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Not only does the Stanford women’s basketball team need to start a new win streak, but it must also find a replacement for injured freshman point guard JJ Hones (pictured).
For the second time in eight months, the Stanford women’s basketball team needs a new starting point guard.
Things were looking dicey enough before the season when sophomore Rosalyn Gold-Onwude tore an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in her knee at the U.S. U-20 team trials in May. Incoming freshman JJ Hones was there to step in, and she did an admirable job for the Cardinal, posting a league-best assist-to-turnover ratio and playing almost 25 minutes each game in her first year.
But now another injury has robbed No. 11 Stanford (19-4, 11-1 Pacific-10 Conference) of Hones’ services for the remainder of this season. Just 45 seconds into the game with California last Sunday, the point guard’s left knee buckled horrifically while she was driving down the lane. It was confirmed to be an ACL tear on Monday night.
“It’s a very big loss for our team,” head coach Tara VanDerveer said. “She’s been playing very well. She does the things we need at that position.”
The 72-57 loss against the Golden Bears is likely not an indicator of a Cardinal season on the verge of unraveling. VanDerveer felt that the team was struggling to focus on the game after watching a teammate go down early.
“The kids were really upset,” VanDerveer said. “A side of you wants to say, ‘Put it behind you,’ but it’s good that they care about each other.”
Now, VanDerveer needs to figure out how to keep last Sunday’s emotional problem from quickly degenerating into a tactical one. The Pac-10 schedule continues this weekend against Washington and Washington State, and the postseason is less than a month away.
The options are almost as deep as Stanford’s bench. Junior Candice Wiggins could move to the point to make room for either junior Cissy Pierce or senior Clare Bodensteiner at shooting guard. If Wiggins’ contribution from the off-guard position is deemed to be too valuable, freshman guard Melanie Murphy or senior guard Markisha Coleman would step in as a direct replacement for Hones at the point.
There is a smaller chance that sophomore forward Jillian Harmon or freshman forward Michelle Harrison could get rotated into the backcourt and that Stanford will go with a big lineup at times.
The biggest question remaining, though, is: Which one of those players can best replace Hones’ intangibles and basketball smarts?
“[Hones] was very much a glue,” VanDerveer said. “She kept people together, and she did a really good job running our team.”
Pierce seems to be in prime position to fill space in the starting lineup, given her experience and improved scoring this season. She has already started nine games, including each game in which either Hones or Wiggins did not start. Pierce also has some experience playing point from last season.
To keep the backcourt productive, bench play and rotation will be even more important in the coming months. When Wiggins is handling the point, her off-guards are going to need to be flexible to allow her to operate somewhat normally.
“If we want to run a play for Candice on the wing, I can play point guard,” Pierce said. “But it looks right now like she’ll be playing the ‘one.’”
For the moment, VanDerveer is not making a permanent decision. VanDerveer says that this moment can be a big opportunity for Pierce, Bodensteiner, Murphy and Coleman to show what they can offer the team with more minutes of playing time.
“If Cissy or Clare come in and do what [graduated guard] Krista Rappahahn did and knock down five or six threes and make really good plays, then we’ll play them,” VanDerveer said. “But if Mel or Markisha say [with their play], ‘Hey, I’m going to be the one,’ then we’ll play them.”