For Ellie Manou, the 2008-09 season will be an exercise in balance. And sustaining balance begins with keeping both feet underneath her.
The sophomore from Sydney, Australia, started in 13 of her 29 games played last year, including eight of the final 10, but an injury to her left foot hampered her effectiveness.
“I had a bad injury last year which affected my conditioning,” Manou said. “I used to have a good first half and struggle in the second half.”
So Manou worked hard in the offseason to get healthy, swimming and riding exercise bikes to improve upon her physical condition. Manou joined her fellow Ducks in passing her preseason conditioning test: a crucial step, as her role on the team was about to be expanded.
“They stressed to me that I would be starting in a different position. Last year I played the power forward position, this year I’m playing center,” Manou said. “I had to hone in my back-to-basket skills and work on things like my rebounding.”
Manou understands that for this young Oregon team to make a postseason tournament appearance, the offense must be balanced between perimeter and post players, and she has responded, posting 13.6 points per game (second on the Ducks) on 47.9 percent shooting. Last year, Manou averaged 7.0 points on 48.2 percent shooting in 18.2 minutes per game, compared to the 23.8 she sees per game this season.
Manou attributes the increase in large part to the organization of the Ducks’ post players. As freshman last season, Oregon’s four posts – Manou, Ellyce Ironmonger, Nicole Canepa and Victoria Kenyon – received irregular minutes as head coach Bev Smith attempted to search for a winning combination. This season, freshman forward Amanda Johnson has started alongside Manou in the frontcourt in every game, although Johnson, who has made the second-most three-pointers on the Ducks, often plays on the perimeter and leaves the post offensive duties to Manou.
“Now that I’m getting more time, my stats are improving,” Manou said. “Because I’m getting more time, you can see my skills improving.”
In another exhibition of balance, Manou has embraced the responsibility of post scoring by adding moves to her arsenal over the summer. The right-handed Manou has experimented with a left-handed hook shot to counter defenders overplaying her right hand.
Of course, Manou’s game is far from one-dimensional, balanced out by her improved rebounding.
“I wanted to lead the team in rebounding,” Manou said.
Last year, Manou finished second on the team with 160 rebounds to Kaela Chapdelaine’s 170, tying Chapdelaine with an average of 5.5 rebounds per game. Manou has increased this to 6.8 rebounds per game, leading the team in rebounding. Johnson, with 6.2 rebounds per game, is the Ducks’ second-leading rebounder.
“She’s doing a good job. She plays with a lot of confidence,” Manou said of her frontcourt mate. “As the competition keeps getting harder, it will be interesting. I think she can grow a lot this year.”
Of course, Manou knows her job could become a lot easier when guard Taylor Lilley and forward Rita Kollo return from injuries and bolster the perimeter offense. Listed at 6-foot-3, Manou has employed a size advantage against the Ducks’ (3-2) early-season opponents, facing double- and triple-teams in certain circumstances as a result. Adjustments will have to be made once players return from injury, but Manou has an acute awareness of what must occur for the Ducks to win.
“Hopefully we have good balance,” Manou said.
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