Spring Break
GIMME MOORE
Women's Basketball: Stellar Freshman Leaves Mark
Brittany Perotti
Issue date: 4/23/08 Section: Sports
Rutgers head coach C. Vivian Stringer had similar things to say about a player who she said is "phenomenal."
"You don't speak of them [Tennessee's Candace Parker and Moore] as this year," she said. "You speak of these young ladies as what they do for the decade, the next five years, 10 years; they are not one-year players. She's [Moore's] going to make things interesting for the rest of the country and for women's basketball."
Since the beginning of the season, even Moore's teammates have praised her abilities and hard work.
"I can't say enough good things about Maya," said Mel Thomas, who will graduate next month. "She's such a great player and she's a great teammate, too, and she has such a great work ethic. You're just going to have to watch out for her."
Starting off her freshman year, it was clear that Moore was making an impact on the court and an impression with opposing coaches. At that time, she was a reserve who played around 20 minutes a game.
"We always like playing UConn early in the year," said the 2007 U.S. Pan-American team's head coach Bill Gibbons, who also coaches Holy Cross. "This year I wish we had played them before Maya Moore got here."
Now, Moore has turned into the go-to player that the Huskies count on in a jam.
UConn head coach Geno Auriemma said during the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament that the team has gotten to the point that when Moore does not score, he and the players are disappointed because they never expect her to miss a shot. But he also said that he hopes the game is not just about one player.
Ever so humble, Moore does not try to make comparisons between her and the greats that have played the game of basketball both professionally and at UConn. Instead, she credits other players on the court with her successes.
"It's a great compliment [to be named an All-American]," Moore said. "I attribute it to my teammates, for letting me take the role that I have on this team. They've helped me be the player that I am."
Contact Brittany Perotti
at Brittany.Perotti@UConn.edu.
"You don't speak of them [Tennessee's Candace Parker and Moore] as this year," she said. "You speak of these young ladies as what they do for the decade, the next five years, 10 years; they are not one-year players. She's [Moore's] going to make things interesting for the rest of the country and for women's basketball."
Since the beginning of the season, even Moore's teammates have praised her abilities and hard work.
"I can't say enough good things about Maya," said Mel Thomas, who will graduate next month. "She's such a great player and she's a great teammate, too, and she has such a great work ethic. You're just going to have to watch out for her."
Starting off her freshman year, it was clear that Moore was making an impact on the court and an impression with opposing coaches. At that time, she was a reserve who played around 20 minutes a game.
"We always like playing UConn early in the year," said the 2007 U.S. Pan-American team's head coach Bill Gibbons, who also coaches Holy Cross. "This year I wish we had played them before Maya Moore got here."
Now, Moore has turned into the go-to player that the Huskies count on in a jam.
UConn head coach Geno Auriemma said during the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament that the team has gotten to the point that when Moore does not score, he and the players are disappointed because they never expect her to miss a shot. But he also said that he hopes the game is not just about one player.
Ever so humble, Moore does not try to make comparisons between her and the greats that have played the game of basketball both professionally and at UConn. Instead, she credits other players on the court with her successes.
"It's a great compliment [to be named an All-American]," Moore said. "I attribute it to my teammates, for letting me take the role that I have on this team. They've helped me be the player that I am."
Contact Brittany Perotti
at Brittany.Perotti@UConn.edu.
Be the first to comment on this story