Walz Skills Camp -- THURSDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

OVER 70 RISING STARS COMPETE IN SECOND WALZ SKILLS CAMP

The heavenly stars may be out over Louisville, KY skies this evening...but the girls' high school basketball version of stars were certainly on display in Cardinal Arena Wednesday afternoon at the Jeff Walz Elite Skills Camp.

A "tired" but raptly involved Coach Walz was on hand to preside over the drills, skill-tests, scrimmages and interaction of over seventy rising high school basketball players...coming in from as far as Honolulu, HI and Shiprock, NM to learn from the Cardinals' staff, players and instructors. 

All the Cards assistant and associate coaches were on hand to monitor and organize the activities...plus players Myisha Hines-Allen, Briahanna Jackson, Arica Carter, Brianna Jones, Cortnee Walton, Jessica Laemmle, Sam Fuehring (as a blonde!), Ciera Johnson, Kylee Shook, Taylor Johnson and Sydney Zambrotta...the latter using a leg scooter because a slight foot fracture.

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TOGETHER AGAIN ON THE COURT.
OH, MY !!!!A-TAYY AND GRANDMA

In addition to the Cards players and staff, UofL greats Asia Taylor and Dez Byrd were also covering the five courts in use...Taylor still with the boundless energy and dominating court-presence that we all came to love and admire during her years here. It's always great catching up with my buddy and Sonja's all-time favorite Cardinal "A-Tayy" and the girls under her instruction were gaining valuable knowledge on the skills and needs for playing in the paint. 

Byrd, still looking like she could put up a double-double in points and assists, is back in the 'Ville while also busily involved in her Byrd's Basketball Evolution organization. I highly recommend that you check out their activities at:



http://byrdsbasketballevolution.webs.com/


I also got a few minutes of "air-time" with Dez that we'll play on our Saturday radio show...THE CARDINAL COUPLE RADIO HOUR. You won't want to miss these four minutes of classic, fun and inspirational "Dez"!  

Ah...yes...the players. I knew we were needing to discuss something else in this article...

Headlined by top ranked 2019 prospect Zoe Evans, top ranked 2020 prospect Sarah Andrews, 2017 powerhouse Lindsey Duvall, rising Chattanooga junior Elizabeth Balogun and many other top-flight players from the 2017-2021 classes...there was plenty of great basketball on display for the spectators. 

Upon arrival, I spent my first moments observing the post players. Steph Norman led them through ball-handling, positioning, one and two handed passing, shooting and driving skills. Over the next four hours, I watched a variety of drills, scrimmages, question and answer sessions and instructions with these eager and hard-working campers. 

A recruiting service or professional evaluator of high school girls basketball talent...I am not. I will share with you, though, my observations on some players who did catch my attention.


-- Zoe Young. 5'10". Urbandale, IA. 2019. It's easy to see why she's one of the top-ranked in her class. She moves effortlessly up and down the court, shooting with accuracy and getting her teammates involved. She's got an incredibly quick first step that was fun to watch and she's not afraid to mix it up inside, either. It's hard to believe she's just a rising sophomore with her skill set. 

-- Sarah Andrews. 5'8" Irving, TX. 2020. Andrews drives well to the basket and finishes very effectively. A ball-hawking defender, she creates her share of steals and can usually finish them off with a layup. She's not afraid to take the rock down the lane and can score with either hand. I didn't see a lot of outside shooting from her..but her mid-range game is very solid for just a freshman.   

-- Lindsey Duvall. 5'8" Mt.Washington, KY. 2017.  Scouts have raved about her ability to bury the mid-range jumper, attack the basket and distribute the ball very effectively and all that was on display on Wednesday. She worked well with the "bigs" she was teamed up with (Diamond Forrest, Grace Berger) and her and Zoe Young working together on the same team was a delight to watch. 

-- Elizabeth Balogun. 6'3" Chattanooga, TN 2018. She showed some very strong and polished inside moves and is a dangerous shot-blocker. Can score easily inside or from mid-range and runs the court very well...finishing effectively on fast breaks. A veteran observer and I agreed she looks like a young Asia Taylor with her multiple skills and court domination. 

