UCLA Women’s Preview : Bruins Inexperienced but Talented

Billie Moore is a little more relaxed at practice these days. It seems a basketball coach can breathe easier when she has a point guard. Not to mention the most highly touted recruit the UCLA women’s coach has signed in a decade, or the franchise player Moore has waiting in the wings.

Young and inexperienced--but talented--describes the UCLA women’s basketball team this season. The addition of six freshmen to a squad of semi-veterans has resulted in an up-tempo game, similar to the one Moore ran several years ago.

The Bruins also appear to have a more balanced attack than last season’s, with better outside shooters to help preserve an improved inside game.

“This team has so much talent, that if you have a bad game, you just might not see daylight,” said Rehema Stephens, a redshirt sophomore who transferred to UCLA this season from the University of Colorado.

Stephens, a 5-foot 10-inch guard, is allowed to practice while she sits out this season, and her aggressive style of play has already helped the team. She is regarded as one of the most talented players in the country--Moore’s ace in the hole for next season.

“This year’s team is much more talented and quick, and there are so many big girls that rebounds are a lot harder,” said Althea Ford, a 6-1 forward who is one of only two seniors left on the team.

“Everyone is shooting more, too. I think because it’s more team-oriented, and we are not depending solely on Dora.”

The loss of Dora Dome, an All-American guard who has used up her eligibility, will be felt by the Bruins. With Dome, who averaged 19.7 points and 8.1 rebounds a game, UCLA finished 19-11 last season and fourth in the Pacific 10 Conference for the third straight year.

“At first, the freshman were a little scared, “ said Ford, who had a strong second half last season. “But then they got real aggressive and started pressuring us (veterans). Practice is at a different level because everyone is more enthused and eager to learn.”

The main reason for this renewed vigor is Molly Tideback, a 6-3 center from Waterloo, Iowa, who is scheduled to start. Tideback has already made an impact.

“She’s one of those players who can move your level of play up a notch,” Moore said. “She works so hard at practice that the intensity has increased dramatically. She’s infectious. The team is all fired up.”

Tideback and freshman Lynn Kamrath, a 6-4 center from Hartland, Wis., are expected to improve the Bruins’ inside game.

Michelle Miles of Denver is the Bruins’ long-awaited point guard. She was forced to redshirt last season because of an injury, causing the Bruins to scramble most of the season for a replacement. Her backup this season is freshman DeDe Mosman of St. Joseph’s High in Buena Park, who has a strong outside game.

Starting at off-guard is 6-foot junior Michele Wootton, an aggressive player who last season had 71 offensive rebounds and averaged 7 points and 4.4 rebounds a game.

Two players from the Netherlands complete the lineup. Sandra VanEmbricqs, a 6-3 junior, is expected to start at power forward, where last season she averaged 10 points and 7.3 rebounds and led the Bruins with 62 steals. Eugenie Lewis, 6-0 1/2 freshman, is expected to be the small forward.

Dana Childs, a 6-3 senior, and Sheri Bouldin, a 6-2 1/2 junior, are experienced backups at center and power forward. Sophomore Rachelle Roulier will get playing time at guard.

The 12th player is freshman Elaine Youngs of El Toro, who is currently a starting middle-blocker on the Bruins’ top-ranked volleyball team. Youngs is the first double-sport athlete to play for Moore since Jackie Joyner-Kersee in the early 1980’s. Youngs will join the team in January.

The unranked Bruins will get a good test of their ability Friday when they open the season against 15th-ranked North Carolina State in a tournament at Cincinnati. Moore should get an even clearer idea of her team’s level of play in December, when the Bruins travel to Knoxville to meet top-ranked Tennessee.