Crakaveli
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By JESSICA HOPP
Staff Writer
NORFOLK, Va. Candace Parker walked through the Ted Constant Center yesterday afternoon with bags of ice dangling off her left knee.
Don't freak out, it's nothing serious.
Ice is mandatory for the Lady Vols redshirt freshman, who had a pair of surgeries on her left knee in 2004 that prevented her from playing last season. In fact, Tennessee Coach Pat Summitt quipped, the post-practice icedown is something almost every Tennessee player does. Strapping on ice is like putting on orange warm-ups a near daily occurrence.
Still, one has to wonder whether Parker's ice is melting a little faster these days.
As of late, the 6-foot-4 redshirt freshman's play has been in a word hot. And that was before Sunday's dunking exhibition against Army.
Parker scored a career-high 34 points and added a career-high 15 rebounds in the Lady Vols' overtime loss to Florida to close the regular season. She made the game-winning shot against LSU in the Southeastern Conference Tournament final. And she made history on Sunday when she made not one, but two dunks in a 26-point performance against Army in the first round of the NCAA Women's Tournament.
"I think Candace has really matured in a lot of ways," Summitt said Saturday, before the tournament opener. "I think she has stepped up her game and tried to take on more responsibility. She is one of the most unselfish big-time players that I've coached."
Parker's is the kind of heat the Lady Vols only hope continues tonight, when they face George Washington at 6 p.m. in the second round of the NCAAs.
"I watched her play in high school, and she always took it to another level when it got into the playoffs," Summitt said. "I am not surprised by this."
But that might not be the whole story. A lot of Parker's surge has coincided with the injury to point guard Alexis Hornbuckle, who broke her wrist on Feb. 12 against Vanderbilt.
Hornbuckle's loss coupled with the December departure of another point guard, Sa'de Wiley-Gatewood, resulted in Parker's suddenly being asked to do more than find the low block and post up.
She swung out to the three position, where she had to maneuver more to create her shots and become accustomed to a longer-range.
Additionally, she was called upon to bring the ball up the floor as a point.
The moves utilized her multiple talents, but they also required her to expand her game. She had to be more of a leader and more of a creator.
"Everyone had to change roles," Parker said. "We talked about the things we had to make up for when (Hornbuckle) was out, and everybody had to step up their game. I think it has made us better now, because everyone has matured, and we all have bigger roles now."
In the eight games since Hornbuckle went down, Parker has averaged 20.6 points and 10.6 rebounds per game compared to, respectively, averages of 15.7 and 7.7 through the Lady Vols' first 25 games, with Hornbuckle.
George Washington Coach Joe McKeown said yesterday that injuries have forced Tennessee to reinvent itself since the last time his Colonials and the Lady Vols played each other on Dec. 7. Included in the new look is a new type of Parker.
"The first time we played her, she would shoot within the flow of the offense," McKeown said.
"If the ball came to her she would shoot, and if it didn't, someone else would shoot. Now it seems to me she is much more aggressive offensively. She is looking to shoot the ball from different spots on the floor. She has expanded her range."
With the return of Hornbuckle on Sunday, Parker and her teammates were able to return to somewhat "normal" positions. Hornbuckle played 17 minutes, more than even Summitt anticipated, and during that time Parker was mostly on the low blocks. It's a place she definitely felt more comfortable.
"It's funny because post players always want to play guard, and guards always want to play post," Parker said. "It was a lot of fun at the beginning, but it slowly wears off. I definitely like my regular position."
Hornbuckle is again expected to come off the bench tonight, which will free up Shanna Zolman to play the two position and Parker to play the post. The question is, will Parker's return to her regular position mean she will be reigned back in relegated back to the low blocks?
Summitt thinks not.
"She's never really had a tight leash," Summitt said. "Candace has worked really hard all season to be a great teammate, and she has done that. She really stepped it up in the first game of the NCAA Tournament, and I am very pleased because she needs to take on a big role with this team.
"No one knows that better than Candace."
Guess that means you can expect another hot performance tonight.
