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Sarah-Jo Lawrence (right) shoots over UMBC's Michele Brokans during last night's season opener. |
BY RICH CAMPBELL
WASHINGTON--Sarah-Jo Lawrence had just finished a two-hour basketball practice when she hurried up the stairs to the second floor of George Washington University's Smith Athletic Center and plopped herself in a chair inside a long, narrow multipurpose room.
She hardly had time to take a breath before the light on a television camera in front of her illuminated. On cue, she looked straight ahead and began explaining how the Colonials' sole mission this season is qualifying for the Final Four in Tampa.
And as she spoke, reporters got in line to hear her say it over and over again.
Lawrence was in such high demand on that afternoon last month, her journey from Orange High School to center stage on the national women's college basketball scene is truly complete.
Her evolution has been steady during her first three seasons at G.W., yet she believes there is more to accomplish personally and with her teammates. She is committed to leading the 14th-ranked Colonials to their first Final Four and ensuring her career continues after this season.
"It's my all-around game, doing the extra things, being that person that gets the extra rebound," Lawrence said. "It's definitely not just scoring. It's defense, rebounding and the little things that you can't really see."
Lawrence scored 18 points last night as G.W. opened its season with a 79-59 win over Maryland-Baltimore County. In a landscape dominated by power-conference schools such as Tennessee, Connecticut, Maryland, North Carolina and Duke, the Colonials hope their encore following last year's NCAA Tournament run to the round of 16 will conclude with a spot with the big girls.
Four starters are back from last season's team that went 28-4 and lost to top-seeded North Carolina in the regional semifinals. Lawrence, a shooting guard who averaged a team-high 13.4 points per game as a junior, leads the way.
STEADY PROGRESS
It's no coincidence that Lawrence's progression as a player has paralleled her team's.
As a freshman, she came off the bench in every game and won the team's Unsung Hero award after averaging 4.3 points.
She was more comfortable in coach Joe McKeown's system as a sophomore. Her scoring increased to 11.6 points per game, and she won the Atlantic 10 Sixth Player of the Year award.
Last season, she and the Colonials took a leap forward together. After failing to advance past the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament in seven tries since 1997, George Washington returned to the round of 16--the team's stated goal--and finished with a No. 14 ranking.
Lawrence moved seamlessly into a starting role. In addition to leading the team in scoring, she was second in assists (3.0 per game) and steals (2.1) and earned second-team all-conference honors.
"When she first got here she was quick, she was athletic," said senior Kim Beck, an honorable mention all-American and Lawrence's backcourt mate. "But over the years she has made herself into a good basketball player. Not a lot of people can do that.
"She was in the gym every day, all night, and you can really tell. She has improved dramatically every year."
EMPHASIS ON DEFENSE
As the Colonials try to step even closer to elite territory this season, Lawrence hopes to do the same, individually.
For her, that means contributing more than just putting the ball in the basket. Lawrence has been known as an offensive player during her time at G.W., and McKeown joked when asked what he'd like to see from Lawrence on defense.
"I'd like to see her try to play some," he said with a laugh. "She gambles a lot. We try to balance that off. Kim Beck is kind of her free safety back there when she goes after every steal.
"She's athletic enough to do that and recover. Defensively, obviously that's been a staple for our program. I think this year both of them can put a lot of pressure on people and we can turn that into transition basketball."
Lawrence realizes the payoffs to becoming a more complete player. In addition to the obvious boost it would provide the Colonials' quest for the Final Four, it would improve her chances for playing professionally.
McKeown said Lawrence has already caught the eyes of some WNBA scouts.
"I want to try to play in the WNBA if I can," Lawrence said. "If not, I'd love to go overseas. It's always been my dream to go other places, to other countries, and play. If I can use basketball to get paid to do that, that's what I'm going to do."
Lawrence's appetite for international experiences was whetted this summer when she helped the U.S. win the bronze medal at the Jones Cup in Taiwan. The team, comprised of college players, went 4-2 and heavily emphasized defense in games against teams that sometimes featured professionals.
Beyond the basketball, though, Lawrence relished her time in a foreign land. She and her teammates visited an orphanage, visited the sites and sampled many aspects of Taiwanese life. She was most touched by her interaction with the people there.
"The people were very receptive to basketball players," Lawrence said. "I think you can definitely reach people just from the simple fact that you're a basketball player. You can meet new people that you would never meet if you hadn't been playing basketball."
Lawrence, however, isn't ready to leave college behind just yet. She and her teammates believe there is another step to take in their collective development.
"We've proven we can hang with the big teams," Lawrence said. "This year is about beating them--not just being on the same level, but better."
Rich Campbell: 540/735-1974