Arizona Wildcats freshmen ready to make big splash on court, in record books

Cate Reese, Semaj Smith, and Bryce Nixon sat on the floor of the Richard Jefferson Gymnasium on Thursday and laced up their brand new ankle support braces.

Nixon, a high school star transitioning to college, wasn’t quite sure how tight they should be. Without blinking an eye, Smith jumped to help her out.

Nearly 20 minutes later, after participating in ball handling drills and shooting free throws, it was Nixon’s turn for the assist. As she went to grab a water bottle in a break, she grabbed an extra one for Smith.

The new Arizona Wildcats teammates have only been in Tucson for a few days, but they already have each other’s backs. The most highly anticipated recruiting class in program history is finally together — or close. The other two signees, Shalyse Smith and Valeria Trucco, are due in town later this summer.

“It’s great to have the freshmen here,” said Adia Barnes, Arizona’s third-year coach. “It’s a new energy. They are hungry, and they are excited. It’s great to see the young players have that enthusiasm. And to see the work ethic. … I’m excited because this class has a tremendous amount of potential.”

Arizona’s incoming class is rated No. 5 in the nation, and it’s easy to see why. Reese is a five-star prospect and the first McDonald’s All-American to sign with the Wildcats. Nixon is a four-star guard from Phoenix’s Arcadia High School. Smith is a five-star player who, at 6 feet 5 inches, should bring an inside presence to the UA’s guard-heavy roster.

The three players walked into Thursday’s workout, where they were greeted by an image of Barnes on the wall. Barnes is widely considered the best player in program history; she holds many of the Wildcats’ all-time marks.

“Coach said no one has beat her records. I want to be the person to do that,” Reese said. “It is motivating me to push myself to do better. I never stop. I always keep running.”

Barnes would be just fine with that.

“That’s what I love about her. You can’t teach someone to be the way she is — ultracompetitive,” she said. “You can’t make someone hungry with that fire. You either have that or you don’t. It reminds me that I had that in college. I wasn’t the greatest player, but you weren’t going to outwork me and I think that’s what she has.

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“She wants to be great. She is not content in just being mediocre, she wants to win. She wants to be a part of what we are building. She could have gone anywhere. That says a lot about her character. Not everybody is made for that. That’s why we say these kids are made for it. They want to do it. It’s hard it’s not for everybody, but all three of them have what it takes.”

What else do these players add to the team?

“Semaj, although, she is tall and has a big body, she can run the floor well. That’s an advantage,” Barnes said. “And Cate runs the floor really well. And I think Bryce, an in-state kid, brings us another shooter. So, having the depth helps us. We’re going to be able to score better and we’re going to be able rebound better. The last couple years this has been our Achilles’ heel. These players bring a lot of that. They all bring something that we didn’t have. Not only will be more talented, but more of a cohesive unit.

“Players like Marlee (Kyles) she’s here for the summer. Not because she has to, because she wants to — she wants to get better. So all those things. When you talk about culture shifts, it’s evident — it’s happening. I’m excited to turn the page, a new year. It will be a lot better than last year.”

Donovan’s passing hits home for Barnes

Hall of Fame player and coach Anne Donovan died last week from a heart ailment. She was 56.

The 6-foot-8-inch Donovan led Old Dominion to a national championship as a freshman, going 37-1. She went on to become the first woman to coach a WNBA championship team. Barnes was a player on the 2004 Seattle Storm squad that took it all.

“I loved her,” Barnes said Thursday. “She was a player’s coach. She was an elite player who turned coach, so she really got it. She was a great person. She had a great heart.

“I loved playing for her. She brought a team that wasn’t the best and brought us to a championship and that’s very hard to do. That was one of the hardest years for me personally, one of the best years as far as winning a championship. Anne came to my house when I found out I tore my ACL. We shared a lot of moments.

“It’s tragic. What I take away is be grateful every day. Your story is written, but you don’t know it. You have to appreciate the moment, because you don’t know what tomorrow will bring. You can’t control that. And that’s a perfect example. My teammates and I are like we are going to love each other more and talk more. I think it puts things in perspective. It will definitely make us keep in touch better and share memories of her. We all had some of the greatest times in our careers with Anne Donovan. Winning a WNBA Championship is not something a lot of people do and we did it with her. I think it’s really special.”