by Joey Papania
LSUsports.net
Just four months after guiding the LSU women’s basketball team to the Elite Eight, Lady Tiger guard Marie Ferdinand joined the USA Women’s R. William Jones Cup team in Taipei, Taiwan for a shot at winning a gold medal. And that is exactly what they did.
Ferdinand joined 11 of college basketball’s elite:
Chantelle Anderson (Vanderbilt)
Sue Bird (Connecticut)
Camille Cooper (Purdue)
Deanna Jackson (Alabama-Birmingham)
Loree Payne (Washington)
Shea Ralph (Connecticut)
Kelly Schumacher (Connecticut)
Michelle Snow (Tennessee)
Jackie Stiles (Southwest Missouri State)
Brooke Wyckoff (Florida State)
Angela Zampella (St. Joseph’s)
The Jones Cup Team cruised through the tournament outscoring opponents 330-210 in a four-game sweep. The toughest game for the U.S. was an 83-80 victory over Japan.
Ferdinand was the second leading scorer for the U.S. averaging 11.8 points per game, just one point shy of the team leader, Shea Ralph of Connecticut. A starter in all four games, the Miami native shot over 62 percent from the field and dished out eight assists. It was an unbelievable opportunity that she would not take for granted.
“Well, I tried out for the team last summer, and I didn’t make it,” Ferdinand said. “I think after staying here instead of going home this summer and working on my game, working on my weaknesses, it really paid off. And I enjoyed every bit of it. It’s one thing to play against the best, and it’s another thing to play with the best. I feel lucky just to have played with 11 of the top college basketball players in the country.”
The victory helped the U.S. claim their ninth gold medal in the tournament. The U.S. has also claimed four silver and four bronze medals in a total of 19 Jones Cup competitions.
After the team was announced on May 22, the ladies began a two-a-day workout period for two weeks. Ferdinand said that the team also spent a great deal of time together off the court to become more comfortable with each other.
“The toughest adjustment was the change in time,” Ferdinand said. “Let’s say it was 2:00 in the morning here, it was 2:00 in the afternoon over there, and we have a big game. I was just trying to wake my self up because my body is used to sleeping. Now my body is having trouble adjusting to being back home. I can’t get any sleep.”
From a basketball standpoint, the U.S. team also had to adjust to a different style of play. It’s one thing to play outside your conference, but playing outside your country is another story.
“It is totally different. They are constantly moving and screening, and they just need a split second to shoot the three,” explained Ferdinand. “They can be almost to half court and shoot it, and it would go in. You have to constantly stay with them. If you take your eye off of them for a split second, they’re gone. It was hard to get adjusted at first, but as we went along I got used to it.”
Overall, it was a tremendous experience for these young ladies. Not only did they get to see a part of the world that many don’t have the opportunity to see, they were able to represent their country and take home a gold medal. But it’s not over yet.
This same team heads to Honolulu, Hawaii for an exhibition game against the U.S. National Team on September 3. The game will be televised on ESPN2 with an 11 a.m. tip-off. The game is part of a nine game exhibition series at the University of Hawaii’s Stan Sheriff Center in Honolulu in preparation for the 2000 Olympic games.
Although just an exhibition, this is a tremendous honor and a tremendous opportunity for Ferdinand and the others to display their talents.
“I plan on being in the WNBA one day,” Ferdinand said confidently. “Just to see how I compare to the 12 best players in the WNBA can show me where I’m at, what I need to work on, and where I can go from here. It’s a good tool to measure.”
After her stint with the USA Select Team, Ferdinand will make her way back to LSU in preparation for her senior season. The first game for the Lady Tigers is November 10 against New Mexico in the Women’s Sports Foundation Classic.
“I have high expectations. With the players returning we should do as well or go even further. I think we have the team that can take it to the next step.”