Monday, December 17, 2001
[ WAHINE BASKETBALL ]
|
Roper shows Everything is looking up for Hawaii center Christen Roper and that is not a pun on the 6-foot-5 junior's height.
she’s a ‘Big Girl’
Hawaii's junior shotblocker adds
scoring and rebounding to her
repertoire with the help
of coach Pete NewellBy Al Chase
achase@starbulletin.comIn fact, much of Roper's success this season starts with her feet or, more specifically, her footwork.
She just happened to be in the office last year when UH coach Vince Goo received a brochure telling about Pete Newell's "Big Girls Camp" at UC Monterey Bay in July. Newell has conducted a "Big Man's Camp" in Hawaii for many years, but Roper was stymied in finding a camp for female post players.
"There were a couple on the East Coast, but I wasn't going to go there," she said.
But, a seven-hour drive up the California coast with her mother, Debbie, from the Roper home in Ojai, Calif., was no problem.
"I knew it was going to be an experience. I knew from the brochure the camp was about footwork and we would go over post drills," said Roper. "I just didn't want to do sprints."
There were 20 college centers in attendance for the four-day camp, and Newell made it clear on the first day that he only would work one side and one area at a time. All drills and moves were broken down to the smallest component and demonstrated before the campers did a walkthrough.
"The first session we worked on pivoting and driving (to the basket) from the left wing for about an hour. The next session we worked on the same thing from the right side," Roper said.
"We worked on post moves, hook shots, fakes and footwork for five hours a day. Pete would walk around to the three courts and make corrections. We scrimmaged at night and they were good about mixing everyone up so we played with and against everyone.
"All the footwork we learned applies to everything we do here. The pivoting drills were good because, in our offense, Tasha (Natasja Allen) and I play up top. We use the pivoting moves when we're guarded too closely.
"I've already said I'm going back this summer. I really enjoyed the camp. Even though we didn't do sprints, we worked all the time. I slept in the car all the way home."
Last season Roper and senior Dainora Puida split time at the center position. This year, the position belonged to Roper, and, although she indicated that it involved some pressure, she has been preparing for the role for two years.
An accomplished shot blocker, Roper has been more productive at the offensive end of the court this year, something Goo told her was necessary last spring.
"She came back knowing we were depending on her, and that gave her confidence. We told her she needed to score, to finish inside, to hit the medium-range jumper and catch the ball," said UH assistant Jon Newlee.
"Kristen is so coachable. You tell her something, and she does it. She doesn't resist or want to have her own way."
Another area of improvement has been Roper's much softer touch with the ball on shots from close range. As a freshman she would drill the ball two feet from the rim.
"It's so embarrassing to bang the ball off the glass. I still do it sometimes because I'm too excited," Roper said. "But, you learn. I can shoot from the free-throw line when I'm wide open. I've taken three shots from there and made all three.
"What I need to continue to work on is control and balance when I get the ball. Balance is all in the footwork."
She is comfortable with her starting role. Her numbers prove it. She is averaging 11.4 points per game, more than double last year's average. Roper is pulling down 8.3 rebounds a game, up from 5.9 a year ago.
She set the UH career mark for blocked shots in the Baylor game and enters tonight's game with 147 stuffs. And, she has a season and a half left to extend the record. In the latest NCAA statistics, Roper is second in the nation with 4.14 blocks a game.
"I hope that record stands for a long time," she said.
Roper is a secondary education major with an emphasis on history and a minor in Spanish. After graduation, she plans to attend UC Santa Barbara and get her master's degree. She wants to teach and coach at the high school level, but plans to have her Ph.D. by the time she is 30.
What: Ala Moana Hotel Paradise Classic WAHINE BASKETBALL
When: Tonight, Cleveland State vs. Tennessee State, 6 p.m.; Hawaii vs. North Carolina-Charlotte. Tomorrow, first night losers play for third place, 6 p.m.; Championship, 8 p.m.
Where: Stan Sheriff Center
TV: Hawaii's game tomorrow, live, KFVE, Channel 5
Radio: Both Hawaii games live, KCCN, 1420-AM
Internet: www.uhathletics.hawaii.edu
Tickets:All general admission
Adult$7
Seniors$6
Students 4-18 $4
UH students$4
Parking$3
Starting Lineups
HAWAII (5-2)
Pts. Reb. Ast. G Janka Gabrielova (Sr.) 74 10.6 16 G April Atuaia (Soph.) 74 10.6 56 F Natasja Allen (Jr.) 106 15.1 44 F Karena Greeny (Sr.) 44 6.3 36 C Christen Roper (Jr.) 80 11.4 58 NORTH CAROLINA-CHARLOTTE (5-3)
Pts. Reb. Ast. G Brandy Patterson (Jr.) 41 5.1 21 G Monica League (Fr.) 64 6.8 33 F Alicia Abernathy (Jr.) 83 10.4 72 F Tonika Smith (Sr.) 57 7.1 42 C Adrienne Jordan (Sr.) 73 9.1 66 CLEVELAND STATE (3-3)
Pts. Reb. Ast. G Erika Roudebush (Jr.) 106 17.7 12 G Nikki Perkins (Fr.) 24 4.8 7 F Tonya Crum (Sr.) 39 9.8 31 F Ashley Schrock (Soph.) 37 6.2 23 C Kim Brockway (Sr.) 39 6.5 35 TENNESSEE STATE (1-5)
Guards: KaSheena Powe (Fr.) and Kekeya Anderson (Soph.); Forwards: LaRissa Thomas (Sr.) and Clarissa Cross (Jr.); Center: Shavonda Wright (Jr.).
Updated statistics not available.
UH Athletics
Ka Leo O Hawaii