Portland Oregonian

Oregonian, The (Portland, OR)

January 2, 1999

YAMASAKI IS A FRESHMAN IN CLASS, A SENIOR ON FLOOR 

Author:
RYAN WHITE of the Oregonian Staff 


 Lindsey Yamasaki doesn't deny thinking about occasionally snoozing 
through an early-morning class since arriving at Stanford.

 She just hasn't done it.
	
"Oh, yeah," Yamasaki said. "There've been a few times where I've slept  
through the alarm and run there and gotten there late."

 A little tardiness aside, though, the freshman from Oregon City has 
made a  smooth transition from high school standout to collegiate player.

 Yamasaki will make her first trip home this weekend when the Cardinal 
plays at Oregon State tonight, then travels to Oregon on Monday.

 She has started all 11 games for the Cardinal this season, averaging 
14.7  points and 6.5 rebounds.

 Yamasaki is not alone in the homecoming spotlight, however. California  
senior Jennie Leander, from Tualatin, will make her final stops in 
Oregon when the Golden Bears play the Ducks tonight and the Beavers Monday.

 "It's always special when you come home," Leander said. "They're 
always  really good trips."

 The games open the Pacific-10 Conference season for all four teams.

 California (6-3) already has won as many games as it did last season.  
Leander, a co-captain who has started 80 of 82 games for the Golden 
Bears in  her college career, is averaging 10.6 points and 6.8 rebounds.

 "We're all really excited," Leander said. "And this is it for me -- 
this is my last Pac-10 season."

 Yamasaki is in the opposite situation. As her college career begins, 
the  Cardinal opens conference play 4-7, a surprising record for a 
program with six final four appearances since 1990.

 The Cardinal beat then-No. 1 ranked Purdue on Nov. 22 but lost to 
Santa  Clara on Dec. 4. Stanford has played five top-25 teams and lost to 
three of  them.

 Cardinal coach Tara VanDerveer said the team knows it needs a good 
Pac-10  season to qualify for the NCAA tournament. If that happens, 
Yamasaki will  probably play a key role.

 She began the season with a minor knee injury but didn't miss a game, 
and  has hardly missed a step.

 There have been only three games this season when Yamasaki has scored 
fewer than 10 points. In the loss to the Broncos, she made 14 of 22 
shots on her way to a career-high 32 points.

 Against Northwestern on Dec. 15, Yamasaki scored 24 points and made 
six of  12 three-point attempts.

 "She's more like a senior on the floor," VanDerveer said. "She has an  
incredible presence and she can take over a game."

 At Oregon City, Yamasaki helped the Pioneers win four straight state  
titles. As a high school senior last season, she averaged 25.2 points 
and 11.1 rebounds while playing primarily on the inside.

 This season, VanDerveer has used Yamasaki all over the court. She has  
played guard, shooting guard, forward and power forward.

 "I think that's a credit to how smart she is," VanDerveer said. "That 
just  really, really impresses me."

 As much as Yamasaki has impressed a coach who has seen many great 
players  move through the Stanford program, there are still times when she 
shows her  inexperience.

 Those are the times when Yamasaki makes an ill-advised pass despite 
having  an open shot. Or when she pulls up and shoots on a break instead 
of driving to the basket.

 "If she makes up her mind to go to the basket, the only way to stop 
her is to foul her," VanDerveer said. "I think the only time you notice 
she's a  freshman is, sometimes she's sloppy. But when she's focused, 
ooh man, look  out."

 Off the court, Yamasaki said she couldn't be happier. Although she 
said the daily regimen of school, practice, homework and sleep makes it 
all sometimes  feel like a job, she is enjoying life.

 "I'd prefer to win every single game, but even if basketball doesn't 
go  well, I know I love Stanford and I would definitely stay here," 
Yamasaki said.

 As for the trip home, she knows there will be more than just family 
and  friends. There are two strong opponents in Oregon State (8-1) and 
Oregon (9-2) -- and two former teammates.

 "It will be fun playing against Brianne (Meharry of Oregon) and Tammy  
Arnold (of Oregon State)," Yamasaki said. "I know Brianne wants to beat 
me as  much as I want to beat her."

 In terms of handling the pressures that come with returning to the 
area you used to dominate, the Cal senior offered this simple advice to 
the Stanford  freshman: "Just have fun and relax," Leander said.