Sharon Boudreaux Robinson
March 3, 2009March 5
March 5, 2009
Vandebilt earned its third ever trip to the Ladies’ Top 28 Tournament in Monroe this week with the same formula they have used all season: dominant post play.
Some nights, it is Lady Terrier junior center Theresa Plaisance with the better statistical numbers. Other nights, it will be senior forward Sybil Washington.
But to get past the Haughton Lady Buccaneers in Thursday’s quarterfinals, Vandebilt needed the entire frontcourt, including sophomore forward Bethany Gregoire, in their 74-68 victory at the Brother Alford Kolb Center.
Plaisance scored 32 points, while Washington and Gregoire added 14 and 12 points respectively.
“We have the luxury of having two good post players. A lot of teams wish they did,” said Vandebilt head coach Kathy Luke. “That’s why we’re going to the Top 28. Our guards (Alacia LeBouef and Allison Crosby) have played well all year long, but our post people have brought us to this point.”
“Thirty-two is a lot, but obviously I couldn’t do it without my teammates getting me the ball,” Plaisance said. “They trusted me enough to give me the ball and enough went in that we were able to win.”
The third-seeded Lady Terriers play second-seeded Carroll Lady Bulldogs in the Class 4A semifinals tomorrow at 8 p.m. in the Fant-Ewing Coliseum.
Vandebilt’s last appearance in the Top 28 tournament was 2007. They lost in the semifinals to eventual state champions Glen Oaks.
Luke and Washington remember that 27-point loss well.
“We have a lot of new players, good players,” Washington said. “If they work hard, they’re going to help us go further than we did last time.”
“I hope we’re smarter and better prepared this time,” Luke said. “Hopefully, the kids we still have from our last trip understand what it takes to advance.”
For Plaisance, Gregoire and most of the squad, it is their first time at the Top 28 tournament. While they relish the opportunity, they also understand how much tougher the competition will get.
“These teams are going to bring their A-game,” Gregoire said. “We have to match in heart and intensity just like we did tonight.”
The quarterfinal was both a microcosm and an anomaly to how of how Vandebilt (25-7) won all season long.
Offensively, the ball went inside early and often to Plaisance, who had 10 first quarter points, and Washington, who scored 10 of her 14 points in the first half.
With two talented players who normally work within the same area of the court, Luke makes sure each can maneuver without getting in the other’s way.
“They have to be buddies and communicate,” the coach said. “When one is on the high post (near the free throw line), the other is low post (near the basket). When one gets the ball, the other has to break toward the goal.”
Often, Vandebilt will run a triangle offense with Plaisance and Washington on the same side of the court and Gregoire at the perimeter throwing the ball into either of them. This system allows Vandebilt to take advantage of a mismatch or whoever has the hot hand at that particular moment.
“Sybil and I practice together all the time. We’re always on the same side of the floor, always doing post moves together,” Plaisance explained. “We just have a feel for where each other is. We work well together.”
However, in last Thursday’s game, the speedy Haughton players exploited the normally stiff Vandebilt defense.
On Vandebilt’s missed shots, Haughton was able to beat Plaisance and Washington down the court for fast break layups. This turned the game into the type of high-scoring contest Luke does not want to be in.
“I didn’t know if we could stop their transition game,” Luke said. “They wanted to make it a 94-foot game, and we like to play a half court game. Once we got them in a half court game, and they had to switch from their pressure defense to man-to-man, they couldn’t stop us.”
Washington almost did not finish the game. With just over six minutes left, she picked up her fourth foul. Despite being one foul away from being removed from the game, pulling her out wasn’t even an option for the coach.
“I rolled the dice on that. She wasn’t coming out,” Luke explained.
Washington did not play hesitantly down the stretch, just smarter to avoid a final foul call.
“I was scared,” she admitted. “I didn’t want to let my team down, so I played hard and tried not to foul anybody and it worked.”
The only other thing Vandebilt did poorly in the quarterfinals was use a dull pair of scissors to cut down the net after the victory.
“Thank God our shooting wasn’t as bad as these scissors were,” Luke joked.
Vandebilt is now two wins away from claiming its first state basketball championship. The prospect seems to be both a thrilling challenge and a daunting task for coach Luke.
“I’m really proud of our girls. They have played very well all season,” she said. “Carroll is very good, but I don’t know if they can be much better than Haughton. If they’re a lot better than Haughton, we’re going to have to score 100 to beat them.”
Vandebilt head coach Kathy Luke jumps into the arms of center Theresa Plaisance after defeating Haughton. The win marks the school’s third Ladies’ Top 28 appearance. * Photo by KEYON K. JEFF
