It's a Small World: W. Hoops Has Reason for Optimisim

Had you entered Lavietes Pavilion after Saturday night's game with Northeastern, you might not have realized that Harvard had just dropped its eighth game out of its first nine.

Crimson players, still in uniform, happily greeted family and friends. Crimson coaches respectfully discussed the game with reporters and fans. Smiles outnumbered frowns.

That isn't exactly the atmosphere you would expect to surround a team that held an eight-point lead midway through the second half against Northeastern, letting it slip away in the end for a loss.

But this was exactly the atmosphere that was needed, and exactly the "get-'em-next-time" attitude that will soon pay dividends for this young squad

"We will learn from games like this," said freshman forward Tricia Tubridy. "Even when you lose, no one can keep you from keeping your head in the game."

Tubridy spoke the truth, as her Harvard teammates battled to the very end against a Northeastern team that was led by Allen Iverson-esque point guard Aisha Williams' 17 points.

As early as two minutes into the game, all 11 bench players were on their feet, excitedly encroaching onto the court until they were asked to back up. Whenever the Harvard shot clock ran down past 10 seconds, bench players and coaches counted down in unison to make sure their teammates released a quick shot.

"The bench is really great," Tubridy said. "When I'm on the bench or when my teammates are on the bench, we always take pride in staying in the game."

Feeding off of this energy from the sidelines, the Crimson played with both electricity and tenacity. Eight minutes into the second half, freshman forward Hana Peljto rejected a shot and, when the Huskies recovered the loose ball, used her wingspan to force the next shot off its mark. Before her defensive hustle could be applauded, however, she raced down court to calmly collect a feed and bank a five-foot jumper.

Tubridy was aggressive as well, collecting a career-high nine rebounds. Six minutes into the game, she went up strong, collected an offensive board, emerged with the ball and made a nifty pass that co-captain Melissa Johnson was able to convert.

Johnson played extremely tough as well in just her second game back from an ACL injury. Although her timing seemed to be off at times, she finished with 10 points and provided an inside presence that will be very valuable in the near future.

"I felt very good offensively in the first half," Johnson said. "It's so great to be playing again, and I'm just ready to turn things around."

After all that has been written and said about the 2000-1 women's basketball team, it's time to realize that the Crimson has yet to lose an Ivy League game. The league schedule has not even begun yet, and though wins have been tough to come by in non-conference play, there's a lot to look forward to--not two years from now, not next season, but right now.

Another important factor to consider is that the Ivy League as a whole has struggled early on this season. Columbia (0-6) and Princeton (0-7) are still winless, and Dartmouth (1-6) and Pennsylvania (1-5) haven't fared much better. In fact Cornell (6-2) is the only team with a winning record thus far.

Harvard is struggling, but its depth will prove to be an asset as the season progresses. Freshman guard Jennifer Lee has played some pivotal minutes, and the team hasn't yet exhausted all the possible combinations of players. Forward Katie Gates and 6'4 center Sarah Johnson also bring height and skill to the lineup. Junior forward Sharon Nunamaker, injured for much of her first two seasons and under-used so far this season, could very well bring a spark to the Crimson unit.

With proven players like Melissa Johnson re-gaining her groove, Peljto showing flashes of brilliance and guards like junior Jenn Monti and senior Lisa Kowal displaying the ability to step up and hit key shots, there are at least as many positives as negatives.

And what negatives Harvard has been plagued by--too many turnovers--may not be all that bad. Nearly half of the Crimson's turnovers on Saturday were the results of poor entry passes into the paint. While the execution may have faltered, the strategy was sound. By trying to pound the ball inside, Harvard correctly sought to capitalize on its considerable height advantage.

"If we continue to see growth, then all [the struggles] get put behind us," said Harvard Coach Kathy Delaney-Smith. "I'm proud [the players] are sticking to it and keeping their chins up."

She should be proud, and she should continue to display and demand the same level of confidence that she has up to this point. Her players are playing with guts and they are not hanging their heads when they lose.

Melissa Johnson emerged from the locker room with traces of a smile written all over her face. She knows what so many outsiders don't seem willing to acknowledge--the season is just beginning, both for the team and for herself.

"Personally, I'm fired up and I'm ready to go," Johnson said, carefully trying to walk the tightrope between being too disappointed with the loss and too exuberant with her return to action.

Tubridy had a similar and equally commendable reaction to the loss. Hailing from New York City high school powerhouse Christ the King, Tubridy knows all about what it takes to win. A few hard-luck losses won't keep her from having fun and believing that things will turn around.

Let's commend the players who refuse to let a few close losses put a premature damper on their season. Let's applaud the coaching staff that has kept the players' faith alive. And let's remember that Ivy League play hasn't even begun yet--the real season is yet to come.