Though the Oregon women’s basketball team could use them this year, the Ducks are going to have to wait until next season for the four recruits from the early signing period to arrive in Eugene.
Nia Jackson, Tatianna Thomas, Nicole Canepa and Ellie Manou all signed National Letters of Intent last week, agreeing to wear Oregon green and yellow in 2007-08. The four will help replace seniors Cicely Oaks, Jamie Hawkins, Jessie Shetters, Carolyn Ganes and Eleanor Haring.
The 5-foot-7-inch Jackson is a defensive-oriented point guard from Chief Sealth High School in Seattle. Blue Star Basketball, a top women’s basketball recruiting organization, listed her as No. 79 out of 100 prospects and Scout.com had her as a three-star prospect.
Tatianna Thomas and current Duck Taylor Lilley formed a potent tandem at Hart High in Newhall, Calif., and will be reunited next year. The physical, athletic Thomas is a 5-foot-11-inch forward who will play on the perimeter at Oregon.
“She was more of a driver type, really got to the foul line a lot, stayed aggressive, got on the boards,” said Lilley on Thomas about their one season together. “She was a tough player out there for teams to handle.”
Canepa, a 6-foot-5-inch center, gives Oregon a much-needed post presence next season who can run the floor and also thrive in a half-court offense, former high school coach Julie Berry said last summer.
Ellie Manou is a member of the Australian Institute of Sport and visited McArthur Court on Nov. 3 for an exhibition game. The 6-foot-2-inch post is a strong rebounder with soft hands. She had two points and four rebounds in AIS’ 76-58 loss to Oregon.
Garbin’s eligibility
A newly created two-sport athlete, Nicole Garbin’s addition to the women’s basketball team makes her another one of many multi-sport athletes across the nation.
Oregon officials checked with the Pacific-10 Conference in October to see if they needed to file additional paperwork with the NCAA, just in case Garbin decided to play another sport.
“It’s not unusual to have multi-sport athletes so we’re familiar with that concept,” said Bill Clever, the assistant athletic director in charge of compliance. “The only unique wrinkle to this was it being in her sixth year.”
The Pac-10 said no – the sixth year of eligibility counted for all sports.
Her scholarship now counts against the women’s basketball team’s financial aid limit. The NCAA has a hierarchy of sports and a rule that prevents schools from having a higher-profile athlete’s scholarship in a lower-profile sport – in this case, the soccer team.
Garbin and multi-sport athlete Jordan Kent share more than interesting eligibility situations, Clever says.
“It’s almost unfair for one individual to have that much ability to compete at this level at multiple sports,” Clever said. “They’re just blessed.”
Up-close perspective
Oregon City girls basketball coach Brad Smith maintains a friendship with his former pupil, Kristen Forristall, who left the women’s basketball team last week.
“I’ve known her ever since she has been a little girl. She was great to work with – an intense competitor – really, really cared about how well the team did,” Smith said in a phone interview last Thursday.
Smith, who coached Oregon City for 26 years, led the team to 10 Class 4A high school state championships during his tenure. He retired from coaching Nov. 6 when he told his players and relinquished the position to Kurt Guelsdorf.
Under Smith’s guidance, Forristall developed into a McDonald’s All-American. She averaged a double-double her senior year with 15 points and 14 rebounds per game in leading the team to a state championship.
Smith helped when the highly recruited Forristall went through the recruiting process as the 6-foot-2-inch forward ultimately decided on the Ducks.
“For the people at Oregon City, it was a huge statement she chose to stay in-state because she had some really good schools after her,” Smith said. “Before she settled on Oregon, she had thought very hard – almost had made a commitment basically to Vanderbilt.”
Forristall’s success never translated to the college level and she ended abruptly by deciding to quit prior to this season. She finished her Oregon career with averages of 4.3 points and 2.7 rebounds.
“I don’t think anything ever surprises me about young kids and going to college and athletics and growing up,” Smith said.
Forristall left the team Monday, Nov. 6, citing “irreconcilable differences” with coach Bev Smith. Forristall joined the volleyball team Thursday, Nov. 9 and started practicing with coach Jim Moore’s team on Monday.
Looking for a shot
Oregon coaches held walk-on tryouts Saturday morning in the Student Recreation Center following their normal practice. Eight players took part and participated in a short scrimmage.
The Oregon roster stands at 11 players with soccer star Nicole Garbin’s addition last week. Forristall’s departure and Gabrielle Richards’ absence gave Aubrie Corey inspiration to try and make the thin roster.
“When they had a full roster, I figured I wouldn’t even have a chance,” Corey said.
The Oregon Media Services intern played high school basketball all four years at Wilsonville High School in Oregon, which won state championships her freshman and sophomore years. Traditionally a shooting guard, Corey filled the point guard position Saturday.
Corey came to Oregon for the bigger school and academics.
“When I came here, I didn’t think I was going to be able to play basketball but they needed girls so it gave me a chance to tryout,” Corey said.
Unfortunately for Corey, none of the players who tried out made the team.
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