TicketsJan. 10, 2011
By Garrett Sabelhaus
GoBEARCATS.com
College basketball coaches are constantly looking toward the future. They have to stay ahead of the curve and remain competitive.
Despite being in the midst of her second season as head coach of the University of Cincinnati women's basketball team, Jamelle Elliott may have seen the emergence of her next leader in recent games.
Redshirt junior Chanel Chisholm sat out the 2009-10 season after transferring from Vanderbilt University where she spent two seasons following a standout career at North Babylon High School in her hometown of Long Island, N.Y. She would have been allowed to practice with the Bearcats last season, but not play in games due to NCAA transfer eligibility rules but she tore her ACL leaving her out of practices as well.
Now, in her first eligible season at UC, Chisholm is coming into her own, especially in the last five games where she has shot 55 percent including a season-high 20 points on 10-of-13 shooting in a loss to the Miami RedHawks. She says it was odd coming back from such a severe injury, going from crutches to light workouts to running.
"You don't know what's going to happen until you're actually on the court," Chisholm said.
Elliott echoed the same thoughts about coming back from an ACL injury; that it takes time to heal physically but also mentally and Chisholm has finally been able to put the knee issue behind her.
"Even though you're cleared to play it still takes a while to get your timing back, get comfortable with your brace or just getting hit in that knee," Elliott said. "The knee isn't an issue anymore. She's just going out there and playing. She's relaxed, she's focused. I think the bottom line is, finally, she's 100 percent."
It took her a little time to adjust to playing after the injury and to adjust to the BIG EAST. Through the first 10 games of the season Chisholm shot 39 percent from the field although never took more than eight shots in a game until her recent five-game stretch. In those five games, the guard has taken more than eight shots each contest.
The recent run, along with the 20 point performance against Miami, includes a 16 point game against Texas on 8-of-10 shooting and an 11 point outing against the University of South Florida.
Elliott said Chisholm is starting to play like she thought she would when she brought her in following the transfer. She hopes Chisholm can step into the leadership and leading-scorer role next season when she will be one of two seniors alongside Bjonee Reaves.
"She already has the respect of her teammates based on the positive things she says in the locker room," Elliott said. "She's one of our hardest workers on the basketball court so she has everything to step into that role."
Not only does Chisholm have all the makings of a leader, Elliott said she has the physical intangibles to excel in the BIG EAST.
"She has the body of a BIG EAST player. She's strong, she's athletic, she's quick. She's not afraid to go in there and get a rebound."
Rebounding has been another strong part of Chisholm's game as she averages 6.3 boards per game, good for second most on the team.
Still she knows she has parts of her game she needs to work on and some that have taken care of themselves now that she's more comfortable following the injury.
"At the beginning of the year I had a problem with footwork, slowing down and reading the defense and decision making," Chisholm said. "I don't know if it's going back to my knee but the decision making is mental, not physical. Just getting on the court being able to make good decisions its back to (normal) now."
Elliott says Chisholm could become an All-BIG EAST player if she maintains her work ethic into her senior season.
The knee is back to normal. Now it's a matter of getting her game back to where it should be. Luckily for the Bearcats that seems to be coming sooner rather than later.