No one should question her now
By now the doubters should be convinced.
Reagan Pariseau, a 5-foot-5 point guard out of Central Valley via Brewster, belongs in the big time.
Should any nay-bobs remain, they can see for themselves Monday night when Pariseau and Arizona State open the Pac-10 women’s basketball season at Washington State.
The tenacious Pariseau will be one of the first players off the bench for the Sun Devils in their first game since upending eighth-ranked Connecticut 61-50 last week.
“I knew how smart she was, I knew how tough she was, so I don’t want to say surprised because I expected her to help us immediately, but I’m really impressed,” ASU coach Charli Turner Thorne said. “I was pretty sure she would learn quickly, but I’ve been so impressed how few mistakes she makes. … Her consistency has been really impressive, and she’s just solid in terms of defense, taking care of the ball, doing the things we have to have for us to be a great team.”
Pariseau’s reward has been 18-plus minutes a game for an 8-2 team that has lost at top-ranked Louisiana State (65-54), won at then- No. 8 Georgia (67-57), lost before 11,229 hostile fans at New Mexico (61-45) and, of course, beaten the three-time defending national champions.
“I’m not really surprised,” Pariseau said, hesitating and choosing her words carefully, refusing to be baited into saying, “I told you so.”
“I just came here with an open mind and willing to learn things. Obviously I did some things the coaches like and I got some decent minutes. With coach’s style, she rotates in and out quickly. I just try to play good defense, do what I can.
“I’m having a blast, just trying to absorb everything.”
ASU sophomore Emily Westerberg, her teammate at Central Valley and on the ultra-successful Spokane Stars team that lead Pariseau to move to Spokane, didn’t hesitate.
“Oh my gosh,” Westerberg gushed, “Reagan has exceeded everybody’s expectations. She works so hard and she is just fired up. She is really going to be the heart of this team when (senior point guard) Kylan (Loney) leaves. We’re really excited to have her.”
It was Pariseau’s self confidence that drove her through an uneasy recruiting process because she was determined to play for a premier program when many people were saying, “Yeah, but… .”
As in, “Yeah, but …” can a 5-5 point guard play at that level?
Yeah, she can, but Pariseau has answered that question before.
She answered once by starting two years as Brewster was finishing first and third in the State 1A tournament. She answered again when she chose to transfer to Central Valley, where the Bears reached the State 4A title game her junior year and she was Greater Spokane League MVP as a senior.
“It is quite a jump,” she said of her most recent challenge. “It’s funny, I think about that all the time when we’re playing these big-time teams. We’re so prepared for that, we’re just as good, we’re playing at the same level. You don’t look at it like it’s anything special, you just go in and play your game.”
Her game has been just fine.
She has more assists (16) than turnovers (13), she is third on the team in free throw attempts and percentage (16 of 22, .727) and first in 3-point percentage (6 of 12), while her 18 minutes a game is sixth, more than one starter but behind top reserve Aubree Johnson, a Post Falls graduate and another Stars teammate. She averages 4.2 points with a high of 14.
“I’m happy with myself,” Pariseau said. “Of course I’d like to be doing more but that comes with experience and time. I’m just trying to do as much as I can right now but I’m pretty happy with my play. … (My role is) defense mostly, playing good on-ball defense. On the offensive end it’s making sure everybody is on the same page and being a floor leader.”
Turner Thorne couldn’t be much happier.
“Reagan comes in and just runs the team,” she said. “Everything she did for her team in high school she’s doing for her team in college, minus some of the scoring. She’s definitely scored well in some games. We get on her to shoot more, we think she’s one of our better shooters and we want her to continue to look for that.”
Pariseau’s minutes are not just as a backup for Loney.
“Especially toward the end of games I’ve played them together,” Turner Thorne said. “That allows (Kylan) to look to score a little more. It’s a lot of fun if they’re both in together. The problem is if they both get tired at the same time. That’s my challenge, I usually need to have one of them on the floor.”
No question Westerberg, fourth on the team in minutes (21.6) and third in scoring (11.1), and Johnson, fifth in minutes (19.1) and scoring (5.8) and third in rebounding (4.0), have made the transition easier for Pariseau.
“They’ve given me several tips that have made my life much easier down here,” she said. “They’ve been awesome giving me great advice that helps with the little things.”
The Sun Devils are unusual in that 11 players average between 10 and 25 minutes a game, and the top scorer is Loney at 11.6.
“I try to look at combinations,” Turner Thorne said. “At times I try to make it so those three (Johnson, Pariseau, Westerberg) are in together. With Emily and Aubree the chemistry is more noticeable … but it is noticeable how well they all play together.”
But Pariseau is getting the minutes because she has earned them.
“You’ve got to love it,” the coach said. “She’s got some poise.”
Self doubt and homesickness are not part of the equation.
“Just from the summer until now I feel like I’m a totally different player,” Pariseau said. “There are so many small detail things you have to learn at the college level that you don’t know in high school. It’s exciting to know where we’ll be as a team at come March.