THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, November 19, 1994 TAG: 9411190590
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JULIE GOODRICH, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 86 lines
At the age of 14, when most girls are grudgingly discovering the realities of adolescence, Ticha Penicheiro was on a journey of a different sort.
As the starting point guard on the Portuguese national team, Penicheiro grew up on basketball courts throughout Europe, traveling to Spain, France and Germany in pursuit of a dream.
A chance encounter with an American playing in Portugal opened a door, and five years later Penicheiro finds herself about to realize her dream of playing college basketball as she suits up for the Old Dominion Lady Monarchs.
``When I first saw her she was 15, just a baby,'' said ODU assistant coach Allison Greene. ``She was already at a different level than everyone else.
``She wasn't even a diamond in the rough . . . she was already polished.''
After wrapping up her collegiate career at Dartmouth, Greene traveled to Portugal to play professionally. She stumbled across Penicheiro when her club team played the Portuguese nationals.
``Ticha already spoke English very well, and she was fascinated with America, so she approached me and started asking questions,'' Greene said. ``I told her she was good enough to play in college - she said that had always been her dream.''
Greene kept tabs on Penicheiro and spread the word to Lady Monarchs coach Wendy Larry after being hired as an assistant coach. When Penicheiro was old enough to be recruited, Larry and assistant coach Anne Donovan traveled to Portugal to take a look.
Penicheiro didn't disappoint.
``She had great court savvy, and I was impressed with her ability to see everything on the floor,'' said Larry. ``She has great perception.''
The trip paid off, and not just because ODU landed Penicheiro. Larry also knew about a post player of uncommon strength and ability that played on the same club team as Penicheiro. It only took one look for Larry to know that she wanted Clarisse Machanguana to become a Lady Monarch as well.
``She's so strong, athletic, and competitive,'' said Larry. ``She brings a fire to us that we didn't have, and she sets an incredible work ethic.''
Old Dominion wasn't the only school that had its eyes on Penicheiro and Machanguana. Both were recruited heavily by the University of Florida.
In the end, it was the success of Larry's program, combined with the comfort of having an assistant coach who was fluent in Portuguese, that gave ODU the edge.
``Allison talks Portuguese, so I knew I had a friend who could speak my language, and someone who could help me if I needed it,'' Penicheiro said. ``I'll miss my family and friends, but I know I'll make new ones. And I knew it was going to be good for me to stay here for three years, so I can become a better person and ball player.''
Penicheiro speaks excellent English, having taken the language since high school. Her exposure to American movies and music has helped her fluency and allowed her to pick up slang words.
Machanguana, a Portuguese speaker from Mozambique, is a step behind Penicheiro in mastering the language, and there are still phrases that neither can understand.
According to Greene, the two tend to take words too literally. In an exhibition against Croatia, Larry was imploring her team to ``get it done'' and ``pick it up.''
``They were looking around on the floor like . . . pick what up?'' said Greene.
Anyone who has seen Penicheiro play invariably talks about her ability to pass the ball. Without looking. To anyone. Anywhere on the floor.
Although she and Machanguana are familiar with each other's play, Penicheiro is by no means a tunnel-vision player.
``They always know where each other is on the floor, but Ticha looks for everybody,'' said Nyree Roberts, a freshman post player for the Lady Monarchs out of New Jersey. ``Ticha just likes to pass the ball.''
Maybe too much so, at least according to Penicheiro.
``I would say that passing is one of the strongest points of my game,'' she said. ``But sometimes I pass when I should shoot, and that's something I need to improve.''
Although the early-season buzz is there for the newest Lady Monarchs, Larry cautions that ``what's on paper is a whole lot different than what ends up on the floor. We'll have to see how well these cards play out.
``A lot of things have to fit into place, but this is a class that has the potential to make a tremendous statement at Old Dominion.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo by CHRISTOPHER REDDICK, Staff
Ticha Penicheiro was the starting point guard on the Portuguese
national team when an ODU coach spotted her.
by CNB