and George Mason legend) Tony Skinn. The problem is they are tasked with replacing two of their best players from a year ago, so continuing that upward trajectory we have seen in recent years will not be easy.

-Richmond is a team that I always tend to overvalue and overrate. Having said that, they did finish in a 1st place tie last year!! Also having said that, it was not enough to land them anywhere near the NCAA Tournament bubble so they just went to the NIT. With just one starter back, the Spiders are in rebuilding mode. I am a huge fan of Coach Chris Mooney, and I absolutely love how this team plays. I can watch them run their offense for ten straight hours and never get bored. But, their style of play takes a while for players to master, and when you lose the types of players the Spiders lost from last year’s team, one cannot help but think it just is not going to happen for them this year. Not even I am going to pick this team as a darkhorse, which I know is breaking from tradition.

-So Duquesne…last year they did something that most of us never thought we would ever see a Duquesne team do. They won the A-10 Tournament, and then won a game in the NCAA Tournament before losing in the Round of 32. It was a historically good and highly-exciting year for the Dukes. But, let us not forget that Duquesne was just the 6th place team in the A-10 prior to that run, which is not bad (especially given their history), but it is not as if they were playing like a top-40 team all year long. The problem is three key players are gone, as is Coach Keith Dambrot (who played a huge role in Duquesne’s turnaround). It does appear that they are in a rebuild mode under new Coach Dru Joyce III.

-Frank Martin, who we fondly call “Angry Frank” here at HoopsHD, is undeniably a top-level coach, and I think that he will get UMass’s program to a spot where they are at or near the top of the A-10 and competing for spots in the NCAA Tournament on a consistent basis. They won 20 games a year ago and finished 4th in the league, which was their best season in recent memory. Rahsool Diggins is back, Jaylen Curry was the freshman of the year in the conference last year and should be a key player this year. I get why UMass is picked to finish this low: primarily because it is UMass. But, I also think they are being undervalued and will outperform their preseason expectations and make some noise in the conference this year.

-Coach Mark Schmidt will have five new starters at Saint Bonaventure this year. They won 20 games a year ago, but many key players jumped into the portal and the Bonnies have nine new players this year. It is hard to assess a team that is basically an entirely different team. They do add some interesting looking JUCO players and transfers, so we shall see what they can do.

-Archie Miller has had a rough first two years as coach of Rhode Island. His team failed to land in the top-200 of most metrics in either year, and this year could be yet another long year for the Rams. Sebastian Thomas has transferred back to Rhode Island after being a standout player at Albany a year ago and he should be a key part of their team this year. Jaden House is also a solid player, so they do have some pieces, and perhaps we will see some improvement this year.

-Davidson has four starters back, and that experience should help them. That is the good news. The bad news is that the Wildcats were not good at any point last year, and were particularly awful in the last three weeks of the season. Injuries also played a role in that, so you have to take that into consideration. And, sometimes when a young team stays together they start to get better. I do not think Davidson will be anywhere near the NCAA Tournament this year…but it would not shock me at all if they do better than expected.

-At one point last season George Washington was a very respectable 14-3. They won just one game after that. They lost a key player in Garrett Johnson due to a rather serious illness, and they were just never able to recover (NOTE: they will miss him for the entire season ahead after he tore his ACL last June). They are adding to solid transfers in Gerald Drumgoole Jr. from Delaware and Trey Moss from William & Mary, but I am not expecting them to finish in the top half of the league.

-Two years ago Fordham won an amazing 25 games, appeared to be one of the better teams in the conference, and was one of feel-good stories (at least IMHO) in all of college basketball. Yeah: that was fun! As for this year, things might not look quite as good as they did two years ago, but there are still a few reasons to be optimistic and think they can do better than next to last. Three starters are back, and while they did lose a lot of their backcourt they still have some decent pieces and experience. I do not want to get too carried away. I do not think they will finish in the top half of the league…but Fordham’s program is improving and I think they are still on that trajectory.

-Fran Dunphy is a legendary coach, especially in Philadelphia. But his current La Salle team is…well…not great. But, it is not completely terrible either. They appear to have at least a capable backcourt, and with a couple of D-1 transfers who averaged double figures a year ago coming in the Explorers can do better than the very bottom.

