Fresno State Athletics
Mix of Old and New Hope For Winning Results
10/29/2001 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Lindsay Logan is back. So is Tiffany Simon. And Omelogo Udeze, too. In fact, the Bulldogs return four starters and seven letterwinners from last year's squad that came within a whisper of upsetting SMU in the first round of the WAC tournament.
But that alone is not what has had head coach Britt King anxiously awaiting the start of the 2001-02 season. No, what pleases King most is the addition of a recruiting class tabbed as the nation's 53rd best by Women's Basketball Journal, which followed up last year's 50th rated class.
In all, eight newcomers will wear a Bulldog uniform this year. It's obvious the firepower of returnees such as first-team All-WAC pick Lindsay Logan, second-team All-WAC honoree Omelogo Udeze and All-WAC defensive selection Tiffany Simon would have Fresno State thinking big. But throw an athletic, potent incoming class into the mixture, and expectations are as high as they have been in the King era.
"The team has set very high expectations for themselves and work hard every day challenging each other in order to improve overall," King said. "This season, we will have depth, speed and competitors at every position."
Guards Pace the Bulldogs
Fresno State's group of guards is among the very best in the Western Athletic Conference. Headlining the corps is Logan, who will compete for All-WAC and All-America honors this year. The junior had a monster 2000-01 season, which was topped with a selection to the All-WAC first team, Fresno State's first since the 1994-95 season. Logan played in all 29 games, starting 28, and scored in double figures a WAC-leading 27 times. But the list doesn't stop there - she also led the conference in assists with 5.7 per game, the second consecutive year she has topped that category. In addition, she finished tops in three-pointers per game (3.1) and minutes played per game (37.1), was third in scoring average (16.9) and ninth in steals (1.8).
Logan's outstanding season allowed her to etch her name prominently in the program annals. Despite having played only two years, she already is third on the all-time three-pointers made list with 143, only 79 behind first place Staci Oddo (1992-96). Her career scoring average of 14.0 is fourth all-time while her three-pointer percentage of .318 is 10th best in FS history.
Perhaps no game last year illustrates what Logan means to the Bulldogs more than when Fresno State took on SMU on Jan. 28. In leading FS to its first ever victory over the Mustangs, Logan played all 40 minutes and racked up 32 points, including a coast-to-coast layup with 12 seconds left that proved to be the game-winner. It was the most points scored by a Bulldog last year and Logan's second highest point total of her career.
And unlike her freshman season when she burst onto the scene and was a frontrunner for WAC player of the year, Logan didn't sneak up on anybody. She nearly walked off with player of the year honors despite being in the crosshairs of the opposing defenses every game.
"Lindsay is a scorer," King said. "She always seems to find a way to score. This year, one of her biggest challenges will be to keep her turnovers per game to a minimum and establish herself more as a vocal leader. She is more comfortable leading by example. She has to get beyond her comfort zone."
But Fresno State's excellence at guard is not limited to Logan. Simon also excelled to the tune of a 12.8 scoring average and defense so suffocating she was named to the WAC All-Defensive team. The junior scored in double figures in 24 of Fresno State's 29 games and finished 12th in the conference in scoring. Simon also proved durable - she played in all 29 games and finished having played an average of 36.2 minutes per game, third most in the WAC. Possibly the fastest player in the conference, Simon blew past opponents for a 13.8 scoring average in WAC games.
After a freshman season that saw her average 6.3 points per game, Simon devoted herself last offseason to becoming more of an offensive threat. Her hard work paid dividends for the Bulldogs. Simon is now a threat on the perimeter as well as driving to the basket. And despite functioning as a guard, she averaged nearly five rebounds per game last year.
"Tiffany loves to play defense," King said. "The mixture of her desire and athletic ability makes her one of the best defenders in the conference."
Joining Logan and Simon as a returning guard is Laura Garcia, who provides a spark with her gritty, tenacious defense and passing ability. After coming off the bench in the first three games, the Fresno, Calif., native served as the team's point guard for the next 12 before injuring her posterior cruciate ligament during a game against SMU on Jan. 12, forcing her to miss the remainder of the season. Before her injury, Garcia had averaged 6.2 points and 4.7 assists per game. Most importantly, though, was her ability to set the tone for the Bulldog offense. After her injury, Fresno State went 5-9. Now back to 100 percent, Garcia's return to form will be a key component in FS's success this season.
Chantea Fleming was another Bulldog who showed promise before missing a large portion of the season due to an injury. The sophomore gave an example of what the future could hold when she exploded for 15 points in an eight-minute span to help Fresno State defeat Sacramento State in the season's fourth game. But she missed 14 games in the middle of the season due to a stress fracture in her shin. Also back to 100 percent, Fleming is a nightmare matchup for defenses.
