VoyForums
[ Show ]
Support VoyForums
[ Shrink ]
VoyForums Announcement: Programming and providing support for this service has been a labor of love since 1997. We are one of the few services online who values our users' privacy, and have never sold your information. We have even fought hard to defend your privacy in legal cases; however, we've done it with almost no financial support -- paying out of pocket to continue providing the service. Due to the issues imposed on us by advertisers, we also stopped hosting most ads on the forums many years ago. We hope you appreciate our efforts.

Show your support by donating any amount. (Note: We are still technically a for-profit company, so your contribution is not tax-deductible.) PayPal Acct: Feedback:

Donate to VoyForums (PayPal):

[ Login ] [ Contact Forum Admin ] [ Main index ] [ Post a new message ] [ Search | Check update time | Archives: 1, 2, 3, [4] ]

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Date Posted: 10:34:18 02/22/02 Fri
Author: Jon Ralston
Subject: Vanessa Dupont

Originally Published Friday, February 22, 2002
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Not a typical power forward

Pacific's Vanessa Dupont beats brawny foes with an uncanny ability to get open

By Bob Highfill

Record Staff Writer

Go ahead and call Vanessa Dupont mighty-mite or small fry.

She has no problem being saddled with such labels.

Dupont is considered small for a power forward by today's standards, even in the women's game. The junior from Burbank stands 6-foot-1 with a build more likely to be walking a runway than clogging the lane.

Despite her slight build, Dupont has done quite well this season.

''Sometimes she gets pushed around, but she does a very good job of attacking and scoring for us,'' Pacific coach Sherri Murrell said. ''I always give her a hard time and tell her she looks like a guard.''

Those comments fall off her like water off a duck's back.

''It's funny. All the coaches, we joke around that I get lost out there because I look like a guard,'' Dupont said. ''People think we're going out there with a four-guard lineup. ... It's a little fire under me. I know I can go out there and play with the big girls.''

Murrell, who's about 6-foot and was a former all-conference guard at Pepperdine, is convinced she weighs more than Dupont.

''She doesn't weigh that much, but she gets the job done,'' Murrell said.

Dupont might start again in place of Andrea Nederostek when the Tigers (14-10, 9-4 Big West) play host to struggling Cal State Fullerton (3-20, 1-11) at 7 p.m. today at Spanos Center. Nederostek still is recovering from a sprained ankle suffered during practice earlier this month.

In the last seven games, Dupont has stepped up for the Tigers averaging 9.6 points and 6.4 rebounds per game. Last week, she tied a career high with nine rebounds and scored 15 points against UC Irvine. On Feb. 3 at Cal State Northridge, she scored a career-high 18 points.

She has scored in double figures in five of the last seven games and has had seven or more rebounds in that span.

It seems Dupont is especially fond of playing on Sundays.

In the Tigers' last three Sunday games, she's averaged 16.3 points and 7 rebounds per game.

''I call her the 'Sunday Senstation,' '' Murrell said. ''She steps it up every Sunday. She gets open and she knocks down the shot.''

Opponents sometimes lose Dupont and leave her open. Other times, she finds openings when defenders double-team 6-3 center Gillian d'Hondt. Whatever the reason, Dupont has shown an uncanny talent to get open.

''I call her the luckiest kid in the world because she'll be wide open under the basket,'' Murrell said. ''She finds the open spots.''

This has been a season of discovery for Dupont. She understands her role in the Tigers' scheme and as a result, is more comfortable.

''I think with all the years of experience, I'm finally understanding the game much better,'' Dupont said. ''I'm know my role better on the team. I'm someone who comes off the bench and does whatever is going to help our team out there. I'm not a spark, but I'm a rebounder definitely, and I add to the hustle plays.''

The Tigers need Dupont to continue playing well, if they are going to capture the No. 2 seed in the Big West Tournament. The Tigers will play host to UC Riverside at 2 p.m. Sunday. Riverside is currently a half-game ahead of Long Beach State in second place. Pacific will conclude the regular season on March 2 at Idaho.

* To reach reporter Bob Highfill, phone 546-8299 or e-mail bhighfil@recordnet.com

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]
[ Contact Forum Admin ]

Forum timezone: GMT-8
VF Version: 3.00b, ConfDB:
Before posting please read our privacy policy.
VoyForums(tm) is a Free Service from Voyager Info-Systems.
Copyright © 1998-2019 Voyager Info-Systems. All Rights Reserved.