-- Tatyana Wyatt. 6'2" Columbus, GA 2017. This smooth-as-silk forward is an all-over-the-court player who can beat the defense inside with deceptive moves or post a foe up from outside and punish them all day. Wyatt understands the flow of the game very well and is very capable of making big defensive stops. Watching her and Jorie Allen ( 6'1" - Bedford, IN 2019) go against each other in one of the scrimmages was an exciting and well matched duel of skilled players pushing each other to play their best. Allen has the court sense and scoring ability to become a great one and is just a sophomore...look for her to be one of the best in the Hoosier state by her senior year. She goes to the boards with aggression and has a soft, inside touch. 

Diminutive Dakota McCaughhan. 5'2" Secane. PA 2020 was a pleasant surprise to watch at point guard. Torching the competition with her three, she also drives the ball down the court at a ferocious pace with accuracy and confidence. A very skilled defender...this "attack Yorkie" won my heart over with her fearless play and more-than-held her own with players easily six or more inches taller than her. 

Others I made notes on...Jordan Brock 5'8" Harlan, KY. 2017 passes the ball well and had great up and down the court quickness. Can knocked the lights out of it from three range if left unguarded. Kayla Kirtley 6'2" Arcadia, IN 2018 has a very nice outside jumper for her height and position...could be a definite wing threat for someone down the road. Ajah Stallings 5'9" Indianapolis 2018 has a nice outside touch and drives to the basket well...give her a step and you're not gonna contain her. Meghan Walz 5'9" Fort Thomas, KY 2018 is Jeff Walz's niece and has a nice overall game...steady on defense and displaying a nice shooting touch. 

My two candidates for Worldwide's ALL-NAME team were Treasure Hunt (5'11" Chattanooga, TN 2020) and Diamond Forrest ( 6'4" Smyrna, TN 2017). 

Obviously, there are merits, accolades and appreciation for any and all who attend a prestigious skills camp like this one has become and I didn't get a chance to watch any set of players or teams too long...since I was trying to get an overall feel for the camp and maneuvering around the five courts. Congratulations to all the girls who put out great effort Wednesday! 

All of you were a pleasure to watch with your skills, hard work, spirit and competitive nature. As I mentioned to Louisville director of women's basketball operations Kate Matthews...it makes me want this 2016-17 basketball season to start...tomorrow! 

paulie
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Who would make your all-time Louisville WBB team? -- Sunday Cardinal Couple

SUNDAY CARDINAL COUPLE - ALL-TIME LOUISVILLE WBB SQUAD? 

Sam Draut, our CARDINAL COUPLE intern and a basketball enthusiast, proposed the question yesterday before our Saturday radio show.

"Who would be on your all-time Louisville women's basketball team?" 

It is a question of considerable merit and it's not as easy to decide on as you might originally think. Years ago, on the site...we came up with one. It was before Shoni and Asia Taylor.  

Shoni and Angel are two obvious picks. It's after that where the choices are difficult. 

If you go by career points...Neil Knox (1989-93), Jazz Covington (2003-07) and Kristin Maddox (1992-1996) would be the next three in line. 

Looking at selecting this team by positions...who is your point guard, center and power forward? We'll give Angel the wing and Shoni the "2" guard. Sara Nord and Dez Byrd were two excellent point guards. Jazz Covington and Sharon Bellamy excellent posts. Candyce Bingham and Monique Reid excellent "4's". 

Lori Nero, Gwen Doyle, Valerie Owens, Jackie Spencer, Asia Taylor, Nita Slaughter and Becky Burke all deserve consideration. How about Marilyn Reckelhoff, Jill Morton and Janet McNew? Do you have room for Jude? 

Sam proposes that you name a starting five and then three to come off the bench. Eight players in all. 

I'm going to have to give this eight-player roster some thought. After Shoni, Angel and Jazz Covington...the picking gets tough.

What do you think? Let us know by e-mail or in the comments section. We'll also run a poll over on the right side of the site. We'll narrow it down to 16 choices...but one will be "other". Give us your eight.

