Arizona's fine-tuned play 'can beat anybody' — when everyone does their part
COLLEGE PARK, Md. — Arizona women’s basketball is like a fine-tuned orchestra.
They are zipping passes around the perimeter, then into the post, then back out. They are setting up one of their many scorers — a Jade Loville, a Madi Conner, a Kailyn Gilbert or even a Lauren Fields — for that great knockdown shot.
On the other end of the court, they are down in position, arms up and not giving their opponent space. Sometimes they trap their opponent, eliminating the passing lanes. Other times they are reading so well, they snag the ball and then it’s off to the races — whether it’s Shaina Pellington, Esmery Martinez or Helena Pueyo. Other times it’s a deflection, a block or a perfectly timed rebound from Martinez, Cate Reese, Paris Clark or Maya Nnaji.
“I’ve seen the team that can beat anybody in the country,” said Arizona coach Adia Barnes, whose squad faces West Virginia in the NCAA Tournament on Friday.
Yet the Wildcats have not followed the right chords every time out this year. They are inconsistent.
Some of that is just the ups and downs of a typical season. But even the best of Barnes’ teams have had rocky moments. The 2019 WNIT champions lost to LMU in non-conference play, went on an 11-game winning streak, then lost the last four games of the regular season. The 2020 team was on the verge of doing something special — taking the Wildcats back to the NCAAs after more than a decade drought — before COVID-19 shut down the world. That might have been the best squad Barnes has coached, yet they stumbled at UCLA in January and followed that with two more winnable games at McKale Center that they just couldn’t close out. This was the team that beat No. 4 Stanford ... then lost to Cal a few days later.
The 2021 team that played for a national championship lost to Washington State and ASU, then to UCLA in the Pac-12 Tournament. Every time, there was one quarter where the Wildcats couldn’t buy a basket and didn’t play stellar defense. Then, in March, they just put it all together and went on a roll.
When things work, it’s a thing of beauty.
Point guard is where it’s at
It all starts with one of the most important roles on the court: point guard. That’s fifth-year senior Pellington, who earned a share of the Pac-12’s Most Improved Player award, All-Pac-12 and All-Pac-12 Defensive Team honors — all for the first time in her UA career.
Pellington has indeed taken her skills to the next level. Her stat line looks like this: 13.3 points, 3.7 assists per game, 83 rebounds and 52 steals. Last year, she averaged 11.3 points, dished 2.4 assists and had 68 rebounds and 40 steals.
Last season, Pellington had buzzer-beating, game-winning shots against Vanderbilt and Oregon State. This year’s version is still having plenty of exciting moments but is getting her teammates involved more, reading the defense better and waiting to take the right shot at the right time.
“Shaina is a real talent,” former UA coach and current Pac-12 analyst Joan Bonvicini said. “She’s extraordinarily quick to get to the hole. To talk about it and to scout it is one thing. To see it in action, up close, is a whole different thing. I think the game has calmed down for her ... slowed down. I think she’s playing with a lot more confidence."
When Pellington is in her element, for the most part, the Wildcats thrive — whether she is scoring like she did in the win against Utah (35 points without missing an attempt until the beginning of the third quarter) or dishing assists like she did against Baylor (season-high eight).
In Arizona’s final three games — all losses — Pellington had a total of 27 points and made just 10 of 27 shots.
Collective X-factor
Another key component is the bench. On many other teams, senior Pueyo would be starting. Instead, she is one of the best sixth players in the Pac-12 and the nation.
She is this year’s stat-stuffer. She is very selective when she shoots and is the most consistent Wildcat. At one point in the season, she led the league in assists. She dished six in the first big comeback win over Oregon State.
Pueyo finished second in the Pac-12 in steals, just one of the reasons she was on the league All-Defensive Team. She has 70 and is averaging 2.3 per game. Wheeler said Pueyo is the Wildcats’ X-factor.
“Helena is outstanding,” said UA Ring of Honor member Dee-Dee Wheeler. “Her fundamentals are excellent. She rebounds. She plays defense, and we all know she’s a great shooter.
“A lot of teams are going to focus on those girls that they consider the most athletic. She is (athletic), but because she brings a European style of play, they’re going to count her out. She’s somebody definitely who gives us the extra effort, that spark, and she’s going to be very consistent in what the (Wildcats) need.”
Another spark off the bench for the Wildcats is Conner, who has taken on more in learning the forward position this season. This has meant going up against much bigger players like OSU freshman Raegan Beers. Conner didn’t flinch on defense, even though she gave up at least five inches, and came away sporting a huge bruise on her forearm a week later.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona 'can beat anybody' when everyone does their part
