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Interview by Jeff Mayfield
Former Railers now crashing
the college hoops party
Part 1
[NOV.
30, 2000]
As
junior high students they led their Chester-East Lincoln basketball team
to the championship game of the IESA playoffs. They dreamed of being
teammates and making some noise on the high school scene together. Those
dreams didn’t materialize as they had planned them. However, now a few
years removed from that euphoric trip to state, the duo of Stephanie Urton
and Brittany Robbins has emerged once again, this time together on the
college scene…and after recording their first collegiate win together
this week, it’s apparent that this time they might really make
some noise…
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Brittany
Robbins and Stephanie Urton have now teamed up and are currently playing
basketball for the Lincoln Christian College Angels. I met with them on
campus while they were still enjoying the fruit of their first
victory of their respective college careers.
[Stephanie Urton]
Q.
Steph, what’s your college experience been like so far?
A.
It’s been a good one. I have been frustrated at times, but it’s been
good overall. The adjustment to college ball has been difficult at times.
The talent level surprised me. I think it’s helped me because I’ve
stepped up my level of play.
Q.
What has getting to play with a former Lady Railer teammate and friend
meant to you?
A.
I’ve played basketball with Brittany for my whole life. We have a good
relationship both on and off the court. Like in our first win, I was out
with a knee injury and I was standing out of bounds next to the bench when
Brittany rifled a pass at me. Someone said that we’ve played together
too much when Brittany will throw me the ball when I’m not even in the
game. It’s been a lot of fun. Brittany is a great player, and I look to
her a lot on the floor for leadership and for help. Like the other night
when I got injured she came up to me and said, I need you out on the
court. We’re a tandem I guess.
Q.
Did you talk about teaming up in college while you were still in high
school? And what were your expectations coming to LCC and becoming college
teammates?
A.
Before I knew that Brittany was coming here and I told that I really
wanted her to go with me to school so that we could play ball together. I
didn’t really think any more about it until she told me that she was
coming here. It’s been so exciting. We’ve had a lot of fun playing
ball. Road trips have been a fun…experience for us as well. We’ll just
leave it at that.
[to top of second column in
this section] |
Q.
This is the first time you’ve played a lot of minutes since your C-EL
days. What has playing a lot meant to you, and how do you see your role on
this ball club?
A.
It’s definitely been a big responsibility, and I was a little uncertain
about it at the beginning of the year. Having Brittany on the court helps…Michelle
O’Malley because she’s stepping up. If we can get everyone to play
hard, it’s not as big of a stress on me.
Q.
When you came back into the game after your injury, you seemed to take
control. Is that one of your strengths — knowing who should get the ball
and distributing it to those players?
A.
Sometimes I have to tell myself that I can do this. Sometimes I don’t
feel comfortable running the floor in late-game situations. I know it was
something I had to do since Cassie had already fouled out. So I just had
to step up and do a good job for my teammates. I felt more comfortable
last night because both Brittany and Michelle were having really good
games…and I knew if they could do it, I could do it. I’m not exactly
comfortable as a point guard; I’m much more at ease in the 2-spot. Coach
has me working on more than one spot in practice, so I’m working into
those roles more.
[Long-time basketball buddies Bethany Robbins and Stephanie
Urton, still dunking 'em.]
(To be continued)
[Jeff
Mayfield]
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1.
Emergence of Frank Williams as the team leader. Most people
considered this year's team to be Cory Bradford's for the taking. Williams
has proved early on he has improved greatly and is the best player on the
court most of the time. Williams single-handedly brought Illinois within
range of knocking off No. 2 Arizona. Many experts believe Williams has
become one of the top three or four point guards nationally and has a real
future at the next level.
2.
The rebounding force Brian Cook has become. Lincoln's No. 1 native
son appears to be rebounding with a never-seen-before level of intensity.
He was especially impressive against top ten teams Maryland and Arizona.
Now, if his outside shooting becomes effective (à la Lincoln high school
games), Cook will become a national force to be dealt with.
3.
Shooting consistency of Sean Harrington. Harrington looks like he
should still be in high school but has shot unbelievably well from the
field. The talk in Champaign on Sunday was Harrington may move into the
starting lineup if he continues to hit with consistency and Bradford
continues to struggle.
4.
Quality bench contributions from Robert Archibald, Lucas Johnson,
Damir Krupalija and Harrington. Archibald needs to stay out
of foul trouble but looks like a new, more aggressive player. Johnson has
become the sixth man Self was hoping for, and Krupalija, when he has
played, brings enthusiasm and a rebounding force off the bench. Add
Harrington's shooting, and Illinois is developing a very strong bench.
Mahomet freshmen Brett Melton has looked good at times and could
eventually enter the rotation as well.
5.
