[81alum]

The game is up on ESPN3 for anyone who wants to review the debacle:

http://espn.go.com/watchespn/player/_/id/744843/

A classic illustration of what we are talking about comes beginning with 10:12 left in the game, at about 1:37:24 into the gametape. 

30 seconds.  Joslyn inbounds to Amber.  Amber brings the ball up the court. 
Soon after passing midcourt, Amber passes to Taylor who passes to Toni who passes to Joslyn.

21 seconds.  Joslyn, on the three point line, is briefly open.  She waits and passes to Toni.

19 seconds.  Toni has benefitted from a screen and is briefly open at the three point line.  She waits, then dribbles and dishes to Amber.

15 seconds.  The dish worked, and Amber is open at the three point line.  She bends her knees as she winds up to shoot.  Then she brings it back, dribbles left, and passes to Taylor who reverse to Joslyn.

10 seconds.  Joslyn is not open this time.  She dribbles right and passes to Toni.

6 seconds.  Toni might be briefly open, but hesitates, then dribbles left with the shot clock winding down.
Toni has briefly gotten herself open but she spins around 180 and passes off to Joslyn with 1 second left.

0 seconds.  Shot clock expires just before Joslyn launches the ball.  It hits nothing but net, and is one of the prettiest shots I've ever seen her make.  Doesn't count.

What this says to me is that Joslyn successfully made a basket when she was absolutely forced to put it up.  At the time she got the ball at the end of the sequence, she knew there would be no guilt if she missed--no one would criticize her for not passing it to Chiney--no one would expect a last second heave to work, and lacking the pressure, she shot the most perfect arcing three pointer I've ever seen.  But at the beginning of the sequence she could not bring herself to shoot, nor could Toni or Amber.

This particular problem is quite obviously not a deficit of talent, but a deficit of confidence.

[81alum]

The game is up on ESPN3 for anyone who wants to review the debacle:

http://espn.go.com/watchespn/player/_/id/744843/

A classic illustration of what we are talking about comes beginning with 10:12 left in the game, at about 1:37:24 into the gametape. 

30 seconds.  Joslyn inbounds to Amber.  Amber brings the ball up the court. 
Soon after passing midcourt, Amber passes to Taylor who passes to Toni who passes to Joslyn.

21 seconds.  Joslyn, on the three point line, is briefly open.  She waits and passes to Toni.

19 seconds.  Toni has benefitted from a screen and is briefly open at the three point line.  She waits, then dribbles and dishes to Amber.

15 seconds.  The dish worked, and Amber is open at the three point line.  She bends her knees as she winds up to shoot.  Then she brings it back, dribbles left, and passes to Taylor who reverse to Joslyn.

10 seconds.  Joslyn is not open this time.  She dribbles right and passes to Toni.

6 seconds.  Toni might be briefly open, but hesitates, then dribbles left with the shot clock winding down.
Toni has briefly gotten herself open but she spins around 180 and passes off to Joslyn with 1 second left.

0 seconds.  Shot clock expires just before Joslyn launches the ball.  It hits nothing but net, and is one of the prettiest shots I've ever seen her make.  Doesn't count.

What this says to me is that Joslyn successfully made a basket when she was absolutely forced to put it up.  At the time she got the ball at the end of the sequence, she knew there would be no guilt if she missed--no one would criticize her for not passing it to Chiney--no one would expect a last second heave to work, and lacking the pressure, she shot the most perfect arcing three pointer I've ever seen.  But at the beginning of the sequence she could not bring herself to shoot, nor could Toni or Amber.

This particular problem is quite obviously not a deficit of talent, but a deficit of confidence.