Better get that ice ready.
Staff Writer
NORFOLK, Va. Candace Parker walked through the Ted Constant Center yesterday afternoon with bags of ice dangling off her left knee.
Don't freak out, it's nothing serious.
Ice is mandatory for the Lady Vols redshirt freshman, who had a pair of surgeries on her left knee in 2004 that prevented her from playing last season. In fact, Tennessee Coach Pat Summitt quipped, the post-practice icedown is something almost every Tennessee player does. Strapping on ice is like putting on orange warm-ups a near daily occurrence.
Still, one has to wonder whether Parker's ice is melting a little faster these days.
As of late, the 6-foot-4 redshirt freshman's play has been in a word hot. And that was before Sunday's dunking exhibition against Army.
Parker scored a career-high 34 points and added a career-high 15 rebounds in the Lady Vols' overtime loss to Florida to close the regular season. She made the game-winning shot against LSU in the Southeastern Conference Tournament final. And she made history on Sunday when she made not one, but two dunks in a 26-point performance against Army in the first round of the NCAA Women's Tournament.
"I think Candace has really matured in a lot of ways," Summitt said Saturday, before the tournament opener. "I think she has stepped up her game and tried to take on more responsibility. She is one of the most unselfish big-time players that I've coached."
Parker's is the kind of heat the Lady Vols only hope continues tonight, when they face George Washington at 6 p.m. in the second round of the NCAAs.
"I watched her play in high school, and she always took it to another level when it got into the playoffs," Summitt said. "I am not surprised by this."
But that might not be the whole story. A lot of Parker's surge has coincided with the injury to point guard Alexis Hornbuckle, who broke her wrist on Feb. 12 against Vanderbilt.
Hornbuckle's loss coupled with the December departure of another point guard, Sa'de Wiley-Gatewood, resulted in Parker's suddenly being asked to do more than find the low block and post up.
She swung out to the three position, where she had to maneuver more to create her shots and become accustomed to a longer-range.
Additionally, she was called upon to bring the ball up the floor as a point.
The moves utilized her multiple talents, but they also required her to expand her game. She had to be more of a leader and more of a creator.
"Everyone had to change roles," Parker said. "We talked about the things we had to make up for when (Hornbuckle) was out, and everybody had to step up their game. I think it has made us better now, because everyone has matured, and we all have bigger roles now."
In the eight games since Hornbuckle went down, Parker has averaged 20.6 points and 10.6 rebounds per game compared to, respectively, averages of 15.7 and 7.7 through the Lady Vols' first 25 games, with Hornbuckle.
George Washington Coach Joe McKeown said yesterday that injuries have forced Tennessee to reinvent itself since the last time his Colonials and the Lady Vols played each other on Dec. 7. Included in the new look is a new type of Parker.
"The first time we played her, she would shoot within the flow of the offense," McKeown said.
"If the ball came to her she would shoot, and if it didn't, someone else would shoot. Now it seems to me she is much more aggressive offensively. She is looking to shoot the ball from different spots on the floor. She has expanded her range."
With the return of Hornbuckle on Sunday, Parker and her teammates were able to return to somewhat "normal" positions. Hornbuckle played 17 minutes, more than even Summitt anticipated, and during that time Parker was mostly on the low blocks. It's a place she definitely felt more comfortable.
"It's funny because post players always want to play guard, and guards always want to play post," Parker said. "It was a lot of fun at the beginning, but it slowly wears off. I definitely like my regular position."
Hornbuckle is again expected to come off the bench tonight, which will free up Shanna Zolman to play the two position and Parker to play the post. The question is, will Parker's return to her regular position mean she will be reigned back in relegated back to the low blocks?
Summitt thinks not.
"She's never really had a tight leash," Summitt said. "Candace has worked really hard all season to be a great teammate, and she has done that. She really stepped it up in the first game of the NCAA Tournament, and I am very pleased because she needs to take on a big role with this team.
"No one knows that better than Candace."
Guess that means you can expect another hot performance tonight.
Better get that ice ready.