PAULIE
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MONDAY CARDINAL COUPLE


-Where are they now? Watson looks at the UofL Womens' Basketball runner up team from 2009.


( David takes on the task of tracking down the players on the 2009 National Runner-Up UofL women's basketball team. As far as we know, no laws were broken or animals injured in his attempts..)

I was rummaging the other day. You do that from time to time when you reach my age. This search was for a box of drill bits that I remember purchasing a few years ago at a yard sale and had "stored" somewhere. The search led from my garage to my basement. While looking, I came across a DVD marked UL v.Okla Final Four 2009.


Yes, I recorded that game. Any accounts of it  or rebroadcast are expressly forbidden by -- whatever. Come get me, officer. Put the cuffs on me. Louisville won the game. 


You probably knew that.


What it did was get me thinking about the players on that Louisville team. Later that night I started thinking about where they were these days. 


I thought it might make a good column for my Monday writings. I called Paul and asked if he had pictures somewhere of those players and he said he'd be glad to add them to my article.


So, where are they now? Some of these are chip shots, gimmies -- easy to track. Some weren't so easy. Some I had to ask Paul about. 


-- Angel McCoughtry

OK, this is an easy one for 99% of you. She's currently in Washington, practicing and preparing to play in the Summer Olympics for the United States women's basketball team. She's in the WNBA, playing for Atlanta. She's pretty good, huh?


To the 1%...Welcome out of your coma. Barack Obama's our president and they took House off the air. West Virginia's in the BIG 12 and Pittsburgh headed to the ACC. Traitors.  


-- Candyce Bingham

Candyce is now the head women's basketball coach at (Louisville) Fern Creek High School. She started there last year after spending a few years playing international basketball and working assorted jobs at UofL. It's rumored she still works out with some of the former and current UofL players. 


I wonder if she's still got that power move to the hoop that always seemed to produce a basket or a trip to the line? And if she's teaching it to any of her players. 


-- Deseree Byrd


Dez's whereabouts were a mystery to me, so I asked Paul about her. He told me that he had asked Coach Walz about her a few weeks back and that Dez was doing well and working. Coach talks to her from time to time. 

She was one that I figured might have had a good shot at overseas or professional ball if she hadn't got injured.


Paul told me a story about her. The women's basketball team had made an impromptu visit to the Parrish House during a Saturday afternoon of football tailgaiting. There were troops there from Fort Knox visiting as well. Dez challenged one of them to a push-up contest and won. The winner got a cold bottle of water from Paul. 


Monty Hall he isn't.


-- Keisha Hines

You'll probably remember that Keisha came on strong at center for the team near the end of the year, inspired by her sick grandmother. I never heard how the grandma turned out but I hope she, and Keisha are OK. Keisha returned the next year and played in the post for two more seasons at UofL. She's graduated and working. 


I asked Paul if he knew anymore about her. He said he thought either he or Sonja were friends with her on Facebook. Maybe she'll read this and catch us up with her. 


-- Gwen Rucker

When Keisha wasn't in the paint, Gwen usually was. She was a freshman on that team and played one more season while also playing volleyball for UofL. She's a red-shirt senior on the UofL Volleyball team now and was competing for a spot on the A2 National Red team earlier this month.


Who could ever forget "the staredown" with Kia Vaughn? 


Here's hoping she's 100% healed from the injury that had her sidelined for part of the 2011 season and she can help lead the Volleyball Cards to BIG EAST supremacy again.


-- Brandie Radde

Brandie played part of that season before taking some time off to concentrate on academics. Not that she was doing poorly, she was focused on getting into medical school. She did return for the last part of the following season when the depth roster on the team dropped to dangerous levels. 


She now part of the labratory personnel in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of Louisville. 

I'm guessing the academic thing turned out pretty well for her. She looks pretty happy (she's the one on the right) in the picture Paul found of her. 


-- Laura Terry

The last I heard about Laura was that she was a Spring 2012 graduate from UofL and had been a student assistant on the basketball team the last couple of years. She's probably taking a little time to enjoy her graduation. CARDINAL COUPLE reader Mike D. says she going to join up with Michelle Clark-Heard's staff at WKU.


