Haley Jones is thought for her all-around means on the courtroom. Scoring, ballhanding, rebounding — no matter Stanford wants, she gives.
It’s why she earned Most Excellent Participant honors when the Cardinal gained the 2021 NCAA Match, and why she was named the Most Excellent Participant within the Spokane Regional on Sunday night time as Stanford booked a return journey to the Ultimate 4 with a 59-50 win over Texas.
However Jones picked up one more title in Spokane: dance trainer. And her star pupil was none aside from the winningest coach in girls’s basketball historical past.
Stanford celebrated its fifteenth Ultimate 4 look by doing the Electrical Slide on the ground of Spokane Area, with Tara VanDerveer entrance and middle.
“Tara’s leg obtained the very best it’s ever been at this time,” senior guard Lexie Hull mentioned after the sport, turning to her coach. “Hopefully you’re OK.”
Replied VanDerveer: “No muscle tissue pulled.”
VanDerveer was on the lookout for a strategy to maintain the workforce free after Friday’s 72-66 win over No. 4 seed Maryland, who outscored Stanford by 17 factors within the fourth quarter. And she or he wished to indicate she had confidence in her gamers by making ready what to do if the workforce beat Texas. So she determined to have her workforce study a dance it may carry out after Sunday’s sport.
VanDerveer already knew the Cupid Shuffle, however Jones wished to embrace the chance to show the trainer. So Jones, freshman ahead Kiki Iriafen and fifth-year guard Jordan Hamilton had a apply session with VanDerveer to educate her on the Electrical Slide.
“She was very receptive … to constructive criticism, in order that was nice to see,” Jones mentioned.
After Saturday’s movie overview session, VanDerveer had the entire workforce take part to organize for his or her massive dance quantity — contingent on a win the next night time.
VanDerveer ought to be used to dancing by now, not less than because it pertains to taking part in within the NCAA Match. This would be the Cardinal’s ninth Ultimate 4 journey in its final 14 match appearances.
Nonetheless dancing 💃💃💃#GoStanfordpic.twitter.com/J5RZPqk5Sn
— Stanford Ladies’s Basketball (@StanfordWBB) March 28, 2022
Stanford has the third-most Ultimate 4 appearances, behind solely Connecticut (21) and Tennessee (18). No. 2 Connecticut faces No. 1 N.C. State in Bridgeport, Conn., at 4 p.m. Monday for the fitting to face Stanford within the nationwide semifinals Friday in Minneapolis.
A giant purpose the Cardinal superior this time was the improved play of Jones, a junior from Santa Cruz. After recording simply 11 factors and 7 rebounds within the first two rounds mixed, Jones bounced again with an MVP effort in Spokane, posting 35 factors, 22 rebounds, 10 assists, three blocks and two steals whereas taking part in all however one minute of the 2 video games.
Jones had loads of help. Cameron Brink had 11 blocks in Spokane and overcame a scoreless and foul-plagued first half in opposition to Texas by scoring Stanford’s first 10 factors of the third quarter. Hull, taking part in in her hometown, had a team-high 19 factors in opposition to Maryland and a game-high 20 in opposition to Texas. Twin sister Lacie Hull performed the total 40 minutes at level guard in opposition to Texas’s press. And Fran Belibi confirmed she’s greater than a highlight-reel dunker by including 14 factors and 18 rebounds off the bench over the 2 Spokane video games.
The Cardinal (32-3) suffered its solely residence lack of the season to the Longhorns (29-7), whose 14-game successful streak was the second-longest within the nation behind Stanford. However regardless of 20 turnovers and 3-for-17 capturing from lengthy vary, the Cardinal gained its twenty fourth straight sport by outrebounding Texas 45-28 and counting on its depth when Brink, Lexie Hull, Belibi and beginning guard Anna Wilson all handled foul bother.
“I believe we knew it was going to be tremendous bodily, and it positively was,” Hull mentioned Sunday night time. “However I’m simply tremendous pleased with our workforce for staying with it, sticking with one another and being gritty. I believe it got here right down to who was the grittier workforce tonight and who was prepared to get on the ground and battle inside.”
VanDerveer’s pleasure at making it again to the Ultimate 4 was clear, each throughout the on-court celebration and within the press convention afterward.
“I'm completely thrilled that we’re going to the Ultimate 4,” mentioned VanDerveer, who's 1,157-258 in her profession. “I’m thrilled due to the workforce that I’m teaching. It’s loopy to say this (as a result of) you’re all the time comfortable to go to the Ultimate 4, however generally you’re actually comfortable, and I’m actually comfortable.
“We’ve talked about it however now we’re actually going. It doesn't get outdated.”