Pushing the Envelope

All roads traveled will lead to a destination, but not all journeys end the way they begin.

Ebony Hoffman began her trek through USC women’s basketball four years ago. The senior will be near the end of that road today when the Trojans play their cross-town rivals at UCLA in the Pacific 10 season finale. Next week, there will be the Pac-10 tournament. The week after that? Who knows?

She’s hoping the NCAA tournament has a spot for the Trojans. That is one thing Hoffman hasn’t experienced. She has been to the NIT. She won a gold medal with the USA world championship qualifying team in 2002.

Hoffman, a 6-foot-2 post player, is a two-time all-conference first-team selection. She is averaging 15 points and 7.9 rebounds a game this season, and will finish her career among USC’s top-10 leaders in eight categories.

“I believe you put her in the top five or six players that played here at USC because of her consistent performance, year in and year out,” Coach Chris Gobrecht said.

She might have had the same kind of career, or even better, at other schools. Hoffman was hotly pursued after leading Narbonne High to a 111-10 record during her four years there, including a 34-0 mark and state championship in 2000. She decided to stay home, to try to help USC return to the days when it was a national power and produced players such as Cheryl Miller, Cynthia Cooper, Pam and Paula McGee, Rhonda Windham, Lisa Leslie and Tina Thompson.

It hasn’t quite worked out that way, yet, under Gobrecht. But Hoffman says that what she has learned about basketball and herself at USC has been worth whatever toll the lesson exacted.

“Coach G,” said Hoffman, smiling, when asked about Gobrecht. “It’s funny how everyone has their opinions on her, but I still love her to death. I have that genuine love for her, regardless of anything that’s happened.

“She has developed me in a lot of ways that I don’t think a lot of coaches could have. She made me slow down my whole game and become a little more precise in what I’m doing. A lot of other coaches liked the helter-skelter style I used to bring to the court, but Coach Gobrecht made me better control my actions out on the court. She gave me the confidence that, if I control what I’m doing, then it’s going to be a good outcome.”

Hoffman admits she hasn’t always been receptive to Gobrecht’s messages, including the ones that were delivered with a disciplinary action if Hoffman violated the team, or Gobrecht’s, rules. But Hoffman became convinced last year that Gobrecht always had her best interests at heart and was teaching her more than just rebounding position.

“I feel I’ve progressed so much since my freshman year,” Hoffman said. “I’ve gotten so much better. I feel like I’m being more influential on the court, that every play I’m going to have a hand in it. As long as I do that, I feel we’re going to be good.”

Was Gobrecht, who has about 10 shades of intensity when coaching a game, any harder on Hoffman than on other players?

No, the coach says. But she saw things in Hoffman besides basketball talent and didn’t want them to go to waste.

“No question, we knocked heads,” Gobrecht said. “But it was a labor of love on both sides. We’ve had to work so hard to come to a common ground. Deep down inside, she knew how much I cared about her. You take things different when you know that.

“She has grown so much. What’s needed to be seen is how happy she’s been this year. She has enjoyed the team, her personal life is fulfilled, and she’s doing well in school. She has become responsible and accountable. That’s the biggest word, ‘accountable.’ When she does something she shouldn’t, she owns up.”

Kathy Olivier can relate. The UCLA women’s coach had a special bond with Michelle Greco, who graduated last year. She has seen the development of Hoffman from the opponent’s view.

“We’ve been talking about trying to stop Ebony for four years,” Olivier said. “She has a presence on the floor. She is relentless; that’s her strength along with a strong body, good hands and a nose for the ball. And she has improved every year. She’s developed into a leader and will be a great WNBA player.”

Hoffman, who will finish her degree work in international business this fall, will settle for being a great Trojan just a little longer.

“The best lesson I got from basketball? Patience,” Hoffman said. “You can’t get stuff done if you don’t have patience for other people, especially in a team setting.

“You always second-guess yourself when things don’t turn out the way you expect them to in the beginning. But I think this team and this program have [always] been behind me. And I wouldn’t trade that for anything.”

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Top Rebounders

Ebony Hoffman ranks ninth in career rebounds in the Pacific 10 Conference and third on USC’s all-time list (through Friday):

*--* Rk Player, School (Seasons) Total 1 Lisa Leslie, USC (1991-94) 1,214 2 Tina Thompson, USC (1994-97) 1,168 3 Natalie Williams, UCLA (1991-94) 1,137 4 Val Whiting, Stanford (1989-93) 1,134 5 Nicole Powell, Stanford (2001-present) 1,058 6 Amber Hall, Washington (1996-99) 1,003 7 Tanja Kostic, Oregon State (1993-96) 1,001

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*--* Rk Player, School (Seasons) Total 8 Stefanie Kasperski, Oregon (1987-90) 996 9 Ebony Hoffman, USC (2001-present) 982 10 Maylana Martin, UCLA (1997-2000) 935 11 Adia Barnes, Arizona (1995-98) 921 12 Cherie Nelson, USC (1987-89) 920 13 Karen Deden, Washington (1988-91) 912 14 Kesha Martin, California (1989-93) 875

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