I'm glad she's staying in basketball. I don't know if she reads CARDINAL COUPLE or not, but it'd be great to get an update from her from time-to-time.


She was a tough-as-nails post player that had some bad breaks with her knees. She also had a pretty good three, if I remember right. 


-- Monique Reid

Sonja did a pretty good write-up on her in the Sunday edition of Cardinal Couple. In case you missed it, she'll be a red-shirt senior on the 2012-13 team and will hopefully be fully recovered from the knee injury that kept her out of most of the 2011-12 season.


Who else thinks that if Mo and Tia would have been available last year that the Cards would have reached another Final Four? 


-- Janae Howard

She played for NAIA St. Catherine last season after leaving Louisville after her freshman year and transferring to Western Kentucky. A good spot-up three point shooter, I'll always wonder how her career would have turned out if she had stayed at Louisville. She's got one season remaining for St. Catherine College. I hope she scores a lot. 


-- Tiera Stephen

Another reserve that transferred after her freshman year, Stephen went to Wisconsin and joined the basketball team there. A reserve guard for the Badgers, she'll be a senior for them this fall. 


With the rash of guard injuries that UofL had in the 2009-10 season, I wonder if she would have seen considerable time for Louisville? 


-- Mary Jackson

Left Louisville after her freshman year and went back to Memphis, where she played her high school ball. She was a member of the Tigers basketball team before leaving to play for NAIA Lee University last year. 


I couldn't determine whether she still has another year of eligibility left or not. 


Lee University is in Cleveland, TN.


-- Becky Burke

I saved my favorite player for last. Becky completed her senior season in the spring and also graduated. She's on her way to play over in Poland in the Euro-Leagues this summer.


She also played for the US Women's All-Stars during their recent tour of China. Is she the best "three" shooter in Cardinal history? I know Paul will argue for Kristin Mattox. He's been in love with her since the early nineties. Give me "Big Shot" Becky on the square-up and release anyday. 


I hope this helps get you caught up on the girls that were part of that special season in Louisville women's basketball history. Thanks to Paul for adding the pictures. 

I'm going to have to take some time in the near future and watch that DVD again. I remember it was an exciting game. I think Candyce hit a free throw to put UofL up 61-59 with a few seconds left and Oklahoma missed a three at the buzzer that could have won it for them. Take that, Courtney Paris. 


( Editor's note : We have attached the promo clip for this game. )


Courtney guarantees title shot for OU 


Guaranteeing a victory is risky business. I know. It was me who bravely predicted that I'd beat my son in bean bag toss at a 4th of July picnic. I have grass-cutting duties for the rest of July because of that inept wager. I'm glad it's been dry lately. 


Maybe I'll do a report like this in 3-4 years on where the ladies are now that were part of the 2012-13 Louisville Cardinals NCAA Women's Basketball Championship team are. If you dream it, you can achieve it. Who else besides me would love to go to New Orleans next spring and watch Louisville's ladies in another Final Four? 


I still haven't found the drill bits yet. 


( Thanks for all the hard work on today's column, David. And the phone calls. I wasn't really trying to take a Sunday afternoon nap all that seriously. The phone kept waking me up.) 
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WE look back....BIG EAST WBB prepares for Christmas Break

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THURSDAY CARDINAL COUPLE:

-We look back...Lady Cards vs. Vermont

-BIG EAST review

-HAPPY FESTIVUS!!

(With the Lady Cards off for a week, WE take this opportunity to look back at the past Lady Cards seasons...hop in the time machine with us and travel back to December 21st., 2008. WE set the dial for Freedom Hall...)

The Lady Cards were 9-1 going into the game against Vermont and ready for their Christmas break. Maybe a little too ready, as Dez Byrd mentioned after the game...

"Some of us had our bags packed in the locker room."

The foe was the Vermont Catamounts (5-4) and a festive holiday crowd of over 5,000 had showed up at Freedom Hall (remember, this is 2008) to watch the Lady Cards play and probably romp the America East conference foe. After all, it was Vermont...right?

"It was a lack of focus. I thought we were going too fast. We were more anxious than they were." senior Candyce Bingham commented after the game...a contest Louisville eventually ended up winning 67-55.

