Work hard and earn your spot.
That’s one thing that hasn’t changed when Adia Barnes thinks about who her starting five is and the order of who is coming off the bench.
This season, with only 10 available players and so many new Wildcat faces — some of whom are still learning the UA women’s basketball system — it may take a little extra beat to figure it all out. Arizona has six new active players, with Montaya Dew out for the season recovering from ACL surgery.
Barnes, who is heading into her eighth season at the helm of the Wildcats, has spent the last few weeks trying out lineups to see what works.
While Barnes said that “starters aren’t even something I’m really considering right now,” she will have to put five on the court first Wednesday at 6 p.m. when Arizona takes on West Texas A&M, the Wildcats’ first exhibition opponent of their 2023-24 schedule at McKale Center.
Arizona head coach Adia Barnes talks to her assistant coaches during a UA women’s basketball preseason. “We're teaching every day," Barnes said. "So teaching new offense, new defensive schemes."
“We’re teaching every day,” Barnes said. “So teaching new offense, new defensive schemes.
“We’re trying different combinations to get some chemistry and balance keeping people healthy with a short bench.”
This is typically the time of year when practices are more intense. Instead, Barnes has lightened them up while emphasizing more skill work. The delicate act of managing practices this season with fewer players has already started.
Still, two of the UA’s 10 expected players are a little banged up: freshman Breya Cunningham and junior transfer Courtney Blakely. The injuries are nothing major, but Barnes being Barnes — which means being super cautious — is having both sit out the exhibition game.
While Barnes is still tinkering and fans shouldn’t read anything into who starts in Wednesday’s matchup, two Wildcats who can be written down in ink: Fifth-years Helena Pueyo and Esmery Martinez.
Martinez earned a spot on the preseason Katrina McClain watch list; it was her third time up for the award overall, and second time as a Wildcat. This award is given by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame for the best power forward. This will be her second season as a Wildcat starter.
Martinez has a knack for being where the ball is going to bounce off the rim. If she isn’t in position as the ball is going up, she’s there when it comes down and has her hands on it.
Pueyo has been the steady sixth player for the Wildcats. In the past, she has said that she liked to watch the first few minutes and come off the bench knowing what her teammates needed from her. However, in Pueyo’s final season as a Wildcat, Barnes has noticed something different.
“I see her wanting to fill a bigger role this year and taking on more and inviting it,” Barnes said. “I see her extremely motivated and hungry. I feel it and I see it in her. She wants to lead us. She wants to have an impact.”
The only question that remains is what position Pueyo will start in. She can play four of five positions on the court — both guards and both forward positions. With Pueyo’s length, she has good vision and can put her teammates in position to score. And she’s a good ball handler. Last season, she led the Pac-12 in assist-to-turnover ratio with 2.6. She also shot at a 51% clip.
Pueyo also made the Pac-12’s All-Defensive team by using that length and playing the angles to average 2.3 steals per game — second best in the league — and blocking 21 shots to lead the Wildcats.
“(On offense) I like her on the ball, off the ball,” Barnes said. “When I think about her, Helena can do so many special things on the wing. And she’s going to be one of our best shooters.”
Barnes added that she’ll most likely start Pueyo at either shooting guard or most likely wing and then switch at different points in the game.
Courtney Blakely releases the ball for a shot during preseason practice at McKale Center on Oct. 3.
On guard
A lot of where Pueyo ends up has to do with the other Wildcat pieces, specifically who could start at point guard. The trio includes freshman Jada Williams, sophomore Kailyn Gilbert and Blakely.
Each one of them, as well as Pueyo, gives the Wildcats a little different look.
Williams also has good court vision. She can anticipate and read the defense well.
Gilbert has transformed in the offseason and is one of the fastest Wildcats.
Yet it looks like Blakely could have the slight edge as the more all-around player. Which, specifically for this program, means she’s a good defender.
“Courtney has been working really hard on defense – she’s been great,” Barnes said. “She’s done a really good job of pushing the ball up the floor in transition, in that ball pressure. She’s one of the few who can really push the ball full-court.
“She just really wants to get people involved. She’s unselfish. She’s a great teammate. People love to play with her. She plays hard and goes hard. I think her energy is contagious.”
Having options, especially in a year with a short bench, is a good thing for Barnes.
Both Gilbert and Williams can score, and either one of them could be slotted in at shooting guard and will be playing at point.
Not so fast. Don’t count out redshirt senior transfer Sali Kourouma and freshman Skylar Jones, who Barnes said just a few weeks ago had made a big jump. These two are pushing others at the wing and guard positions in practice every day.
Salimatou Kourouma prepares to shoot in a preseason practice.
No backing down
Turning to the posts, three are vying for that slot down low — Cunningham, sophomore Maya Nnaji and redshirt junior transfer Isis Beh.
All three have toughness.
Beh showed that in the first-round game of last spring’s NCAA Tournament, when she faced Arizona while with West Virginia. She wasn’t afraid to mix it up and was diving for 50/50 balls.
Nnaji has gotten stronger, and Barnes mentioned that she is one who has made big improvements in the offseason.
Cunningham was named to The Athletic’s top-20 freshmen list, and they said, “Cunningham is the kind of player who’s a problem.” She will own the paint.
While Barnes didn’t share any insight into this position, all bets are on Cunningham to start.
“Breya wants to be a five and so I think that’s what makes her special; unique and she loves the physical-ness inside and she’s tough,” Barnes said.
Regardless of who starts, who comes off the bench, all 10 Wildcats are in position to see plenty of playing time this season.
Listen in
Derrick Palmer is calling the exhibition game on the radio on 1290-AM, as well as The Varsity network, which can be accessed through the UA women’s basketball schedule page on the Arizona Athletics website.
Although there are still some logistics to be worked through for a few dates that overlap with UA football and UA men’s basketball, 1290-AM will be the UA women’s team’s new radio home.
According to Palmer, one of the “simplest” reasons for this move is a stronger signal.
“We have fans who still rely on the AM radio broadcast (rather than any streaming option), so they’ll have an easier time following the program,” Palmer said.
The other reason is the existing affiliation 1290 has with the university; it’s already branded “Wildcats Radio. Palmer called 1290 a “satellite station that has a sports talk format.”
“The amount of attention that they will be able to direct to the women’s team and broadcasts through their programming should shine a brighter local light on what Adia Barnes has built,” Palmer said.
Arizona Women's Basketball Press Conference - Adia Barnes | Oct. 24, 2023 (Arizona Athletics YouTube)
