By
Kamy Shaygan
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Brase out with injured wrist
The Arizona women's basketball team, which lost five impact players from last year's squad, returns eight letterwinners and will add four freshmen for the 2000-2001 campaign.
Wildcat freshman forward Veranda James - who is expected to make an immediate impact - averaged 32.4 points, 17.2 rebounds and 5.2 blocks per game her senior year at Ganesha High School in Pomona, Calif.
Arizona head coach Joan Bonvicini has nothing but high expectations for the incoming freshman.
"Veranda is going to make a big impact right away," Bonvicini said. "She's a good player and, more than that, she has the right attitude."
UA guard Reshea Bristol, the only senior on this year's squad, is confident James will play a tremendous role in the success of the team.
"I believe Veranda has a lot of potential to be one of the Pac-10 freshmen of the year," Bristol said. "She's just really willing to work hard, and determination - she has it."
Along with James, freshmen Candice Allen, Jen Chesney and Aimee Grzyb are expected to get quality playing time this season.
Bonvicini has been nothing but smiles when it ocmes to the incoming freshmen.
"They are very athletic - good size, good quickness and good numbers," Bonvicini said. "It's a class that's going to make a presence right away."
Junior guard Julie Brase, who averaged 6.1 points per game last season, had surgery in the offseason for a partially torn ligament in her wrist.
"I did something at the end of the summer playing pickup (games)," Brase said. "I don't really remember it happening. I had a little bit of pain, and I kept playing on it. It just kept hurting to the point where I couldn't shoot."
Brase will wear a cast for another week, after which she will begin rehabilitation. Although injured, Brase has been working on her physical conditioning in the offseason..
"I'm still working hard and getting in shape, so I just hope rehab goes good," she said.
Brase - whose grandfather is UA men's basketball head coach Lute Olson -is expected to be out until the middle of November, but should make an immediate impact when she returns to the game.
"The thing with Julie is that she is a tough kid with a great attitude and work ethic," Bonvicini said. "We just want to bring her along."
Bonvicini is trying to make the best of the situation.
"It's going to hurt a little bit, but it will give the opportunity to some other kids," Bonvicini said.
The Wildcats conducted their first practice of the 2000 season Saturday at the McKale Center.
"Today went really smooth," Bristol said. "Everyone is all on the same page."
UA junior forward Elizabeth Pickney, who averaged 9.8 points a game last season, was very impressed with the first practice of the season.
"Overall, I think we did very well as a team," Pickney said. "We need to keep up the good work."
At the end of the practice - after running a series of "suicide" runs - Bonvicini told Bristol to shoot two free throws to see if the team was going to continue running.
Bristol, who drained both free throws, said she loves to be in those situations.
"It was just almost like a game," Bristol said. "I tried to keep all the distractions out of the way. It's almost like I want to take the team on my shoulders."