Byrd and Bingham led the Cards to the 12 point win, surviving an off night by Louisville star Angel McCoughtry..who totaled just 12 points and played only 24 minutes...saddled with foul trouble.

Second year Lady Cards coach Jeff Walz took the high road when discussing the game after the win.

"It's very encouraging. Dez, for the progress she's made from our exhibition game to now is remarkable. I'd put her up there with anybody in our league at point guard. She's still got some things to learn...but for a kid who's never played the point...I'm really pleased with how far she's come."

Louisville took the early lead against Vermont and held on to it, despite sloppy play and McCoughtry only getting two points in 13 minutes. It was 27-18 and the Lady Cards were beginning to realize that the Catamounts weren't going gently into that good night.

The Catamounts made an early second half charge at Louisville, using a second half run of 9-4 to cut the Cardinal advantage to 31-27 with 16:38 left
in the game. The Cards knew they had to pick the defense up and responded with a 12-1 run over the next four minutes to lead 43-28 with 12:36 remaining. The previously quiet McCoughtry was aiding Bingham and Byrd and Louisville's lead never dropped below ten points the rest of the way.

Louisville forced Vermont into 32 turnovers while committing 22 miscues. Byrd led Louisville with a game high 15 points and Candyce added 14. A freshman from Fern Creek High School added nine points for Louisville in 19 minutes - Monique Reid. McCoughtry had 10 second half points and was non-commital after the game.

"Shots weren't falling, I was pressing too hard, it wasn't a great game for me but we won and that's the objective."

Do you remember the Cardinal roster from back then? Reid and Becky Burke were on the team and are seniors this year. So was Gwen Rucker, who traded in her hoops jersey eventually to play volleyball. We've mentioned Byrd, Bingham and McCoughtry...here are the other players...

Keisha Hines was a sophomore center...seeing extended playing time due to the injury to Chauntise Wright.

Sharpshooting junior Brandie Radde was still on the squad...she would leave the team later in the season to concentrate on academics...but return midway through the next season to help out the roster depleted Lady Cards.

Janae Howard was a freshman on the squad. She left Louisville after her freshman year and embarked on a journey that would take her to Western Kentucky and eventually to St. Catherine College, where she currently plays.

Mary Jackson...a talented wing from Memphis...would also depart after that Final Four year and return to Memphis to play for the Tigers. She was on the roster last season and a some-time starter...but we've found no mention of her at Memphis in the 2011-12 season. A little help here, CARDINAL COUPLE readers?

Tiera Stephen was a freshman guard for Jeff Walz on the 2008-09 squad. She, too, transferred at the end of the year and is at Wisconsin...playing for the Badgers.

Angel McCoughtry...well whatever happened to her? Rumors are she's some kind of big-shot in the WNBA. (Ask anyone in Atlanta...).

Candyce Bingham was also drafted that year but failed to make the San Antonio squad. She's the head women's basketball coach at Fern Creek High School now. In her first year, her Tigers are currently 2-4. (Wonder if Mo Reid hobbles over there to coach from the bleachers...?)

Dez Byrd was injured in the NCAA Tournament that season, attempted a comeback after hip surgery, but left the Cardinal roster in the 2009-10 season. She's another one we've lost track of. Once again, help us out here CARDINAL COUPLE readers...if you have an update on her.

That 2008-09 squad would go on to win their next nine games before losing a BIG EAST match against #1 UConn. They'd finish 14-2 in the BIG EAST, losing only to West Virginia before entering BIG EAST play. UConn would defeat them in the BIG EAST TOURNAMENT finals and also in the NCAA Tournament National Championship game. They finished 34-5 and were ranked #2 in the nation in the final polls.

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Catching up on a little BIG EAST action...

From Wednesday:

PITT handled Michigan State 64-54 in Cancun
MARQUETTE downed Vermont 71-60 in Milwaukee
SETON HALL defends the home court by defeating William and Mary 71-60.
GEORGETOWN spanks visiting Miami (FL) 71-46.
CONNECTICUT visits and rolls past College of Charleston 72-24

Tonight

PROVIDENCE hosts Clemson
ST. JOHN travels to Harvard
VILLANOVA and Temple battle for Philadelphia supremacy
CINCINNATI welcomes Longwood
DEPAUL gets a visit from Southern Illinois.

