Coming off of a defensive rebound against Arizona on Jan. 16, Nicole Canepa takes off running. Crossing the “A” at center court of the McKale Center in Arizona, she turns just in time to see an outlet pass sailing through the air.
It seems to float for hours before it lands softly in her hands.
By then, Canepa is already under the hoop, and lays the ball in easily for her first two points of the game. Little does she know that there will be many more where that came from …
***
Like many other players, Canepa’s journey began at a local YMCA in San Francisco. She was just six years old when she first picked up a ball, and she was hooked from the start.
“Instead of the dance classes that little girls were in, I was always in the gym,” Canepa said. “I’ve been doing it most of my life.”
It helped that Canepa came from a family with a basketball pedigree. Both of her older sisters played, exposing her to the game at a very young age and inspiring her to join the fun.
“As I grew up, it was just part of our family lifestyle,” Canepa said. “All my cousins played, my sisters played, my dad played; it was pretty much in the family.”
Canepa continued to play throughout high school, earning a spot on St. Ignatius Prep’s varsity team in her freshman year and never giving it up. During her junior year in 2006, the team won the West Catholic Athletic League championship, and she was also an honorable mention on Street and Smith’s All-American list.
After arriving in Eugene in the fall of 2007, Canepa wasted little time making her mark. She started in the team’s first eight games, but suffered an ankle sprain on Dec. 19 that limited her production. She came back strong, however, and averaged 6.9 points and 4.2 rebounds in 30 games. Early on, her considerable work ethic was noticed by teammates.
“She’s constantly working on her game,” junior guard Tatianna Thomas said. “She’s always in the gym (and) before practices now, she’s with a coach working on post moves.”
The first real bump in the road came during Canepa’s sophomore year, when she suffered two more sprained ankles. She was held out of the first 10 Pacific-10 Conference games, and struggled with the notion of not playing.
“That was an adjustment,” Canepa said. “Sitting on the bench and not playing.”
Determined to put the 2008-09 season in the rearview mirror, Canepa worked harder than ever in the offseason to hone her skills. With new head coach Paul Westhead coming in, she knew that she would have to expand her game to fit his style. The results were apparent immediately.
“She’s made terrific strides,” Westhead said. “Early in the year, we were using her as one of our bigs in our rotations and hoping that she could step in and help us out. Next thing you know, she was doing more than helping us out: she was getting 18 points and 10 rebounds.”
Canepa’s teammates agree with Westhead’s observations and clearly appreciate the work she has done to help the Ducks to a 12-7 start.
“She’s always had that aggressive mentality, but this year I feel like she’s really been taking it at people,” senior guard Taylor Lilley said. “Even getting down the court, she’s just sprinting every single time. She’s really pushed herself in the offseason to work a lot harder, just to get in better shape.”
As a result, Canepa is averaging career highs in points per game (11.4) and rebounds (5.6), while also playing a significant role as one of the first players off the bench. Though she has started most of her career, Canepa thought little of her move to the bench.
“To me, I don’t think twice about it,” Canepa said. “It’s just me sitting on the bench seeing how the game is going, and then as soon as I get in I try and bring the same tempo that they just had, if not more … it really doesn’t affect how I play.”
Perhaps the most telling sign that Canepa has improved is the fact that Stanford, the No. 2 team in the nation, recently chose to double-team her.
“I can say all kinds of nice things about her,” Westhead said. “But when the opposition does that, that means they’ve recognized her ability.”
***
… 40 minutes later, Canepa walks off the court in disappointment.
It doesn’t matter that she’s scored 38 points against Arizona, a career high that also ties a school record. What matters is that Oregon lost the game, 119-112.
Canepa is proud of the accomplishment, but a win would have meant more. Indeed, it is this team-first attitude that has gotten Canepa to where she is today. Just how far it takes her and an up-and-coming Ducks team remains to be seen.
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