For all the excitement around this year’s UA women’s basketball team, it’s important to remember how early it is.
Still, the Wildcats and their coaches said Friday that they plan to head back to the national championship game — and win it all this time.
Senior guard Bendu Yeaney wasn’t shy with her prediction.
“Sky’s the limit,” she said. “I think we’re going to be one of the teams (that’s going) to shock the world right now again, because people don’t believe in us, again.”
UA assistant Salvo Coppa was a bit more grounded. He knows it’s only October, and that there is a long season ahead with a roster that includes six new players. Still, Coppa said he’s impressed with the team’s chemistry.
“They’re sharing the ball very well, they’re moving the ball very well,” Coppa said. “They’re taking better uncontested shots, that’s a good sign. In essence, it looks like the chemistry is there.”
But Coppa was quick to add: “This is still a work in progress. We still have a long way to go to become good defensively.”
Arizona guard Madison Conner shoots the ball over forward Aaronette Vonleh last week. UA is coming off a season in which it advanced to the national title game before losing to Stanford.
Here’s more of what we’ve learned about this year’s squad so far:
Derin Erdogan looks ready to play. The sophomore guard spent her summer with Turkey’s national team, and returned to Tucson fit. She said she lost eight pounds over the summer and looks like she has added muscle. Erdogan, a role player, said she still can’t believe the Wildcats played in the title game last spring.
“I was the luckiest one, like, how can I say my first year I saw NCAA Tournament and a championship like we lost it, but that was a great experience,” Erdogan said. “I love the fans and when we came back to Tucson and saw them in the football stadium, that was an incredible experience.”
The returnees have all stepped up their game. Sam Thomas said she is more consistent with her shooting, while Cate Reese said she has grown in her leadership ability.
Senior center Semaj Smith can’t wait for fans to see what she isn’t doing now: jumping.
In past seasons, “I used to jump a lot like defensively,” she said. “So now I’m staying on the ground floor, which is big.”
Yeaney said she is finally totally healthy after still dealing last season with a nagging Achilles injury that happened in 2019. She says she’s improved “tremendously.”
“I think my jump shot is a lot better; I’m more smooth with my pull-up jumper,” Yeaney said.
The new players fit the Wildcats’ needs. Ariyah Copeland is a grad transfer from Alabama. The 6-foot-3-inch forward is the type of grad transfer Barnes likes to bring in — a mature player who is good for the team culture, on and off the court.
“Totally the Southern girl that just brings us a really good presence. I’m not talking about basketball: I’m talking about, personality,” Barnes said. “She gets along with everybody. I call her grandma, because she’s one of the older players but just a really funny, good personality, good teammate, the players really like her so she adds a lot. Then on top of that she’s a good player, really strong insight, beautiful touch like great hands.”
Koi Love is a junior transfer from Vanderbilt. Her game is smooth as finds an angle and slides. Barnes said she is versatile, good off the dribble and a good competitor.
Taylor Chavez is a junior transfer from Oregon. She played at Valley Vista High School in Surprise.
“A local Arizona kid, which we love, brings us leadership, a tremendous shooter, smart, great teammate — all those things they all make us better,” Barnes said.
The Wildcats have three key freshmen: Estonian Anna Gret Asi, a shooting guard; Portland, Oregon, forward Aaronette Vonleh; and Gisela Sanchez, a forward from Spain.
Asi is “really crafty,” Barnes said. “Like, she doesn’t look fast, but she’s deceptive and can score in so many different ways shoots the 3, floaters, pull-up — a very good passer, very high basketball IQ.
“‘Netty,’ she’s in shape, she’s strong as an ox. In the weight room she’s brought the bar up. She’s a beast in the weight room, she is so strong, naturally gifted. She’s ready, playing with a lot of confidence.
“Gisela …she can play like the 2-3-4 for us, shoots the ball has a lot of energy is fast, up and down the court.”