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Serenity NOW!!!

HAPPY FESTIVUS! to Cardinal Couple Readers! Is your aluminum pole in the front yard? Are you ready to air your grievances around the table at the Festivus Dinner of meat loaf or spaghetti? Who will participate in the Feats of Strength after dinner? Will there be a Festivus miracle this year?

I hope you've been good this year, because Constanza is watching...
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Fall tennis looks promising

TUESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE BRINGS YOU :

-EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH WOMEN'S TENNIS COACH MARK BECKHAM...PART OF OUR EFFORT TO GIVE YOU COVERAGE OF ALL THE WOMEN'S SPORTS AT UofL...

-Also...update on Dez Byrd


Mark Beckham, the Cards women's tennis coach enters his fourth year guiding the squad. No novice to tennis on the Belknap Campus...he was previously assistant coach on the men's team for 13 years before accepting the women's position. His vision and master plan ranks up there with the best on campus. The Cards home matches are played at the Bass-Rudd Center (pictured above) which has both indoor and outdoor courts.

Women's tennis actually plays in both the fall and spring sports seasons and Mark gave us some insights and information on the who, what and where for them this fall.

CARDINAL COUPLE: When does the fall season begin?

MARK: We start off our fall tournaments with the Spartan Invitational at Michigan State from Sept. 24th. to Sept. 27th. This will be a good test to start things off for this young team. The competition there will be good but if we play well I think we can make it to the finals or even win some of the events in this tournament.

CARDINAL COUPLE: After that?

MARK: The next tournament we'll go to is the Virginia Tech Invitational and it goes from Oct. 1st. thru 3rd. The competition will be higher at this tournament...so this will show us where we truly are at this time of year. I hope it will also show us what we need to work on and what kind of team we can be.

CARDINAL COUPLE: The ITA Regional in Knoxville is a big one also, isn't it?

MARK: It's the biggest tournament of the fall and goes from Oct. 14th thru the 17th. All the teams in our region will send their best players there to determine who the best player in the region is.

CARDINAL COUPLE: The Cards had some success in this one last year...didn't they?

MARK: We had Mandy Brown, a freshman, make it to the round of 16...which is a great showing for a freshman. I'm hoping we can have her and a few more players that do well for an even bigger showing than last year. It will help with our national rankings and I think I can possibly get a player or doubles team ranked nationally this year. That's definitely our goal.

CARDINAL COUPLE: How does the team look for this year?

MARK: I have 3 juniors,(Gabrielle Duncan, Amelia Harris and Sarah Miller), 4 sophomores ( Mandy Brown, Kaysara Mandry, Louise Noe and Stefanie Villajuan) and 3 freshmen (Sonia Bukhari, Julie Fellerhoff and Becca Shine). I think this is a good core that will take Louisville womens' tennis into the national rankings and challenge for a Big East title for this year and many years down the road.

Thanks to Mark for the positive and informative report on the squad and for taking time out of his busy schedule to keep CARDINAL COUPLE readers up on one of the sports we report on here at the site. Serve 'em hard, inside the line and charge that net!

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CARDINAL COUPLE has learned that junior point guard Dez Byrd will not play for the University of Louisville in the 2010-11 season. Byrd has left school for personal reasons, according to Louisville head coach Jeff Walz.

Byrd never fully recovered from the knee injury she sustained back in 2009 and played in only six games in the 2009-10 season for Louisville. A talented point guard and good playmaker, Byrd's presence would have helped the Cards in the back court this season with her experience and enthusiasm. Byrd was a starter on the 2008-09 team that made it to the NCAA Women's Championship game. Her leadership and support from the bench last year will be missed.

Get it together, Dez and come back next year strong and ready to handle the challenges and responsibilities that college athletes face in this demanding role of being a student-athlete.

Byrd ready to fly again for Lady Cards?

THURSDAY'S CARDINAL COUPLE


-Will Dez Byrd fly high for UofL this season?

