On Saturday, Stanford women’s basketball breezed past Clarke in their exhibition by a final score of 105-35. Stanford junior guard Haley Jones led the way for the Cardinal with 14 points and 4 rebounds while sophomore forward Cameron Brink had 10 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 blocks. Elena Bosgana (11 points), Hannah Jump (11 points), Kiki Iriafen (11 points), and Francesca Belibi (10 points) also scored in double figures, making it a very balanced attack as is the plan for this season. Clarke forward Tina Ubl was the lone player for the Pride who reached double figures, finishing with 13 points.
“It’s really great to be back here,” Jones said after the game. “Even having practice with all the chairs down and everything. Even when we played games last year we didn’t have the bottom bowl down. So, just kinda the atmosphere and seeing everything set up is really awesome. And then having fans is just amazing. You can feel the momentum swings, it’s so nice to see the season ticket holders, having our families back, being actually able to see them after the game. So, just the environment really makes us excited for the rest of the season.”
Stanford rolled with a starting lineup of Anna Wilson, Haley Jones, Lexie Hull, Cameron Brink, and Francesca Belibi. During the first couple of minutes, Clarke was able to keep up with Stanford, trailing 6-5 with 8:23 to go in the 1st quarter after Ubl knocked down a 3-pointer. She scored the first five points for the Pride. After that, it was one-way traffic for the Cardinal, who led 19-7 with 3:58 to go in the quarter. At the end of the 1st quarter, Stanford would lead 27-11.
With 4:40 to go in the 2nd quarter, Stanford led 41-15. Jump (9 points) and Belibi (8 points) were leading the way for the Cardinal. Stanford was shooting 18-31 (58.1%) from the field. The only negative stat they had was their 1-4 shooting from the foul line.
At halftime, Stanford led 58-15. Jones was up to 10 points and 3 rebounds. The Cardinal closed the half on a 28-1 run over the final 8:17 and a 25-0 run over the last 7:16. After letting Clarke hang around a little bit in the 1st quarter, Stanford shut the door on them fast.
With 4:37 to go in the 3rd quarter, Stanford led 69-19. Jones was up to 14 points and 4 rebounds while Brink was up to 10 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 blocks, which was her final line for the game. At the end of the quarter, Stanford was up 80-27. Lacie Hull actually knocked down a 3-pointer to beat the buzzer, giving her 7 points for the game on 3-4 shooting from the field. She actually had a better game than her sister Lexie, who scored 0 points and shot 0-5 from the field. The rims for whatever reason weren’t kind to Lexie in this one.
With 6:22 to go in the game, Stanford was up 89-31. The only question at this point was whether or not the Cardinal would reach the century mark. In the end, Stanford did reach the century mark and actually eclipsed it, winning 105-35. It was a very balanced team effort for Stanford, who brings in four freshmen and a grad transfer in Jordan Hamilton.
“It’s been great,” Jones said of integrating with the new pieces on the team. “I think that the way that our coaches recruit, they know who’s gonna fit in where and we’re a bunch of different pieces that fit very nicely. I think we all play the same type of style of basketball. We like to play fast, we play selfless, we’re screening each other, we play hard for one another, and so I think that the pieces fit in so well off the court in the summertime getting to know everybody hanging out. So, that chemistry off the court just builds what we have now on the court, which has been really fun to see.”
For Stanford, this game was all about shaking off the rust, getting a feel for playing against an opponent, and then just having some fun. It has been a while since they’ve been able to play in front of fans and season ticket holders, so it felt good to put on a show for them.
“I don’t know if it’ll affect how we play,” Jones said of the impact fans will make on the season. “I think that we have a really good bench energy and we kinda get that from one another. But I think it’ll definitely affect the bigger scale of the game. Just momentum swings, things like that, able to feel it more from the energy of the crowd as well. But, we’re just so happy to have them back and have this atmosphere. So, it’s awesome.”
“I think it’s a lot of just working on the little things,” Jones said of the main points of emphasis for the game. “Little intangible things. It’s applying pressure on defense, it’s boxing out, it’s diving on the floor, just kinda doing all the little things that are gonna pay dividends in the bigger games.
“So it’s really just cleaning up little things, tweaking little things, executing our offense, moving quicker, faster pace, just kinda learning to play with one another against other people because it’s just been ourselves this whole time. So, learning where we like to be on the court with all of our new people on the team, but I think it was really fun to see everybody and the freshmen did great and Jordan did great. Just kinda all the young people really showed our depth today, which is really fun.
“I think it’s gonna be great. Tara likes to play what she calls tag-team basketball and so we’re just trying to figure out how to push ourselves for as long as we can on the floor and you know you got somebody coming in and there’s not going to be a drop off any time. So I think just now having four more people that can go that deep it’s just so much fun in practice. It makes everybody so much better.
“And then on the court it’s just gonna cause havoc for other teams who wanna compete with us. And I think getting down into the end of the season, there might be some people getting tired, there’s fatigue, so having that depth and being able to rotate us in and out is gonna keep us fresh by the end of the year.”
Freshman guard Elena Bosgana had a nice debut for the Cardinal with her 11 points. It felt good for her to get on the court, play in front of fans, and get her first taste of Stanford hoops.
“It’s so nice to play here,” Bosgana said. “I’ve never played here. So, it was a great experience and the fact that fans were there. I don’t remember playing with fans, actually. So it was a great experience. Yeah, I love my team. When I go out, I enjoy and I’m trying to do the best.”
Bosgana comes from Greece and has so far adjusted well to life in the United States. It’s not easy to adapt to a new culture and foreign country, but she’s making the best of it and soaking in the new experience. Even though Stanford is far from Greece, she knows it is the right place for her.
“Just the people, I feel the connection,” Bosgana said of why she chose Stanford. “I feel like they love me and they want to make me a better person, a better player. So, coming here, I already feel like a better player and a better person. I’ve already learned so many things. Like Tara, Kate, Britney, Katy, they’re so amazing and the teammates. The experience is so good.
“It’s a way different culture. European culture and American culture. But, I think it’s an adjustment and my teammates help me a lot. And I get homesick a lot, but that is a part of the process and I know it, so I will get through it.”
In addition to being in a new country, Bosgana also is playing for one of the greatest basketball coaches of all-time in Tara VanDerveer. Bosgana so far has enjoyed playing for VanDerveer and feels like she does a great job of coming off as a regular, down to earth person.
“I don’t know how to explain it,” Bosgana said of what it’s like playing for the winningest coach in women’s basketball history. “Tara is an idol. She’s the best and you can’t notice it. I learned so many things. I’m so amazed. When I was young, I could never see myself here. So that’s so nice. My parents, they’re so proud. They’re so proud of the team and they can’t wait to watch from abroad.”
As far as what she hopes to bring to the team, Bosgana wants to do whatever she can to help the team win. Bring versatility and an ability to do a variety of things on the court.
“I love scoring, but it’s not the only thing,” Bosgana said of what she thinks she’ll bring to the team. “I just wanna help rebounding, stealing, giving good passes to my teammates, we have great shooters, we have great post-up players. So just doing whatever the game gives me to do.”
Up next for Stanford will be their regular season home opener against Morgan State. That game will tipoff on Thursday, November 11 (Veteran’s Day) at 3:00 PM PT on Stanford Live Stream and Varsity Network radio.
Note: Stanford freshman guard Jzaniya Harriel did not play in the game. A team spokesman said there’s a possibility she plays on Thursday.