Spark Me Up

Anyone who watched the Harvard women's basketball team play this Thanksgiving weekend had the privilege of witnessing an epiphany.

The Crimson finally woke up from its early season slumber and found what it had been missing through its first three games this season--emotion.

Yes, it's cliche.

Yes, it's trite.

But so what. It's also true.

The great awakening took place in the waning seconds of a 65-64 first-round loss to Siena College in the Harvard Invitational. With the Crimson trailing by one, sophomore forward Sarah Russell ripped down an offensive rebound and put the ball right back up and in to give Harvard a one-point lead with 12 seconds to play.

Harvard would lose the game seconds later on a miraculous tip-in by a Siena player, but the effects of Russell's effort were evident. The next day the Crimson played inspired basketball to defeat a talented Pepperdine squad, 67-63.

Remember to mark Russell's lay-up as a turning point in Harvard's young season. It came too late (or perhaps too early) to salvage the Siena game, but it arrived just in time for the rest of the campaign.

What may be most surprising of all, however, is the source of the Crimson's new-found inspiration--the bench.

Last year the spark came from a couple of starters, Elizabeth "Buzz" Proudfit '96 and Amy "Rhino" Reinhard '96. Yes, Buzz could be counted on to score 17 points per game, and there was never a doubt that Rhino would hit a few threes every night.

But when they stepped onto the court they also brought an electricity with them that spread to the rest of the team. In last year's opening-round loss to Vanderbilt in the NCAA Tournament, Buzz and Rhino led the Harvard defensive charge and turned in their best games of the season, respectively.

This year the Crimson needed to find another electrical outlet to plug into. They already had the talent, loads of talent, all the way through their roster. But the team needed something else.

Any success Harvard has starts with Feaster. She is the best player in the Ivy League, hands down. Add co-captains Jessica Gelman and Kelly Black, and the Crimson will have no problem winning its second straight Ivy League title.

These three players are the team leaders, and all three, along with every other member of the squad, bring excitement to the court. Don't get me wrong, this team has plenty of heart and desire to go along with abundant talent.

But every championship team (and that is what the Crimson is) needs a player that brings something extra to the game. A player that makes fans, teammates and coaches alike smile when she steps onto the floor because everyone knows she's going to do something to psych up the crowd.

That is where Russell and company step in. Every time she comes into the game, Russell brings that feeling with her. She hustles. She fights. She yells at her teammates, even when she's happy. Russell adds a dynamic presence to the court, and she is not alone.

Alison Seanor entered Sunday's game against Pepperdine like a woman possessed. Kelly Kineen showed against Army that she will sacrifice herself on defense to rouse her team. And how about the crowd favorite, junior guard Megan Basil?

Basil enters games with a spunky swagger that commands respect. She plays aggressively and has consistently come up with big shots at crucial times. In post-game interviews her teammates always seem to mention her.

That's the intangible Harvard needs. There needs to be a source of electricity that will prevent the let-downs Harvard experienced against Siena. Enter Basil and Russell, with Seanor and Kinneen in tow.

These are the sparkplugs who will replace Buzz and Rhino, and they have been there all along. It just took the Crimson a little while to turn the ignition key.