When I think of Penn State women's basketball, the only thing that comes to my mind is Steve Perry.
Steve Perry, the former lead singer of the greatest band of all time, Journey, sang to the heavens. Every time I think of All-American Kelly Mazzante or women's basketball coach Rene Portland, Perry's sweet voice echoes through my ears.
"Just a small town girl livin' in a lonely world."
Now if that line doesn't just scream Lady Lions, I don't know what else does. The majority of this team comes from Nowheresville, Pa., and may at times feel like they are in a world of their own due to the lack of respect that they receive from the women's basketball community.
Am I complaining about the team being ranked No. 5 in the nation? No, but when watching any women's basketball update on television or when reading any national periodical, the Lady Lions are only mentioned in reference to Mazzante. Why?
Maybe no one takes them seriously because they lost three games this season. They lost early in the season at Old Dominion a few days after beating then-No. 2 Texas in what may have been the Lady Lions' biggest home game in history. That doesn't count.
Then the Lady Lions hit a bit of a bump in the road in the form of perennial women's basketball power Louisiana Tech, on a fluke three-pointer at the buzzer. They hit another at No. 14 North Carolina, in what was a close game. Two games that could have gone either way, but seem to have made the team tougher in the long-run.
Losses to three damn good teams and it's still like they should be happy just to see their names near Tennessee, Duke and Connecticut.
Well, guess what. Mark my words, this team is just as good, or even . . . hold your breath . . . better than the three aforementioned teams. And if it comes down to playing any of these teams come tourney time, on a neutral court, Penn State could surprise many people; here's why.
The country's best backcourt
Everyone knows that Mazzante is the Second Coming, but nobody outside of the Big Ten knows Tanisha Wright. Wright has been viewed within the conference as a great defender, but she still doesn't get the respect she deserves as a slasher who can hit an open jump shot.How long will this girl have to score in the 15-20 point range before someone realizes that she can flat-out play? On a side note to that . . . I played against Wright a few months ago at the IM Building. Let me just say that I've never been physically abused during a game like I was on that day. I still have recurring nightmares about fighting through her screens.
Jess Strom
As much as I wanted to clump Strom in the backcourt category, I just couldn't because she's more than that. She reads passing lanes better than any player, male or female, that I've ever seen in my 22 years, and she takes smart chances on defense. Oh yeah, if Mazzante or The Warden were ever off, Strom could step in and score.
The Interior
They may not be the most physically menacing inside players ever. Actually, at times, it seems they're more interested in keeping their jerseys clean than in boxing out, but every now and then one of the post players puts up impressive numbers. The combination of freshman Reicina Russell, Ashli Schwab, and Amanda Brown has added a surprising offensive spark in the paint that had been nearly invisible.
The Three-J's
Jess Brungo, Jen Brenden (when healthy) and Jen Harris are the definition of role players. They make open shots, hit the floor for loose balls and play defense. What more can you ask of players who are forever in the shadows of the big dogs?
So, with both Tennessee and Duke having already lost to Texas, whom Penn State beat by 20, and UConn playing with an injured Diana Taurasi, anything is possible come late March.It all comes back to Perry and the words that he wrote so many years ago that have more merit now than ever."Don't stop believin'. Hold on to the feelin.' "
