Only Injuries Can Stop W. Hoops

Mention a new season for the Harvard women's basketball team, and Coach Kathy Delaney-Smith's eyes light up brighter than a 100-watt light bulb. Mention her new players and she's more excited than a five-year-old child during the winter holidays. Mention her tough schedule and she espouses confidence like she were a presidential candidate declaring victory before the votes were counted.

"We're capable of winning every game we go out and play," Delaney-Smith said. "We're not going to walk on the floor with anyone and think we can't win."

Delaney-Smith has cause to think her team can win. The Crimson returns all but two players--All-Ivy first-team forward Laela Sturdy and sharp-shooting guard Courtney Egelhoff--and adds four new players, giving the tallest team in the Ivy League more quickness and depth from a squad (16-10, 9-5 Ivy) that tied for second in the conference last year.

This year, the Crimson has been picked to finish third in the Ivy League behind Penn and Dartmouth, with just 10 votes separating first from third.

"I think that's laughable," said co-captain Melissa Johnson of the preseason poll. "If anything that gets me more fired up."

Each of the top three teams returns a strong squad that will have to adjust to the loss of key player. Penn, which tied for second last year, features two-time Ivy League Player of the Year Diana Caramanico, a threat to Allison Feaster's '98 conference scoring record. Defending league champion Dartmouth returns last year's Ivy Rookie of the Year Katherine Hanks. But the graduation of Penn's Mandy West, Dartmouth's Courtney Banghart and Harvard's Sturdy leaves the automatic NCAA tourney bid up for grabs.

While any team has a chance in the Ivy--parity is the name of the game--the Crimson's non-conference schedule will undoubtedly prepare it for the rigors of Ivy League weekends. Harvard plays two road games against the SEC, the strongest top-to-bottom conference in women's basketball. The Crimson will take on No. 26 Florida at a Maine invitational on Nov. 24. In late December, Harvard seniors will be looking for revenge against Arkansas, the team that stopped the Crimson in the 1998 NCAA tournament after the historic upset over Stanford.

But "history" is not the operative word for this team. "Health" certainly is.

This year will start with several key players--including the team's two true centers, sisters Melissa and Sarah Johnson--on the disabled list. Injuries are nothing new for this Harvard team.

"We've had about the same number of injuries we've had at the beginning of other years," Boike said.

But in order for the Crimson to run its desired game plan, everyone will have to stay healthy. Delaney-Smith, whose entire frontcourt averages 6'2, says she will play a run-oriented offense that will press on defense with constant rotation.

"My goal is to need and want to play 10-plus players like Florida did under Billy Donovan," Delaney-Smith said. "He didn't platoon; he just runs and presses and runs and presses. You can't tell when the bench is in or when the starters are in."

"My long-term goal is to do that," she said. "[It] is to play defense that way and run the court that way so they need to come out and sit down, but they feel good because they know they're going to get back in and play. We have the depth to do that if we're healthy."

Boike said the team is responding well to the challenge.

"The defense we're working on this year is real aggressive," Boike said. "It's 40 minutes of hard 'D.'"

The backbone of the aggressive strategy will be the Crimson's deep backcourt.

Junior Jenn Monti, a 5'6 floor general who likes to push the ball upcourt and control the game's tempo, will be the team's first point guard. Monti set the Harvard single-game assists record with a 14-dish game against Yale last January and averaged 6.1 per game, despite an ankle injury that limited her toward the end of the season. Her intense, steady play earned her second-team All-Ivy honors.

Monti should also see some action at the two spot because senior guard Lisa Kowal, another capable ball-handler, has been feeling healthier despite a sprained ankle early in the preseason. Kowal was out for 10 of the Crimson's games last year, and Monti logged 34.2 minutes per game in perhaps the most physically exhausting position on the floor. With Kowal healthy, Delaney-Smith already has more options for the backcourt than she did last year.

"[Kowal] is one of the best one of the best on the team in terms of what she can do defensively," Delaney-Smith said.

Also figuring into the point guard mix will be freshman Jennifer Lee, a 5'6 player who impressed in the team's 58-54 preseason loss to the Dutch national team. Lee had six points, seven rebounds and four assists in 20 minutes, and she often took the initiative to push the ball up the floor. Sophomore Bree Kelley, a 6' guard who handled the ball some last year, will likely shift to a more natural shooting guard or small forward position.

Delaney-Smith said 5'6 freshman Dirkje Dunham will get playing time as well, and three-point sniper Laura Barnard, a 5'10 junior, will be in as soon as she gets back from injury. Seniors Boike and Carrie Larkworthy, who has been saddled with injuries before, will also see more time this year than in years past as Delaney-Smith looks for fresh legs to run.

"Carrie is a great athlete, and she's doing some really nice things on the court," Delaney-Smith said. "Kristen adds great leadership to this team."

Leadership will also come from the frontcourt, especially from 6'5 center Melissa Johnson. When she was healthy last year, Johnson averaged 12.2 points per game and 11.4 rebounds per game in her first season in Crimson since transferring from North Carolina. But Johnson was sorely missed after a knee injury sidelined her during the second half and Harvard struggled to a 3-4 finish. Johnson will be out for the first couple games as she completely recovers from knee surgery in the off-season.

Sarah Johnson, a 6'4 center, and 6'2 forward Kate Ides, two sophomores with a year's experience under their belts, will help key the Crimson's efforts in the paint and on the board, although Sarah Johnson will likely be out until December with a knee injury. Center Lindsay Ryba, a 6'3 All-Ivy freshman pick two seasons ago who missed much of her sophomore year, will also see action in the middle, although she likes to shade out towards the arc where she is a dead-eye shooter when left open. Sharon Nunamaker, a 6'1 junior forward, will also see time in the post.

Another starter plagued with injuries last year who should be inserted back in the lineup is junior small forward Katie Gates, a scrappy player who averaged 6.5 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 14 games last year.

"She's the kind of player that can do what we want and intimidate on defense, go for steals," Delaney-Smith said.

Newcomer Hana Peljto will automatically figure heavily into the Crimson's frontcourt mix, most likely as a power forward, but eventually, perhaps, as a small forward. In the Crimson's preseason game, Peljto had 12 points and seven rebounds to lead the Crimson, and she showed flashes of brilliance in driving to the basket and pulling up for jump shots. Also new to the team is Tricia Tubridy, a hard-nosed 6' forward with great speed and a knack for the game.

Both coach and team feel there is no reason that this year won't be better than the last and that the Ivy title is easily within reach.

"It's not urgency, it's more like a mission," Delaney-Smith said. "[There is] enormous determination to win it."

Melissa Johnson would like to end her season on a high note. Her jewelry box is not quite as full as that of Olympic gold medallist Marion Jones, a close friend from their days together at North Carolina. A ring would certainly help, although that is secondary to the team.

"I definitely want to win the Ivy League Championship," Johnson said. "I think that's a completely realistic goal. I love these girls. I want this to be special this year."