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The Olympians: HoopsHD interviews Mark Peterson about 2008 Olympic gold medalist Cappie Pondexter

Posted on October 8, 2024 by Jon Teitel

The NBA Finals date back to 1947 (when they were known as the Basketball Association of America Finals) and the very 1st NCAA tourney was held in 1939. Olympic basketball competition is even older: it debuted as a demonstration event in 1904 and the men’s version became a medal sport in 1936, with the women finally getting their chance to go for the gold in 1976. The United States has dominated Olympic basketball competition from the start: the men have now won 17 gold medals in the 20 tournaments they have participated in during the past 88 years, while the women have won 10 gold medals in the 12 tournaments in which they have competed during the past 48 years. While we have to wait 4 years until the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel will fill the void by interviewing as many prior Olympic players/coaches as possible. We continue our coverage by chatting with fellow Rutgers star Mark Peterson about Cappie Pondexter being a great scorer and winning a gold medal.

Cappie was born in California/raised in Chicago and was named WBCA All-America Game MVP in 2001: what made her choose Rutgers? I think it was the connection she made with assistant coach Jolette Law and the chance to take her game to the next level under Hall of Fame coach C. Vivian Stringer.

What made Stringer such a great coach? She never stopped learning and never accepted where she was: she always looked for the next piece of knowledge that she could grasp. Even when she was at Cheyney State she would lean on Coach John Chaney’s ear and have her ladies practice with his men to absorb his knowledge of the game. She was always willing to listen to ideas that any of her assistants had. She genuinely cared about her players both on the court and off: she wanted them to become the best people that they could be, as that would make them even better players.

In 2003 she was named Big East ROY: how was she able to come in and contribute right from the start? She had to sit out a year but was still able to practice with the team, then she came in the next year and played right away.

In the 2005 Elite 8 she scored 25 PTS in a 10-PT loss to Tennessee, and in the 2006 Sweet 16 she scored 22 PTS in a 7-PT loss to Tennessee: what was it like to face Pat Summitt in March? That was like watching Bobby Fischer & Garry Kasparov play chess because they were both master tacticians. At that level it is about small things that will give 1 of them the edge. Pat seemed to have all the pieces that she needed, and every time Vivian faced her it seemed like we were missing 1 piece that we needed to get over the hump. We beat them a couple of times during the regular season but when we reached the NCAA tourney Tennessee just had the edge.

In 2006 her team went 16-0 in Big East play: did it reach a point where the fans just expected them to win every time that they stepped onto the court? The 2005 team was even more memorable. We started off non-conference play a little sluggish (losing 2 of 3 games to start December) but beat a trio of top-10 teams (#8 Tennessee/#4 Texas/#1 LSU) in a span of 8 days. That team got on a role and rolled through conference play with just 2 losses until getting beat by UConn in the Big East tourney title game.

She was the 1st player in history to be named to the All-Big East 1st-Team 4 times and in 2006 she was named conference POY/Women’s Basketball News Service national POY: what did it mean to her to receive such outstanding honors? Similar to Sue Wicks, she just wanted to play her best on the court. She appreciated when people acknowledged her hard work.

She graduated #2 on RU’s all-time career scoring list with 2211 PTS and her 42.6 3P% was #1 all-time: what was her secret for being a great scorer/shooter? She was relentless and worked on her shooting/ball-handling constantly. It reached a point where she was a very dangerous player all over the court: teams knew they had to contend with her on both offense/defense.

In the spring of 2006 she was drafted 2nd overall by Phoenix: did she see that as a validation of her college career, or the realization of a lifelong dream of reaching the WNBA, or other? Both, for sure. When she got to Rutgers she had a tattoo that Coach made her cover up. It was the WNBA logo, so she knew where she wanted to go and what she had to do to get there. Getting to play with Diana Taurasi allowed Phoenix to have 1 of the best backcourts in the league.

She played for Team USA at the 2008 Olympics: what did it mean to her to represent her country, and what did it mean to her to win a gold medal? That was just the next step. She never had the opportunity to win a title in college and every great player wants to contribute to a championship, which she did with Team USA.

She made the WNBA 15th/20th/25th Anniversary teams, won a pair of WNBA titles, and was named 2007 Finals MVP: where does she rank among the greatest players in Rutgers history? I would put her just behind Sue Wicks and just ahead of Regina Howard.

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