Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Senior Quartet Leads Hoyas

One would expect a team this deep in experience to set realistic goals for themselves and make it their mission to realize them.

As the Georgetown women’s basketball team heads into the 2000-2001 season, its four seniors have done just that, keeping their goals well within reach. Nathalie Bourdereau, Dani Ilic, Porshia Jones and Katie Smrcka-Duffy know that this is their team and just exactly what they are capable of: breaking the 20-win mark, finishing in the top of the Big East conference and reaching the NCAAs for the second time in school history .

“We can take over the fourth spot, but we have to capitalize on everyone. We have to win all the games we are supposed to, and win a few we’re not,” Smrcka-Duffy said.

As Smrcka-Duffy suggests, the Georgetown women’s team needs to step up and surpass the current level of expectation to make the NCAAs. Picked to tie for fifth with Virginia Tech and behind Connecticut, Rutgers, Notre Dame and Boston College, the Hoyas find themselves shoulder-deep in solid competition.

“We are a little shaky right now with help on defense. As we go along, we will get much better. We play with guys now [the Yates All-Stars, as the girls refer to them], and we will make progress,” Ilic said.

As Bourdereau sees it, success is a matter of attitude.

“We need to work on anything that is goal driven, we don’t need to focus on anything that is outside our control. We can work on screens, sets, rebounding – our part of the game. There should be no looking back this season, no regrets.”

All of the players agreed that not only do the younger players need to hone their skills in this area, but the seasoned veterans can also benefit from some improvement.

Jones emphasized the need for strong on-court communication, pointing to her own development. As a freshman, her voice was almost inaudible, which was detrimental to her role as point guard. However, with time and outside influences, she overcame her shyness. Jones credited the players who were mentors to them when they were young for giving her the necessary time to adjust.

“They gave us freedom to do things. We can mess up, you learn from things, you grow. I was ready to go back when I first got here. I had the hardest time adjusting because I had never been away from home. I learned to speak up for things, and I learned to call plays,” Jones said.

Smrcka-Duffy hopes that she can pass on what she has learned in her years as a player to the underclassmen. A two-time second team All-Big East member (1998-1999, 1999-2000) and All-America candidate (2000-2001), Smrcka-Duffy has proven herself a leader on the court.

“I am looking forward to leaving a positive impact upon those people,” she said.

Beyond the support these leaders will give to the up and coming Hoyas, the captains know that the whole team will need the support of the student body.

“Looking back to Midnight Madness, the fans were pumped up,” Jones said. “It’s weird – we are what you make us.”

Ilic agreed with Jones about Midnight Madness, which saw her defeat not only her teammate Smrcka-Duffy, but also men’s team star junior guard Kevin Braswell in the three-point contest.

Home game attendance got the four seniors riled up, especially in comparison to their male counterparts.

“We need support, and the men pack it in,” Ilic pointed out.

Pushing the ample accessibility of McDonough Gymnasium in comparison to the men’s home court at MCI Center, the seniors spoke vehemently for fan participation. In addition, this year’s schedule has the Hoyas playing some of their most crucial games at Georgetown, including seven of 10 non-conference games.

Each of the four seniors brings a different athletic element to the court, and a markedly varied background to the Georgetown campus. They are four individuals who greatly appreciate the value of teamwork, but they also are committed to making sure that they don’t let basketball completely overwhelm them.

WNBA hopeful Smrcka-Duffy passed along some wisdom about balancing life and basketball.

“It is up to the individual to balance things. All of us realize that basketball won’t be here forever … there is life after basketball,” she said.

This balance has translated into each of their post-graduations aspirations, with all four of the captains planning to remain active in basketball after graduation.

“I want to go abroad some place nice, tropical, then maybe come back and coach. Then maybe I’ll go to graduate school,” Jones said. “I don’t really know, but probably along the lines of playing, coaching, I just want to be someone special.”

Apparently unlike some of her teammates, “Nat [Bourdereau] is going to have 50 cats when she’s old,” Jones joked.

Bourdereau tried to clear things up by defining what she really wants to do. “I would greatly enjoy playing abroad for two years. Then I’ll definitely go to graduate school for psychology, and stay in the area.”

Ilic agreed with Bourdereau’s plans, and added a slight variation for herself. “I want to play abroad one to two years, and since I am in the business school I might stay here. I’ll take my options. If I get an offer, then I’ll have to decide to take the job or play ball.”

As for Smrcka-Duffy, she has her sights set firmly on making basketball into a career.

“I want to play professionally. I’ll play here in the summer, then abroad in the winter. I want to play as long as possible, until my legs fall off!”

But before the captains start worrying about life after cDonough, they are focused squarely on the task at hand – achieving their goal of 20 wins and a trip to the NCAAs. With these four dedicated leaders, the Hoyas are likely to do it.

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