Tara Manumaleuga entered last Wednesday’s game against Idaho in the second quarter, got a quick steal and blocked a shot.
A good start. Then it got better.
With a little more than two minutes left in the game, Manumaleuga checked in and hit three consecutive 3-pointers in a little more than a minute as the Wildcats cruised to a 96-42 win.
Manumaleuga considers herself a shooter, sure. But she never expected that.
“I didn’t think I was going to even get up one 3,” she said.
Manumaluega, who spent part of her Christmas Day in the gym shooting, hopes to continue her hot streak Friday, when No. 6 Arizona (7-0, 5-0 Pac-12) hosts No. 1 Stanford (7-0, 4-0 Pac-12).
The sophomore guard from Australia has been battling in practice all season. Her performance against Idaho has made it even more difficult for UA coach Adia Barnes to settle on a rotation. Barnes said she’ll try to find minutes for Manumaluega, because “I think she can really help us.”
The Star talked to Manumaluega about her shooting success, the trick shots she’s made on her home court in Australia, and what it’s like joining a team with so much talent.
What does it feel like when 3s fall so quickly?
A: “To get three in a row, I was like, ‘Damn.’ I hit my first one and I hit my second one. When I got the ball on the third one — Mara (Mote) passed it to me and I was kind of open. Then I shot it. It felt good and it went in. It was just a good feeling. All the starting five on the bench they were going crazy. Everyone was jumping up and down. Sam (Thomas) fell on the floor. … It was just a good feeling.”
Your coach said that after the game in the locker room, your teammates wanted to touch your hands. What was that like?
A: “They were funny. We did a little break after our postgame talk with the team and Aari (McDonald) is like, ‘Let me touch your hands; let me get a shooter’s touch.’ And Bendu (Yeaney) was like, ‘We’re shooting. We’re going to the gym tomorrow so you can teach me how to shoot.’ It was funny. It was cool though, I liked it.”
When the shots start falling, do you think at all? Or is it just feel?
A: “If I think too much about things like that, it won’t flow as well. I’m used to shooting — I do it in practice. It’s a natural thing for me — just let the ball go.”
What was your mindset in off the bench? How do you do it?
A: “It definitely is hard — especially (since) sometimes I don’t get in until after halftime. I get in and my throat goes dry. I don’t know, it’s just a mindset. I’ve always had it. I’m not going to go in and just slack off because every minute is going to count on the court for me. … Whenever I get the chance to get on the court, just showcasing what I can do — hopefully get more minutes in other games. … I think just because I have a shooter’s mentality. I’m always ready to shoot.”
Have you ever done anything like this before — rattling off a bunch of 3s in a game?
A: “Not obviously here in Arizona, but when I was back home with my National Team. I think it was a game against Hungary and we were down by like four points — and they were a top four team in the World Cup. I think there were four or five 3s in a row. We ended up losing that game, but it was a close game. We weren’t expecting to win that game. That’s the only time I can really think of just going in and shooting quickly with a hot hand.”
There’s a video where your sisters shoot off your balcony to the basket in your driveway. Have you ever made that shot?
A: “They were just trying to be funny. … They both missed it, but that’s fine. … Yes (I’ve made it). My brother and I actually practice trick shots. The court is lower from the deck — it’s like a different level. We end up shooting from the pool and see if we can get it in. We shoot from back in the trees, in the bush. It’s fun.”
When you came to college, you were one of the top players in your country. How hard was it to adjust to Arizona, the talent and Division I basketball?
A: “That was probably one of my main challenges I had last season was learning how to be more of a role player. Back home, I had to be the scorer in my high school teams, my club teams and national team. Obviously, college — Division I, especially in Pac-12 — it’s just a different level. I had to learn how to put different aspects into my game and just learn a different a different style of play. Ultimately, I think I’ve grown — I understand more, I make better decisions now.”
Rim shots
- Arizona was named the NCAA’s team of the week for its win over Idaho.
- With no permanent home this season, No. 1 Stanford arrived in Tucson on Sunday to prepare for Friday’s game. The Cardinal have been on the road for the past month after Santa Clara County put in an emergency stay-at-home order that doesn’t allow practice or games.
“It’s hard being on the road all the time,” Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer said.
Players say the time on the road has helped them grow as a team. Yet, they admit its hard not being home, sleeping in their own beds and playing in Maples Pavilion.
“It’s tough living out of our suitcases, but the reward is being able to play,” senior guard Kiana Williams said. “We all want to play, which means we have to be flexible given the circumstances. This is not how I imagined my senior year to look, but I am beyond thankful that we have the opportunity to practice and play.”
