LADY ROCKETS PREPARING FOR  UPCOMING BASKETBALL SEASON

by

Fred Janiszewski

June 29, 2008 - The summer temperatures has been hovering close to 90 degrees recently, and it’s five months before play begins in earnest, but that hasn’t stopped the Lady Rockets from physically preparing for their first season under new coach Tricia Cullop.

As their counterparts on the men’s team are doing, the women have been hitting the weight room early in the A.M. and participating in open-gym sessions in the evening as schedules permit. Currently they are playing on Sundays at 6:00 p.m.

Since yesterday was the first Sunday I was free from graduation, Father’s Day, and/or birthday parties since some time in May, I headed out to the Rec.Center to catch the ladies in action.

Seven team members were on the court so the other three slots were filled by male students.

By far, the best player on the floor was senior guard Jessie Campo. The 5-6 Campo, who saw action in just 10 games for former Rocket coach Mark Ehlen last season, was a whirlwind, driving around and through opponents for countless lay-ups. And when she wasn’t penetrating for baskets, she was scoring from the perimeter almost at will. If she wasn’t scoring herself, she was getting the ball in to teammates for easy baskets, contesting for rebounds, and playing aggressive defense.

Great play in summer games won’t always translate into regular season success, but if Campo continues to play as she did on Sunday, at the very least, she will give Coach Cullop a player who can change the tempo of a contest, both on offense and defense: Campo, the quickest and fastest player on the Toledo team may have the ability to go baseline to baseline with the ball, creating all kinds of scoring opportunities.

Also playing well were junior forward Lisa Johnson, sophomore Amber Heistan, and sophomore Jessica Williams.  Johnson scored several baskets on her turnaround jumper in the paint and had a number of put-backs off of offensive rebounds.

Heistan plays aggressively no matter where she is on the floor and had several nice drives in addition to hitting her rainbow triples.

The three incoming freshmen Clare Aubry, Courtney Ingersoll, and Larrita Gipson are athletic but none of them stood out in the games. I'm sure it's the learning curve. Aubry did have a couple of nice drives however, scoring with either hand.

Junior forwards Allie Clifton and Tanika Mays were at the Rec.Center watching the action but neither player can participate in open gym as they are both rehabbing from leg and foot injuries. Sophomore center Melissa Goodall was not in attendance.

A full recovery for Clifton and Mays is almost requisite for Toledo to return to its winning ways: Both players have the talent to take over a game at any time, and if healthy, will be All-MAC candidates.

Clifton was well on her way to a big season in 2007-08 before she was felled by a foot injury at the beginning of conference play, and Mays, a transfer from IUPUI, was forced to sit out last season per NCAA rules. She sustained a meniscus tear during practice.

Clifton and Mays both assure me that they will be ready to go when fall practice begins.