-Cardinal soccer ready to take to the grass

-Fern Creek in the Babe Ruth Girls 16U World Series

-Lady Kats lose two.



She was the point guard on the 2009 Final Four team and the emotional and vocal leader of the group that went to St. Louis. She also possesses a good mid range jumper and can take it to the hoop. The question on many UofL womens' basketball fans minds, though...is whether she has recovered from the leg injury that sidelined her after only 6 games in the 2009-2010 season.

If healthy and ready to go, Dez Byrd gives Jeff Walz's basketball team an experienced and determined leader at point guard. A player not afraid of mixing it up on the court or making the difficult pass. Byrd made the difficult choice a couple of years ago to switch from shooting guard to the point because of the needs of the team. It paid huge dividends for her and the Lady Cards in that magical 2008-2009 season. Byrd presented a major problem to opponents who faced the Cards...leave her alone and she'd take it to the hoop or pop the mid-range jumper. Concentrate on stopping her and she'd find McCoughtry, Bingham or Hines for an easy two. Who knows how close the Cards would have gotten to beating UConn in the final game of the tournament with a fully healthy Byrd directing from the point?

Fast forward to the 2009-2010 season. Byrd, still hobbled by the injury, appears in only six games for the Cards before going out on a medical redshirt. She averaged 8 points a game but it was very noticeable that she hadn't fully recovered from the off season surgery and rehab. Without her at the point, Louisville dropped to a 14-18 record and despite her encouragement and participation from the bench...could never really establish a productive or efficient point guard.

Byrd has finely developed skills and could be the catalyst and floor leader for this flock of Cardinal this year provided she's healed and in shape. We'll know soon enough and here's hoping that she makes it back to the hardwood and picks up where she left off.

PROGNOSIS: Dez Byrd is a floor leader, something that the Lady Cards lacked last year after she went out with the injury. She'll be a great point guard and contribute with scoring, passing and defense if she's ready to go. Some cause for worry that we haven't heard too much about her in the voluntary summer workouts on campus...but we're predicting that if she has recovered from her injury, she'll nail down the starting point guard slot.


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Fern Creek's 16U Girls softball team was eliminated from the Babe Ruth 16U World Series last night by Luzerne County 5-1. The Creekers won their first game of the evening by romping Lodi 12-4 but couldn't find the bats in the nightcap against the Chaos.

Luzerne County scored four runs in the bottom of the sixth to break open a 1-1 tie. Sarah Bertoni pitched a 4 hit complete game for the Chaos...striking out seven. They move on to the finals, where they will have to beat Henderson, NC twice to take the title. Luzerne County made the finals in last year's tournament also.

Still, a good effort by the Fern Creekers, a squad made up of local high school softballers from the Jefferson County area. Tim McGinty did a great job of getting this prime time squad together and now...a few days rest for the sluggers before returning to school.

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UK point guard Amber Smith could be done for the upcoming season after tearing her left ACL during a pickup game. The senior started all 36 games for UK last year, averaging 9.2 points and dishing out 4.4 assists.

Anna Cole, a 6'7" sophomore center has decided to transfer, citing a desire to play at a school closer to her hometown of Mondovi, WI. Cole, hampered by stress fractures in her right foot, played in only nine games for UK last year, averaging 1 point a game.

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Big things coming up for UofL women's soccer this weekend. Friday brings the Kickoff Dinner at the Hyatt Regency hotel, with guest speaker Brandi Chastain. Chastain was an Olympic goal medalist and was also on the 1999 World Cup team. Tickets are $35 for adults and $25 for the kids and can be purchased by calling (502)852-0101. Chastain will sign autographs, there will be a silent auction and attendees will get to play soccer in the hallways and grand ballroom of the Hyatt (just kidding on the last one.)

Chastain may be best remembered for ripping off her jersey and running around the field in just her sports bra after a U.S. victory in the 1999 World Cup. A repeat of the controversy this Friday night isn't likely...but it would no doubt increase attendance. Don't try this at schools, kids.

