On Women's Basketball

The case for Lacey Simpson

Posted by: Tony Bleill

Tuesday, January 20, 2009 5:34 PM

What I'm about to propose, I realize, is a bit out of the ordinary. Some -- especially those with a higher basketball IQ than possessed by a lowly sportswriter -- will dismiss it out of hand, and that's fair enough. This is not to suggest I have the answer to Illinois' point guard woes, only an intriguing solution for the 2009-10 season:

How about Lacey Simpson?

To start, let's allow two pieces into evidence, as stipulated by all concerned:

1) The Illini are likely to enter 2009-10 with a major question mark at the point guard position, based on the inconsistent play from its young backcourt so far this season.

2) There is no true point guard in the Super Six recruiting class that will enter the UI next August. It is a forward-heavy class, and both guard signees (Adrienne GodBold, Amber Moore) have no experience at the point.

Given that, the UI has three options: Stick with the status quo, hoping freshmen Lydia McCully and Fabiola Josil develop enough during the offseason to become consistent and productive; search for a solution in the nation's junior college ranks, or perhaps by taking a prep senior who didn't sign during the November period; going with an avant garde move like I'm suggesting.

I think Lacey Simpson could be the answer. In my humble opinion, here are the positives of putting Simpson at the point next year:

--Simpson being a senior, you'd have an experienced player at a key position. Plus, Simpson's energy level can rub off on her teammates. Last year's Big Ten tournament is a great example; Simpson played with a demonstrable energy and enthusiasm, which flowed to her teammates during that historic run.

--Her height (she's listed at 6-1) is a great asset at that spot, giving her the ability to see over shorter defenders or be unperterbed by taller ones. On the defensive end, her height and length could be a great way to harass smaller point guards. I'd also be intrigued by the possibility of putting her on top of a 1-3-1 halfcourt trap or three-quarter defense, although that spot might be better filled by a taller defender like Destiny Williams.

--Simpson is the team's best passer. Right now, she plays the 4, and yet that hasn't prevented her from leading the team in assists. She loves to pass and get her teammates involved and isn't wrapped up in how many points she scores.

--She's also the team's best option at creating off the dribble. No current guard has demonstrated a proclivity to penetrate. It doesn't come naturally to Simpson, but she's done it more often than anyone else this season, and has been effective when doing it. That's reflected in her assists total.

--It would allow the Illini to invert their offense on occasion, giving Simpson a chance to post up against shorter defenders on the block -- where, I believe, she could score at will.

--It would allow the Illini to make the most efficient use of their roster and its strengths. Next year's roster is forward-heavy. Even without Simpson, Illinois seems well-positioned at the 3, 4 and 5 spots with Jenna Smith, Destiny Williams, Brianna Jones, Karisma Penn and Kersten Magrum, plus the other holdovers. And, should the Illini land superstar Kelsey Bone in the spring, the situation is only more exaggerated. (How about a starting frontline of Smith, Bone and Williams? Are you salivating yet?)

As I see them, here are the drawbacks:

--The move would take one of the team's best rebounders away from the basket, at least on the offensive end. Simpson does get most of her boards on the defensive end, and she wouldn't necessarily have to give up that role.

--Defensively, Simpson probably isn't quick enough to closely guard some of the quicker points, like Purdue's FahKara Malone. She'd probably have to take a step back, which would negate some of the advantage of her length.

--Simpson would need to improve her ballhandling and decision-making. She's not deficient in either area, but those are areas of emphasis for any point guard.

--While her perimeter jumper has improved, Simpson isn't a major threat from three-point range. In her career, she has 48 three-pointers and a 27 percent accuracy rate.

So, that's how I see it. Again, I don't believe that moving Simpson to the point would fix the current mess. It would only create as many holes as it plugs. But when looking at next season -- and pondering the wonderful possibilities, given the incoming talent surge -- I think it's worth a look.

If I'm nuts, tell me. I'd love to hear your thoughts at tbleill@news-gazette.com.

In other stuff:

--Need a Kelsey Bone fix? There's some good video of her recently posted by a Houston TV station here.

--Need a Lori Bjork fix? Maryland's "Under the Shell" behind-the-scenes TV show started last week, and I happened to catch the first episode on Comcast SportsNet Maryland. There were glimpses of Bjork, who is sitting out this season but continues to practice and be around the team at home. According to Maryland, you can watch the weekly show here, although it doesn't appear the season's first episode has been downloaded yet.

--If you see a bleary-eyed UI basketball player these days, it's probably because they're getting adjusted to a new practice schedule for the second semester. Instead of daily afternoon practices, the team is working out from 6:30-9:30 a.m. on most days. It's a practical matter dictated by the players' class schedules, and it also gives Jolette Law and her staff a better opportunity to hit the recruiting trail in the evenings.

 

 

 

 

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