PowerKat
23 Mar 2006, 17:38
Erin Phillips was a boy! I haven't bothered checking if she'd qualify for f/s rule, but there's little doubt she would have 'made it'....
Erin Phillips fights through pain barrier
Grantley Bernard
22mar06
DURING the Opals' pre-Games training camp, Erin Phillips was so violently ill that she burst the blood vessels in her eyes, which are still showing the bright red evidence almost two weeks later.
"So I looked evil and mean," Phillips said yesterday. "But really I'm not."
No, she's not. But how about if we refer to Phillips as being very good heading quickly towards great?
Throughout this Games campaign, Phillips has shown her worth in a rotation of three point guards.
Yesterday she underlined it as the Opals romped into the gold-medal game with a 105-49 semi-final win against Nigeria at Vodafone Arena.
With Tully Bevilaqua injured and out, Jae Cross took the starting role and was brilliant with floor leadership and nine assists (just one turnover). Phillips came off the bench for nine points, seven assists and four steals.
It was just what Phillips has done all tournament, playing nicely in the wake of Lauren Jackson (37 points in 22 minutes) and the efficient contribution of Phillips' WNBL teammate from Adelaide, Laura Summerton (17 points, 7-9 FG).
"I told you she was good," Jackson said after the game. "She'll be one of the next leaders of the team. She brings a lot of energy to our team and we probably haven't seen anything like that since Michele Timms."
The Timms reference is apt as people draw comparisons with Australia's all-time great point guard because of the spiky blonde hair and the go-get-it attitude Phillips displays on the court.
Timms is a big fan of Phillips for her tenacity and grunt, which she showed against Nigeria by getting flattened a couple of times only to bounce right up, adjust her distinctive elbow-high sweatbands, and get on with the job.
As she did when she chased a rebound and copped a Nigerian shoulder, made the free throws, hit a shot on the next possession, then buried a jumper.
But her improving court savvy was shown as the clock wound down to 6sec left in the the first quarter.
Phillips did not panic, finding Katrina Hibbert in the short corner for the bucket on the buzzer for a 33-5 lead.
"She's one of the people who puts her body on the line, which is a great attribute to have," Cross said. "She's improved a good 50 per cent from when I saw her (on tour in China last year) with her decision-making."
The daughter of former Collingwood and Port Adelaide footballer Greg Phillips, Erin has some serious decisions to make, knowing she could jeopardise her Opals spot for the world championships in September if she plays for the WNBA's Connecticut Sun.
That's something to consider when the Games are over. Until then, Erin is single-minded about one thing: winning the gold medal with the Opals in tomorrow night's final.
"You dream of that," Phillips said.
It's a dream Phillips sees vividly. Even through badly bloodshot eyes
Erin Phillips fights through pain barrier (http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5478,18556156%255E10914,00.html)
Erin Phillips fights through pain barrier
Grantley Bernard
22mar06
DURING the Opals' pre-Games training camp, Erin Phillips was so violently ill that she burst the blood vessels in her eyes, which are still showing the bright red evidence almost two weeks later.
"So I looked evil and mean," Phillips said yesterday. "But really I'm not."
No, she's not. But how about if we refer to Phillips as being very good heading quickly towards great?
Throughout this Games campaign, Phillips has shown her worth in a rotation of three point guards.
Yesterday she underlined it as the Opals romped into the gold-medal game with a 105-49 semi-final win against Nigeria at Vodafone Arena.
With Tully Bevilaqua injured and out, Jae Cross took the starting role and was brilliant with floor leadership and nine assists (just one turnover). Phillips came off the bench for nine points, seven assists and four steals.
It was just what Phillips has done all tournament, playing nicely in the wake of Lauren Jackson (37 points in 22 minutes) and the efficient contribution of Phillips' WNBL teammate from Adelaide, Laura Summerton (17 points, 7-9 FG).
"I told you she was good," Jackson said after the game. "She'll be one of the next leaders of the team. She brings a lot of energy to our team and we probably haven't seen anything like that since Michele Timms."
The Timms reference is apt as people draw comparisons with Australia's all-time great point guard because of the spiky blonde hair and the go-get-it attitude Phillips displays on the court.
Timms is a big fan of Phillips for her tenacity and grunt, which she showed against Nigeria by getting flattened a couple of times only to bounce right up, adjust her distinctive elbow-high sweatbands, and get on with the job.
As she did when she chased a rebound and copped a Nigerian shoulder, made the free throws, hit a shot on the next possession, then buried a jumper.
But her improving court savvy was shown as the clock wound down to 6sec left in the the first quarter.
Phillips did not panic, finding Katrina Hibbert in the short corner for the bucket on the buzzer for a 33-5 lead.
"She's one of the people who puts her body on the line, which is a great attribute to have," Cross said. "She's improved a good 50 per cent from when I saw her (on tour in China last year) with her decision-making."
The daughter of former Collingwood and Port Adelaide footballer Greg Phillips, Erin has some serious decisions to make, knowing she could jeopardise her Opals spot for the world championships in September if she plays for the WNBA's Connecticut Sun.
That's something to consider when the Games are over. Until then, Erin is single-minded about one thing: winning the gold medal with the Opals in tomorrow night's final.
"You dream of that," Phillips said.
It's a dream Phillips sees vividly. Even through badly bloodshot eyes
Erin Phillips fights through pain barrier (http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5478,18556156%255E10914,00.html)