On Saturday, the Cards host Tennessee in an exhibition game at Cardinal Park. Admission is free and there will be a clinic (also free) from 5-6 p.m. game time is 7 p.m.

We've posted up articles about the men's soccer team over at UofL Card Game and Cardinal Dominance. The guys are ranked as high as 20th in the nation and picked to finish second in the BIG EAST. Check them out at http://www.cardinaldominance.ning.com/ or http://www.uolfcardgame.com/

What lies ahead for the Lady Cards?

Free Panera? See the bottom of today's column..

A bitter ending to the 2009-10 season with a loss to Bradley in the WBI first round in Freedom Hall. A game where it looked like Jeff Walz's players were just going thru the motions. A season that saw injury upon injury pile up on a young team until you had to wonder sometimes if they'd be able to dress enough players to have a substitution. Lopsided losses to Kentucky, Tennessee, Rutgers, UConn and even Middle Tennessee. It was far from the magical run that the squad had in 2008-2009. It was frustrating and difficult to watch from the stands at times.

Hope springs eternal, though. A new season ahead, with new players...healthy returning players and a new focus and attitude on campus. A desire to erase the bad memories of the previous year and return to the national rankings, top of the conference leader board and respect from their opponents.

"It was just a colossal comedy of errors and bad luck last year. Dez going down, Tise not eligible, the other injuries. We tried but we knew going into a lot of our games that it would take a miracle to win...or even stay within 10 points of our opponent. I never quit, not once, but there sure were times when I got frustrated and down on myself. I felt bad for our fans, too. They hung in there even though we weren't doing very good. They deserve better. They're gonna get it this year."

The words above, from a UofL player whose name will be kept confidential, speak volumes. There will be 15 players, at last count, that will be competing for 5 starting positions and key roles off the bench for the Lady Cards this year. Most of them have been hard at work in the spring and summer months...running, conditioning, playing pickup games and bonding.

It is a close team, to the casual observers eye...They hang together, the freshmen are meshing with the returning players and the focus is on improvement. There are only 4 of them left on the roster that were a part of the trip to St. Louis for the Final Four in 2009. There are leaders, though....and there is talent.

The adherence to coach Jeff Walz's style of basketball will be a key factor on gaining court time on the KFC YUM! floor for the upcoming season. You know coach Walz...defense is a priority, transition game a prime option, 100% when you're on the court and no loose ball goes uncontested. Who will show these traits?

We'll look for (5) key things in the upcoming months:

1) The return of Dez Byrd. She was the on court leader, the voice and the motivator for the Cards last season until injuries forced her to the sidelines. Will she be ready to go this year? There will be competition. Charmaine Tay, Rachel Story, Shelby Harper and Shoni Schimmel will not stand by quietly and this should be a great battle to watch for the point guard position.

2) Will the Cards "go to Mo"? Monique Reid was the leading scorer for Louisville last season. At times, it seemed she was the only offense the Cards could muster. The wing from Fern Creek will need to be more of an overall player for the Cards to improve, though...and incoming freshman Antonita Slaughter has skills that will make her a contender at the spot.

3) Where's the beef? Keisha Hines and Asia Taylor are the only returning front line players from last year. They'll draw competition from Sherrone Vails, Shawnta Dyer and Polly Harrington. Reports on Taylor this summer indicate that she's almost completely over the injuries that hindered her last year and that she's dominating the competition in pickup games in the SAC and Cardinal Arena.

4) The three point threat. Becky Burke can be automatic at times from beyond the arc. Then, there are those occasions when she suffers from a power outage. Sharp shooters LaToya Johnson, Tia Gibbs, Nikki Burton and Shoni Schimmel will challenge for playing time and will need to show expert marksmanship from beyond the arc for the Cards chances of pulling opponents out of pack in zone defenses.

5) Strength in numbers. It looks to be a far cry from the six or seven players Walz had available last year. 15 girls, depth at every position. Who will win the battles? I'm no expert, but I would be too disappointed with a starting line-up against Tennessee of:

PG-Dez Byrd
SG-Becky Burke
C-Keisha Hines
SF-Monique Reid
PF-Asia Taylor

OK, girls...I've thrown it out there. Prove me right or wrong.

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