A leader emerges for Cougars
Bigger, stronger, faster.
That’s what the Washington State women’s basketball team faces next week when the Pac-10 season starts.
But that also describes senior post Emma Joneby.
“She’s gotten stronger, she’s worked hard off the court and (the summer trip to) Italy helped her,” Cougars coach Sherri Murrell said. “She’s stepped up because she’s been asked to step up. Physically, she’s a better player. When you physically feel more comfortable it contributes to the mental part.”
Going into the final non-league game tonight against visiting Valpariso (4-4), Joneby is averaging seven points and more than six rebounds for the 4-4 Cougars.
“Last summer I had mono and I couldn’t work out at all,” Joneby said. “That got me off to a bad start from the beginning… . I worked hard. I had to step up because I was one of just three posts and I knew the team really needed me this year. Last year I was behind Candace (Fields) and Bianca (McCall).”
Murrell said she counts on the 6-foot-2 native of Vasteras, Sweden, for 8-10 points, rebounds and, most importantly, leadership.
“I have to commend both her and (senior guard) Jess Perry,” the third-year coach said. “They’ve stuck it through for four years … through the hard times and it’s starting to pay off.”
Joneby arrived in Pullman after a former Cougars assistant made contact with her coach on the Swedish U-20 team. She made a highlight tape and ended up with recruiting trips to WSU and Seton Hall.
“Without a doubt, I wanted to come here,” she said. “It’s a more friendly community.”
That helped Joneby make the adjustment.
“The community is so great. I just felt welcome by alumni, staff, teammates, classmates,” she said. “At Christmas time it’s harder. I always become homesick, but every year I have to turn down people that want me to come spend Christmas with them. I’m sad, but it’s a great feeling to have people like that… . I’m very fortunate.”
Joneby played about four minutes a game as a freshman but started 10 games as a sophomore, averaging 3.5 points and 2.6 rebounds. Weakened last year she struggled to contribute, playing few minutes and averaging 2.9 points and 2.7 boards.
A public relations major who will graduate in May, Joneby said she expects to settle in Sweden, although she would like to see more of this country before her student visa runs out.
Pac attack
There is a reason the Pac-10 is currently the top-ranked conference.
The league is 57-27 with five wins over Top 25 outsiders.
Tonight, Stanford is at No. 9 Tennessee, No. 8 Connecticut, the three-time defending national champion, is at Arizona State, and UCLA goes to No. 10 Ohio State.
Stanford is ranked second, UCLA No. 20, Arizona and Arizona State have both been in the top 25 and Stanford is 7-1.
“It’s really good at the top,” Murrell said of the Pac-10. “I love the fact we have (had) three schools in the Top 25, Arizona State beat Georgia, UCLA beat (two top 25 teams).”
She doesn’t, however, love the fact the Cougars open the Pac-10 season against two of those teams. Arizona State and Arizona are in Pullman next Monday and Wednesday, respectively.
“I think there is a bottom five we can really attack,” she said.
“We’re going to have to play extremely well against the top five in the conference. But against the bottom five in the conference there is a chance for some wins.
“That’s been my goals since I’ve been here, move up the ladder.”
Big West
Idaho also opens league play next week, going to travel partner Utah State on the Dec. 29.
After Saturday’s 70-53 loss to Gonzaga, Idaho coach Mike Divilbiss wasn’t looking at the league as much as he was looking at his own team.
“We have to focus on us,” he said. “If we play the way we’re capable of playing, we can be a pretty good basketball team. But when we stand around and don’t move, we’re not very good. It’s that simple.
“I like my team (but) we have got to get back to practice and work on us before we can worry about any of our opponents.”
League power Santa Barbara is only 2-3 with losses to Top-25 teams Purdue and Arizona. And the Gauchos are home tonight against top-ranked Louisiana State.
Cal Poly (5-2) and Idaho (5-4) are the only teams with a winning record.
Anderson update
Ashley Anderson, the Gonzaga starter who was injured in the pregame, chest-bump introductions Saturday, was officially declared out for the season Monday with an ACL problem in her left knee. The school was awaiting results of an MRI taken Monday to determine the extent of the injury.
Elaina Renius, a 6-foot-4 freshman, will get more time and 6-foot forward Anne Bailey will return to the starting lineup to replace her best friend and roommate.
“There is no good side to this,” GU coach Kelly Graves said. “If there is a positive note, this is the year to we can sustain this … but dang, I love that kid. She’s a playmaker.”
Tip-ins
After Monday’s 66-48 win over Portland State, Kelly Graves has 60 wins as the GU coach, three behind Julie Holt and six behind Mike Peterson for career coaching wins at the school… . Juliann Laney, coming off two years of injuries, got a start for GU at Montana recently because Raeanna Jewell was sick. That’s also when Stephanie Hawk replaced Anne Bailey in the lineup, ending a streak of 29 games (21-8 record) with the same starting lineup … Idaho is redshirting freshmen 6-3 Cassie Suffolk and 5-11 Katie Schlotthauer… . The Vandals hope Emily Halliday, who hasn’t played with a stress fracture in a vertebrate, is ready to go next week … . The Big Sky had a 6-2 week and five of eight teams are above .500 … . Idaho State had six healthy players for it’s win over Saint Martin’s College but activated manager Dana Beechie just in case… . Prior to the Lewis-Clark State game Monday, Eastern was 127 out of 328 schools in strength of schedule. Only Weber, at 40, was higher among BSC teams… . Felice Moore of EWU leads the Sky in shooting at .568 and Pullman grad Christa Brossman of Idaho State is leading in free throws at .923.