Jones Cup Experience was "Amazing"
This past July, Vic Schaefer, the associate head coach for the Texas A&M women's team, coached the United States 2007 Women's Williams Jones Cup Team. The 2007 Women's Jones Cup competition was held in Taipei, Taiwan, (July 11 - 17). The 12-player U.S. roster included former and current collegiate players selected by Schaefer and the Athletes In Action staff. Athletes In Action, an associate member of USA Basketball, sponsored this year’s U.S. Jones Cup Team. (Between May and August, hundreds of college student-athletes and AIA staff travel the world to play competitive games, run clinics and attend sports camps. Each opportunity is used to share the matchless love of Jesus Christ as well as to teach the athletes how to be lifetime ministers of the gospel.)
The roster was comprised of a lot of players who represent Big 12 schools. Four of them (LaToya Micheaux, Texas A&M; Jackie McFarland, Colorado; and Baylor's Rachel Allison and Jhasmin Player) participated in the 2007 Big 12 Women's Basketball Media Day which was held in mid October.
After losing their first two games (70-63 to Chinese Taipei-B and 70-40 to Australia) in the competition, leadership emerged on the team which helped Team USA salvage the trip and win a bronze medal with an 83 to 72 victory over Chinese Taipei-A on the final day of the event.
“Yea, (losing the first two games) that was kind of hard to take,” said Jhasmin Player. “We got there and we played Taiwan’s best team on Day one. The first day of the tournament; it’s at 7 o’clock; it’s on ESPN television; everyone in Taiwan knows USA is the team to beat; so, they brought fans from everywhere (laughs). We lost that game. Then, the next day, we played the best team in the Tournament – Australia. We lost that one; and, that’s when leadership emerged. Leah Rush (Oklahoma) come of out nowhere and Angie (Gorton) Nelp (Colorado State) come out of nowhere and they were telling us ‘It’s okay. We’re going to lose some. Those were great teams we lost to in difficult situations. We have to make the best of this Tournament. We have four more games left. Do we want to go home 0 and 6 or do we want to go home 4 and 2?’ which is the best that we could do. We ended up going 4 and 2.”
“When Leah Rush asked us,” said LaToya Micheaux. “ ‘What do we want to do? Do we want to be 0 and 6 or do we want to finish 4 and 2?’ We started playing defense and got into our own rotation and our rhythm. We started playing transition basketball and rolled over the next four teams and won the bronze medal.”
In the game versus the Australian National Team, the young Team USA squad received a first-hand look at competing against grown women who were stronger (and better) than they were. The Australian Team left an indelible impression on Jhasmin Player.
“I want to be where they are. Those were grown women. When we went over there as girls, those were grown 33 or 34 year old women handing it to us. They were in the same shape that we were; and, they were just giving it to us. It made us (Player and Rachel Allison) want to come back here (to Baylor) and work harder and stay healthy and have our team right there with us because we want to be that type of team.”
Following the loss to the Australians, Jackie McFarland believed Team USA began developing team chemistry.
“I think in the second loss we started playing with better chemistry toward the end of the game. But, more than that, off the court, we realized we really need to focus on what each player could bring to the team. Getting the strengths of each player and add them to the team. It’s hard to take the star players from teams and put them together. We just really gelled. Each person stepped up and did what they needed as a player. We really played amazing. We had a great running game and a great transition defense.”
Micheaux (6'3) and McFarland (6'3) had to adjust to the international style of play which features quick guards and post players who shoot from the perimeter as well as skillfully dribble the basketball.
“It was definitely different,” McFarland said. “The style of play was different. Some of the Asian teams had a couple of tall girls; but, all five of them play run and gun offense. They don’t really have a post – that was the big difference for me obviously. The offense wasn’t (different) because I’m used to posting up on smaller girls; but, they don’t post up. You have to be able to defend all over the court. It was really exciting for me because I like to extend my game as much as possible.”
“I don’t think we were ready to play in the beginning,” added LaToya Micheaux. “We thought we’d be able to roll over the competition. We looked at them, and they’re tallest player is six feet, and we thought, ‘Okay, we’ve played against players taller and stronger than them before.’ But, they were so quick. When your five player (post / center spot) is outside shooting threes and dribbling the rock (basketball), I’m not used to guarding big players who have those skills. I’m used to staying in the paint and playing post defense.”
Each player described her experience with the team as amazing and something which won't be forgotten.
“Well, I thought it was a really good experience,” described Rachel Allison. “Me and Jhas (Jhasmin Player) got to go down there (Taiwan) together. We (Baylor University) were the only team that got to take two (college teammates). There were a lot of players from Big 12 teams; so, we talked about who had better fans; who had the meanest fans; and things like that. I thought it was really cool. It was a really good experience. We learned a lot. The fact we had to come together as a team in about a two week span taught us a lot about team chemistry; working together; and leadership. I think we have brought that back to our team; and, the chemistry on our team right now is just unbelievable. I think that it starts there (with great team chemistry). For me, I think it teaches you to get a long with people you may not have gotten a long with in the past being that you’ve played against them before.”
“Jones Cup was a great experience," Jhasmin Player added. “We were able to play with a different caliber of player; with different personnel; under a different coaching staff than what I’ve played with in the past two years. We went over there (to Taiwan); and, the international experience was the most pivotal for me. You got to go over there and play against teams from different countries who were quicker, stronger, faster, and better than us which makes you want to work on your game and get better.”
