AUSTIN WARD Star-Tribune staff writer | Posted: Wednesday, November 5, 2008 12:00 am
LARAMIE - The comparisons are inevitable.
And apparently justified.
Admittedly the talent level isn't quite what it will be and it's a tiny sample size, but Emma Langford's debut in a 93-48 exhibition tuneup over Colorado-Colorado Springs was everything Wyoming could have hoped it would be.
Tuesday night at the Arena-Auditorium, the freshman forward looked more than capable of filling the sizable void Hanna Zavecz left for the Cowgirls.
"Know what, I knew that question was coming early," UW coach Joe Legerski said. "She has the skills and the mental capability to play this game at a very high level.
"I don't think she's as athletic, you would see Hanna make more plays defensively, but I believe Emma's really a very talented offensive player and a tremendous passer."
Langford's no liability defensively either, but her work on the other end was easily the highlight of UW's first step toward replacing its most successful class.
And she didn't waste any time helping the Cowgirls turn the page.
Langford buried her first shot, drilling a 3-pointer from the wing less than one minute into the game and never slowing down.
She poured in 19 points in the first half en route to a game-high 25, scoring on a variety of moves and virtually every way possible.
Deep 3-pointers.
Athletic moves off the dribble.
Post-ups and in transition.
There will obviously be tougher tests, but every part of her game passed with flying colors against the Mountain Lions.
"Unbelievable effort," Legerski said. "We knew she could play, knew she could score, to see somebody get 19 by half and 25 for the game, I thought she played extremely well.
"I'll be the first to know that we're not going to get 25 points from Emma every night, but it's nice to know she's got that kind of capabilities. Shot the ball well, got inside and was really a bright spot."
There were plenty of others.
Fellow freshman Ashley Sickles chipped in 13 points of her own.
Elisabeth Dissen added 11 in just 17 minutes.
And Kristen Scheffler just missed a double-double with nine points and nine rebounds.
All of them are also stepping into roles previously held by the successful seniors last year, but the Australian connection and similar expectations provided an obvious tie between Langford and Zavecz.
It only got stronger after the newcomer shook her nerves with the early 3.
"I was pretty nervous going into the game, seems like when I got out there on the court and after tipoff, got running up and down the court the nerves went away," Langford said. "I just tried to relax and just play my game.
"(Hitting that first shot) did help, got some more confidence."
There would be seven more makes after that.
And suddenly much more reason to be confident the Cowgirls will be just fine without Zavecz and Co.
Contact sports reporter Austin Ward at (307) 266-0634 or austin.ward@trib.com.
TUESDAY: Wyoming 93, Colorado-Colorado Springs 48
RECORDS: Exhibition.
PLAYER OF THE GAME: Freshman Emma Langford debuted with a sensational all-around performance that included a game-high 25 points.
HE SAID IT: "I'll be the first to know that we're not going to get 25 points from Emma every night, but it's nice to know she's got that kind of capabilities." - UW coach Joe Legerski.
UP NEXT: The Cowgirls close out their exhibition schedule Friday night against Metro State.