At 6-feet 1-inch, the guard/forward is a threat on the inside either scoring or rebounding. But her athletic ability allows her to maneuver on the perimeter, and her outside shot must be respected. Those teams that don't guard her beyond the arc allow her to drain jumpers, but defenders that play her tight face the prospect of Fleming either posting up or putting the ball on the floor and blowing by them.
"Chantea and Laura were very disappointed and frustrated with their injuries last season," King said. "They put a lot of time and energy in the offseason into rehabilitation and getting into shape. They returned in better shape than they were in before their injuries."
Six newcomers round out the guards. Freshmen Joanna Barnes, Lisa Copeland, Veronica Mack, Cophie Moore, Kim Holston and Lauren Stayton will all provide depth and quality minutes to Fresno State. Of the group, Barnes comes in as the most heralded, having been named first-team All-DCIAA by the Washington Post. She also participated in the prestigious Capital Classic All-Star Game after averaging 20.3 points and 9.0 rebounds per game at Dunbar High.
"The freshmen have very good chemistry and work well together," King said. "They add speed and a solid outside game to the team."
Udeze Shows the Way
At forward, Fresno State has one of the best in the league in Omelogo Udeze, whose 2000-01 season is best described by one word: Dominant. After posting a 5.6 scoring average as a freshman, Udeze's sophomore season was one of the best in program history. The All-WAC second team member averaged 13.8 points and a WAC-leading 9.6 rebounds per game. And she didn't limit her damage on the boards to rebounding. The Los Angeles native also led the conference in field goal percentage at .533.
Udeze displayed her all-around ability by totaling a WAC high 13 double-doubles, including nine in the final 16 games. Against conference opponents, she was even more impressive, scoring 15.8 points and corralling 10.9 rebounds per game. Her 268 boards was third most in the history of the school and the 174 rebounds she picked up in WAC games was second most in conference history.
But perhaps most impressive about Udeze is the facility with which she can play all five positions. There were times last year Udeze would spell Logan at the point guard position. Her excellence in the post makes her perfect for the four or five position. And she can move outside and shoot the three-pointer, if necessary. All these factors put together comprise one of the most complete basketball players in the WAC.
"Last season, Omelogo played some backup point guard, which gives her more confidence playing on the perimeter," King said. "She is still most confident when playing inside."
Fleming and Copeland, as guard/forwards, will help Udeze down low. A newcomer who could provide an instant spark is Arrita Lane. A superb athlete who was also an outstanding volleyball player at Aiea High School, Lane averaged 14.0 points per game her senior year. Udeze and Lane could prove to be a forceful one-two punch at the forward position for the next couple of years.
More Depth on the Blocks
Few players on the last year's roster made strides as large as sophomore Mindy Clark. With her game-to-game improvement as a benchmark, Clark should continue to better her play to the point where she can be considered both an offensive and defensive threat. A year ago, she averaged 4.4 points and 4.7 rebounds and played in all 29 games, starting 17.
Joining Clark down low is Channan High. One of the better shot-blockers in the conference, High has swatted away 58 the last two years, a 1.1 average. She received the starting nod 21 times and averaged 6.2 rebounds, second best on the team and 10th in the WAC. The possessor of a soft touch around the basket, a good year offensively by High would go a long way to propelling the Bulldogs to the upper echelon of the Western Athletic Conference.
"Channan and Mindy did not play even close to their ability last year," King said. "They both are capable of playing better than they did. Last year was a learning year for Mindy and she has improved her ability to be an offensive threat. Channan needs to play more consistently. Her inconsistency hinders her from improving her overall game."
" We have more depth as well as height on the blocks," King said. "Last year we generated most of the offense on perimeter. This year we have a better inside game and will be able to generate more offense."
Bakersfield, Calif., native Barbara Johnson rounds out the centers. One of six six-footers on this year's roster, Johnson was all-league at Bakersfield High School.
Kicking Things Off at Home
For the second consecutive season, Fresno State begins the season at home. This year, the Bulldogs kick things off with Delaware State on Nov. 17. After the Fresno State Classic, the Bulldogs head into one of their most vital portions of the schedule, one which sees them play four out of six games on the road. Away games include California, Saint Mary's and Northern Arizona, all of which have knocked off the Bulldogs in Fresno in the past two years.
And with the addition of perennial national title contender Louisiana Tech to the conference, the WAC ledger is no easier. The Bulldogs will compete with Louisiana Tech, Hawai'i, which made the Final Four of the WNIT last year, and SMU for the upper level of the WAC standings. In addition, Nevada and an improved Tulsa team will be tugging at Fresno State and making the conference schedule even more difficult.
"This year, we have to focus our efforts on stepping up our level of play," King said. "We will definitely be better than we were last year. But one of our keys to success will be how committed each player is to elevating their level of play."