“It was an amazing experience that I had this summer,” Micheaux summarized. “I got to work with AIA (Athletes in Action) and represent God in sports.”
McFarland added, “Great opportunity to represent Athletes In Action. It was ‘Glory to God.’ That was really a great experience for me.”
The roster was comprised of a lot of players who represent Big 12 schools. Four of them (LaToya Micheaux, Texas A&M; Jackie McFarland, Colorado; and Baylor's Rachel Allison and Jhasmin Player) participated in the 2007 Big 12 Women's Basketball Media Day which was held in mid October.
After losing their first two games (70-63 to Chinese Taipei-B and 70-40 to Australia) in the competition, leadership emerged on the team which helped Team USA salvage the trip and win a bronze medal with an 83 to 72 victory over Chinese Taipei-A on the final day of the event.
“Yea, (losing the first two games) that was kind of hard to take,” said Jhasmin Player. “We got there and we played Taiwan’s best team on Day one. The first day of the tournament; it’s at 7 o’clock; it’s on ESPN television; everyone in Taiwan knows USA is the team to beat; so, they brought fans from everywhere (laughs). We lost that game. Then, the next day, we played the best team in the Tournament – Australia. We lost that one; and, that’s when leadership emerged. Leah Rush (Oklahoma) come of out nowhere and Angie (Gorton) Nelp (Colorado State) come out of nowhere and they were telling us ‘It’s okay. We’re going to lose some. Those were great teams we lost to in difficult situations. We have to make the best of this Tournament. We have four more games left. Do we want to go home 0 and 6 or do we want to go home 4 and 2?’ which is the best that we could do. We ended up going 4 and 2.”
“When Leah Rush asked us,” said LaToya Micheaux. “ ‘What do we want to do? Do we want to be 0 and 6 or do we want to finish 4 and 2?’ We started playing defense and got into our own rotation and our rhythm. We started playing transition basketball and rolled over the next four teams and won the bronze medal.”
In the game versus the Australian National Team, the young Team USA squad received a first-hand look at competing against grown women who were stronger (and better) than they were. The Australian Team left an indelible impression on Jhasmin Player.
“I want to be where they are. Those were grown women. When we went over there as girls, those were grown 33 or 34 year old women handing it to us. They were in the same shape that we were; and, they were just giving it to us. It made us (Player and Rachel Allison) want to come back here (to Baylor) and work harder and stay healthy and have our team right there with us because we want to be that type of team.”
Following the loss to the Australians, Jackie McFarland believed Team USA began developing team chemistry.
“I think in the second loss we started playing with better chemistry toward the end of the game. But, more than that, off the court, we realized we really need to focus on what each player could bring to the team. Getting the strengths of each player and add them to the team. It’s hard to take the star players from teams and put them together. We just really gelled. Each person stepped up and did what they needed as a player. We really played amazing. We had a great running game and a great transition defense.”
Micheaux (6'3) and McFarland (6'3) had to adjust to the international style of play which features quick guards and post players who shoot from the perimeter as well as skillfully dribble the basketball.
“It was definitely different,” McFarland said. “The style of play was different. Some of the Asian teams had a couple of tall girls; but, all five of them play run and gun offense. They don’t really have a post – that was the big difference for me obviously. The offense wasn’t (different) because I’m used to posting up on smaller girls; but, they don’t post up. You have to be able to defend all over the court. It was really exciting for me because I like to extend my game as much as possible.”
“I don’t think we were ready to play in the beginning,” added LaToya Micheaux. “We thought we’d be able to roll over the competition. We looked at them, and they’re tallest player is six feet, and we thought, ‘Okay, we’ve played against players taller and stronger than them before.’ But, they were so quick. When your five player (post / center spot) is outside shooting threes and dribbling the rock (basketball), I’m not used to guarding big players who have those skills. I’m used to staying in the paint and playing post defense.”
Each player described her experience with the team as amazing and something which won't be forgotten.
“Well, I thought it was a really good experience,” described Rachel Allison. “Me and Jhas (Jhasmin Player) got to go down there (Taiwan) together. We (Baylor University) were the only team that got to take two (college teammates). There were a lot of players from Big 12 teams; so, we talked about who had better fans; who had the meanest fans; and things like that. I thought it was really cool. It was a really good experience. We learned a lot. The fact we had to come together as a team in about a two week span taught us a lot about team chemistry; working together; and leadership. I think we have brought that back to our team; and, the chemistry on our team right now is just unbelievable. I think that it starts there (with great team chemistry). For me, I think it teaches you to get a long with people you may not have gotten a long with in the past being that you’ve played against them before.”
“Jones Cup was a great experience," Jhasmin Player added. “We were able to play with a different caliber of player; with different personnel; under a different coaching staff than what I’ve played with in the past two years. We went over there (to Taiwan); and, the international experience was the most pivotal for me. You got to go over there and play against teams from different countries who were quicker, stronger, faster, and better than us which makes you want to work on your game and get better.”
“It was an amazing experience that I had this summer,” Micheaux summarized. “I got to work with AIA (Athletes in Action) and represent God in sports.”
McFarland added, “Great opportunity to represent Athletes In Action. It was ‘Glory to God.’ That was really a great experience for me.”
posted by Kris Gardner @ 12:52 PM
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