Top 12 memories from 2012

NEWCASTLE (Paul Nilsen’s Women’s Basketball Worldwide) – It’s the time of the year to once again add just one more list to the plethora of lists that will be floating around, as I look back on 12 of my favourite women’s basketball memories from 2012.

1. Celine Dumerc
The French playmaker is my Player of the Year by a mile, or perhaps more appropriately, a kilometre! For any of the doubters who previously questioned her ability to step up and score, rather than merely relying on her extraordinary defensive and passing abilities, she answered this in emphatic style to guide Les Bleues to a wonderful silver medal. Yes, a great player who waited so long for an Olympic opportunity and grabbed it with both hands.

2. Belinda Snell's Half-Court Shot
No major tournament is ever quite the same without one crazy play to talk about. Snell obliged with her amazing shot to force overtime against France at the London Olympics. It’s just a shame for her and for the Opals that the footnote reads they went on to lose the game. Something the Olympic women’s highlight reel will remind them of for decades to come!

3. Liz Cambage
Whilst Cambage didn’t exactly burst onto the scene in London having already previously impressed, she most definitely cemented herself as the newest top tier star of the women’s game. Her first-half display against the USA was just incredible. Oh, and there was also a dunk which went semi-viral too. She it now terrorising opposing defences in the Chinese league with some truly mind-boggling numbers.

4. Merve Aydin
If one young player left an impression on me this year, it was 1994-born Turkish guard Aydin. I’m a sucker for smart players flying under the radar. Looking at her stats, from both the U18 and U20 European Championships, you will see she didn’t shoot the ball particularly well. But, she is an intangibles focused guard with a great temperament, willing to do the dirty work, play defense, hustle with the best and of course, make intelligent plays. She has since shown during her first pro-season with Mersin (both domestically and in EuroCup Women), that she is capable of making an effective transition to the elite level. And, what’s not to love about someone who told the story: “I was 10-years-old on the day of the school team try-outs. I was without any basketball shoes because my mother was to bring a new pair, but she was late and I began to worry that she couldn't bring them on time! I was in the last participants and there were still no shoes. I was almost crying and when I started to think that everything was over, she appeared at the door with the shoes in her hand. This is not only the first memory of my basketball life, it's also the cornerstone of my life!”

5. Ana Lelas and Andja Jelavic
Sat on the rooftop of a hotel in Ankara at the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament chatting to the amiable Croatian duo after a formal FIBA interview, I got an overpowering sense of just how much making the Olympics actually means. It know, it sounds obvious. But at that point, their place wasn’t assured, and for a small nation like Croatia, they knew it would be extra special. Their mixture of nerves and excitement at the very prospect of getting to London were so, so strong. Whilst professionally neutral (always the best place to be) I have to admit that on a personal level, and in the wake of our lengthy and engaging conversation, I was glad they both made it and their dreams came true.

6. Clarisse Machanguana
Yes. It’s the nightmare scenario. You interview a legendary African player on camera and get a great emotional few minutes of film about how she is shattered to be missing out on the Olympics and would probably be retiring after a stellar career. Only to subsequently find out after she has gone, that a technical malfunction didn’t capture any of it. So, my award for nicest person of the year goes strictly to a true star who, after my rambling and embarrassing plea for her to undertake the very long walk back into the Arena, simply smiled, laughed, obliged and gave an even better performance the second time. What a class act and great ambassador for Mozambique and Africa!

7. To dunk or not to dunk
The debate around women players dunking and the credence we give to it as fans, pundits and professionals raged this year. Brittney Griner fever showed no signs of slowing down, and she was joined in the lady baller dunking stakes by UConn sensation Breanna Stewart who threw down a couple of impromptu alley-oops at the McDonalds All-American dunk competition – one which was advertised as boys only.

8. Bird in a mask
Well you couldn’t make this one up could you? UMMC Ekaterinburg pour literally millions of dollars into assembling a team capable of landing a first EuroLeague Women title in nine years, and their chances effectively go up in smoke due to a freak accident during the warm-up drills as the immeasurably influential Sue Bird was rushed to hospital in Istanbul with a broken nose. Whilst she returned to post a typically excellent contribution at the Final Eight by donning a protective face mask (which was more Jason from Friday The Thirteenth, than Phantom Of The Opera) the damage to Ekat had already been done.

9. Euro young guns: Ksenia Tikhonenko and Olcay Cakir
Three and a half years ago, I first saw this endearing duo playing for Russia and Turkey at the U16 European Championship in Naples, Italy. Earlier this year (and for no rational reason), I felt immense pride and pleasure when I saw them step out (still as teenagers) at EuroLeague Women Final Eight. Then, to make this year even sweeter, Cakir helped Turkey to a historic first-ever women’s youth medal when she participated at the U20 European Championship Women, and Tikhonenko was deservedly crowned MVP of the same tournament. I guess there is still a little way to go to complete the circle, but that probably won’t happen until they potentially reach the ultimate destination of playing for their respective nations at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio. I can’t wait!

10. Ros Casares bubble bursts
When Spanish powerhouse Ros Casares went from EuroLeague Women champions to being extinct, it was a devastating blow. Forget the impact on EuroLeague Women, this is a club that was, one half of one of the greatest rivalries in women’s basketball. Their perennial battle in Liga Femenina with arch rivals Perfumerias Avenida was always an absolute joy, and it was a sad day when I looked at the schedule and didn’t see them on it. It also proved a stark reminder of the potential impacts of the global financial crisis.

11. Erin Phillips
When Phillips was omitted from the Australian Olympic roster, I almost fell off my chair in astonishment. It was a hammer-blow for the player and so it was hugely satisfying to see her win a WNBA Championship with the Indiana Fever. No, it won’t have made up for missing out on London, but I am sure it eased the pain just a little. I am probably not the only one also missing Erin in EuroLeague Women this season, and I hope the dynamic guard will be back in the competition next season and also in an Opals vest again at future major tournaments.

12. And finally, a thought and a prayer
The turn of the year makes me think instinctively about what is truly important in life. Therefore I want to take this opportunity to offer a thought and prayer in respect of those members of the women’s basketball family whom we sadly lost during 2012. No matter how passionate we are about this truly beautiful game, it should never come before good health, family and friends.

Paul Nilsen

FIBA

FIBA’s columnists write on a wide range of topics relating to basketball that are of interest to them. The opinions they express are their own and in no way reflect those of FIBA.

FIBA takes no responsibility and gives no guarantees, warranties or representations, implied or otherwise, for the content or accuracy of the content and opinion expressed in the above article.