The impact of the Bill Self defensive system. When Illinois was
down to UNLV by 14 in the first game in Maui, no one on the Illini bench
panicked. Why? Self's system defensively is perfect for igniting
comebacks. All three games in Hawaii found Illinois down by substantial
amounts, and all three games saw Illinois recover and come all the way
back.
Conversely,
five serious questions still exist about the Illinois program:
1.
Will Illinois get serious about free throw shooting? They cannot
seriously expect to contend for any titles and miss the easy ones like
they have early in the year. Against Maryland, McClain alone missed three
one-and-ones in the first half and allowed Illinois to go from up by four
to down by four in a two-minute span. Illinois must make the freebees.
2.
Will Cory Bradford regain his shooting touch? He just looks unhappy
on the court, and this must change if Illinois wants to make some serious
noise. Many feel his current streak of hitting at least one 3-point basket
in 69 straight games may actually be hurting him. Whatever the problem is,
look for Self to work hard to help Bradford regain his form of old.
[to top of second column in
this article] |
3.
Will Illinois' lack of athleticism haunt them late in the
season (especially in the NCAA tourney). The Self system will really
be fun in the years to come when Self is able to get serious
athletes in the program (like November signees Luther Head of
Chicago and Roger Powell of Joliet). The problem Illinois will face
is in March, when cat-quick NCAA tourney teams come calling.
Illinois could struggle (see last year's Florida game for
reference).
4.
What will Sergio McClain's role be with this Illini team? It
must be hard for McClain to watch former high school teammates
Williams and Marcus Griffin develop into two of the top three
players in the program. McClain could bring a great deal of senior
leadership to the program but only if he will play within himself
and not try to shoot 3-pointers or drive to the basket against
6-foot-10 post players. McClain has always struggled with his role
in college basketball, and this question must be answered sooner
rather than later.
5.
Are any Illini not long for the program? Word out of Champaign is
one or two Illini may not be with the program next year even though
they would still have years of eligibility remaining. The jury is
still out on whether Peoria's Jerrance Howard can contribute
on the Big Ten level. Maybe Howard will follow in former Illini Rich
Beyers’ footsteps and land in Normal to be a backcourt running
mate with Lincoln high school's Gregg Alexander. Or maybe he heads
home to Peoria and joins the Bradley program. Maybe Howard goes to a
Division II program and plays right away (Fess Hawkins did this last
year). Or maybe he stays in Champaign for three more years and
follows in the footsteps of former Peoria Central star Chris
Reynolds of Indiana and becomes a defensive standout and dependable
point guard after Williams leaves. This question will not be
answered for some time.
Illinois
basketball faces their biggest challenge of the year tonight at 8
p.m. on a so-called neutral court in Greensboro, N.C. (51 miles from
Duke's Durham campus). The game is televised on ESPN and will be
seen nationally. LDN prediction for the Duke/Illinois game:
Illinois hangs tough for most of the game, but in the end, the home
cooking tastes real good to Duke: Duke
77, Illinois 72.
[Greg
Taylor]
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Well,
Illinois was faced with just a challenge, facing Texas Southern in the
Assembly Hall Sunday afternoon. Illinois slopped its way to an 86-67
victory over the visitors from Houston. Illinois was led in scoring by
sophomore reserve Sean Harrington, who was a perfect 6 for 6 from the
field, including five 3-pointers, to finish with 17 points. Senior Marcus
Griffen chipped in 16 points, mostly on dunks or layups, and junior
reserve Robert Archibald scored 12 points in just 11 minutes of action and
was also perfect from the field (5 for 5). Junior guard Cory Bradford
continued to struggle with his shooting, making just 2 of 8 shots and only
1 of 5 3-pointers to finish with 6 points. Lincoln's Brian Cook played 19
minutes, finishing with 9 points and three rebounds.
[to top of second column in
this article] |
Next
up for Illinois is a game on the national stage of ESPN tomorrow night
against No. 1 Duke University. The game is a part of the Big Ten-ACC
challenge and is being played on a neutral site in Greensboro, N.C. Duke is
led by All-American forward Shane Battier and features four former McDonalds
All-Americans: Battier, Carlos Boozer, Mike Dunleavy and point guard Jason
Williams. Illinois will have to bring their A game if they hope to compete
with the Blue Devils but should have one important advantage: team depth.
Illinois has used 10 players regularly in the early season, while Duke will
usually bring in only one or two players off its bench.
After
Tuesday, Illinois travels to Manhattan, Kan., on Saturday to face Kansas
State, a team they beat by 33 points last season.
Illinois'
next home game is Wednesday, Dec. 6, against Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
Coming
tomorrow: LDN looks at the
Illinois basketball program: five surprises in the early season and four
question marks which need to be answered.
[Greg
Taylor] |
