6'8" Baylor Bears center Brittney Griner is a freshwoman phenom, a shot blocking sensation, and the most phsyically dominant college basketball player to emerge since Shaquille O'Neal entered LSU in 1990. There have been taller women in hoops, but never has a player of Brittney's size had such impressive footwork and agility. At 19, she dunks in games & intimidates with her size & skill. She's so powerful and quick that basketball writer Trey McCray calls her The Human Cheat Code.
She's in the midst of a record setting year with 218 blocks and counting. She's blocked 35 shots in 4 tournament games, already a record. The old record was 30 blocks over a span of 6 games by Duke's Alison Bales in 2006. Griner also set the single game record for blocks against Georgetown in the tournament. Her 14 blocked shots were more than the total baskets made by Georgetown (12). The Hoyas only managed 17% FG.
In the biggest game of her budding career, against Duke in the regional finals, Brittney hit the game winning shot. She narrowly missed her 3rd triple double of the year with 15 points, 11 boards & 9 blocked shots. Duke shot a season low 23%. Both of Griner's triple doubles featured points, rebounds & blocks.
Here's what a few basketball greats say about her game:
Nancy"Lady Magic" Leiberman: "Nobody can do what she can do. Not Cheryl Miller. Not Lisa Leslie. Not Candace Parker. She plays like a guy. It's a really beautiful thing to watch."
Cheryl Miller: She's got great hands, she's got great footwork, she's very fluid. She's not just going to take women's basketball to the next level, she could be the absolute savior of women's basketball. When she grows into her body, oh my God, are you kidding me?
UConn coach Geno Auriemma: "I think she's the most unique player in college basketball today. I don't think there's any one thing that you're gonna be able to do and say 'If we do this against Brittney Griner, then we'll be OK.' I don't think that exists."
Bill Russell publicly supported and encouraged Brittney after she punched an opponent who was playing dirty. He said, "I looked at the incident and I felt sad because that's the way we portray her, one moment out of a thousand moments. I know from experience that there were maybe 10 plays that led to what I was seeing on that film clip."
He added, "There are five billion people on the planet. Major league athletes all over the planet total less than 10,000 people. They are all freaks. That young lady should know that very few people, unless she lets them, can have any impact on her."
Cheryl Miller also spoke up for Brittney by saying, "While I don't condone what she did, (I) understand it. I lived it. There is sometimes a different standard for people who are bigger and stronger. It's like the officials assume you should be able to absorb more contact."
Brittney's game in her words:
"It's not my goal to go out and change the game. I just feel like I'm adding to it."
"I think it'd be kind of funny to be 6'8" and not have any blocks at all. It's kind of like second nature. Just see the shot go up there and try to grab it or throw it out of bounds."
Griner meets her toughest foe to date this Sunday night when Connecticut brings their record 76 game winning streak to the Final 4 to face the Baylor Bears. UConn has won each game in their streak by double digits, including their 40 point win over Florida St. last night.
2 dominant forces on a collision course in Baylor's home state of Texas.
Can UConn outmatch the Human Cheat Code?
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