STrib: Powell and Scalia are Healthy and Critical to the Teams Success

[Ignatius L Hoops]

Gophers guards Jasmine Powell, Sara Scalia are healthy again, critical to team's success

Gophers coach Lindsay Whalen has high expectations for both juniors as the team heads into its exhibition opener Sunday against Minnesota Crookston.

www.startribune.com

Kent Youngblood details last season's injuries suffered by Scalia, Powell and Hubbard. Whalen says the three guards have to bring it everyday.

Whalen, of course, is expecting a lot more from both Powell and Scalia this year. She wants Powell to be more efficient, improve her .369 shooting percentage from last year. She wants Powell to attack left more. Whalen wants Scalia – who ranks 10th in program history in three-point shootingat .353 – to be more aggressive, make defenders pay for running her off the three-point line. She wants Scalia to finish better at the rim and find space in the mid-range.

So far, so good. "JP has gotten a lot better with her decision making and her shot selection,'' Hubbard said of Powell. Sara is still working on those NBA threes. [But] Sara has gotten a lot better at getting to the basket and finishing. You should see some of the finishes that she's had in practice. I was like, 'How did that even go in?'"

Both say they're ready. Is the whole team?

"We have strides to take defensively,'' Powell said. "We all know we can score.''

 

[GringaGopher]

We definitely have some depth @ the guard position this year but need Powell to lead the way. I would really like to see Smith make a big jump this season. Go Gophers !