PG Samantha Prahalis (B1G Champ, 2x All-American, B1G POY, B1G Career Assists Leader, OSU HOF)

[backabuck]

"Hard to believe it was not Lavender or, at least, Sammy and Lavender."

Amen...... I don't know which two games they are talking about in that blurb, but I think it was the SIUE 68-37 beatdown (that's Edwardsville Ill. folks) and the IPFW 78-58 cliffhanger (that's Fort Wayne Ind. of course). Those two teams have played a total of 8 games and lost 7.

The only other game Northwestern has played was Toledo, and NW pulled that one out 73-64.

I respect the Northwestern coach as he seems to be a fine man, an excellent coach and he will certainly make them better. I also respect Amy Jaeschke as a good basketball player and a tough competitor. Having said that, the only way Amy Jaeschke is going to beat Jantel Lavender out for anything, is on some silly, ill-considered, fluffy, off-base vote like this.

 

[Buckskin86]

ON TARGET: OSU WOMEN
Prahalis' skills add fun to game
Thursday, November 26, 2009
By Jim Massie
The Columbus Dispatch

DISHING IT OUT: Sammy Prahalis lets fly with a no-look pass against West Virginia in a Preseason WNIT game at Value City Arena on Nov. 19. Prahalis' ball-handling and passing abilities make her a crowd favorite. (Kyle Robertson, Dispatch)

SAMMY'S STATS
Game 1: Eastern Illinois
NOV. 13 /// W, 91-68
Assists: 8 /// Turnovers: 3
Game 2: Bowling Green
NOV. 15 /// W, 91-72
Assists: 8 /// Turnovers: 5
Game 3: Ala.-Birmingham
NOV. 17 /// W, 88-55
Assists: 8 /// Turnovers: 1
Game 4: West Virginia
NOV. 19 /// W, 92-69
Assists: 12 /// Turnovers: 5
Game 5: Oklahoma State
NOV. 19 /// W, 93-72
Assists: 9 /// Turnovers: 3
Game 6: UNC-Greensboro
NOV. 25 /// W, 89-56
Assists: 11 /// Turnovers: 5

A bouncing basketball keeps time as surely as a bass drum for a marching band. The music accompanying the ball's steady beat resides in the mind of the dribbler. Sammy Prahalis always has been drawn to riffs and runs that would bring a smile to the face of Charlie Parker or Jimi Hendrix.

Ohio State's sophomore point guard, the best-kept secret in Columbus if smallish crowds in Value City Arena are an indicator, plays a style of basketball that causes chills, thrills and even curses depending on your point of view.

Prahalis is a high-wire act in a sport played below the rim. She can't dunk but her ball-handling and on-the-move passing skills fairly scream about the evolution of women's basketball.

"Unique is an overused word in athletics," OSU coach Jim Foster said. "But she's close. I've been doing this for 32 years and I've only seen one other player as good in the open court. Her vision, her arm - I mean, she threw a pass to Tayler Hill (against West Virginia) that Joe Montana would have been proud of. It's fun to watch."

The fun began a baker's dozen years ago in New York, on the basketball courts of Long Island.

"I started playing in clinics when I was in the first grade," Prahalis said. "Middle school, or maybe even before that, I was playing (in youth leagues) and I was doing no-look passes.

"I did it, and it was like, 'That's fun.' Ever since, I worked with my trainer, Jerry Powell, and he showed me new things and it just took off. I did ball-handling every day and my game just got to another level."

GameDay+

 

[BB73]

Congrats to Sammy for earning back-to-back Big Ten Player of the Week honors, and her third this season.

Her outside shot had improved this year, and she has a assist/turnover ratio close to 2-1 while still pushing the ball at every opportunity.

Ozone

Samantha Prahalis Big Ten Player of the Week From OSU Press Release [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][/FONT]

Samantha Prahalis earns her second-consecutive Player of the Week honor and her third of the season after leading Ohio State to wins over Illinois and Indiana.

The sophomore averaged 23.5 points, 5.0 assists, 4.0 steals and 2.0 rebounds per game as the Buckeyes improved to 19-1 overall and 7-0 in Big Ten play.

On Thursday against Illinois, Prahalis scored 24 points on 64.3 percent shooting, also with five assists, five steals and two rebounds in the 72-61 win.

Against the Hoosiers on Sunday, she scored 23 points, shooting .500 from the floor, also with a pair of boards, five helpers and three steals as Ohio State recorded an 81-64 victory.

 

[Nutz4bball]

Another incredible week for Prahalis, well deserved Player of the Week. If she continues keeping her teammates involved I can truly see her as a serious contender for Player of the Year. The only negative I hear from the crowd is most don't appreciate the gestures, etc., shown to the TV cameramen. Not real ladylike, not very classy. Perhaps toning it down a bit will aid in pulling in more votes for postseason awards:osu:

 

[Mike80]

Another incredible week for Prahalis, well deserved Player of the Week. If she continues keeping her teammates involved I can truly see her as a serious contender for Player of the Year. The only negative I hear from the crowd is most don't appreciate the gestures, etc., shown to the TV cameramen. Not real ladylike, not very classy. Perhaps toning it down a bit will aid in pulling in more votes for postseason awards:osu:

I would be specific if I were you............

 

[Fungo Squiggly]

I would be specific if I were you............

I'm certain there was nothing malicious intended by that comment. Prahalis definitely has an edge to her game. She's very demonstrative when a call goes against her and she's definitely not afraid to mix it up with an opponent.

I wouldn't call it "classless", but it sure as hell wouldn't say she's "ladylike" on the court.

 

[Nutz4bball]

I suppose 'ladylike' won't win many ballgames, but there's a lot to be said for being 'classy'!!! Sticking out tongues and making gestures toward the camera does not fall under classy. Don't get me wrong, I'm as impressed with her talent as everybody else, but she's definitely spunky with a lot of attitude!!!:osu:

 

[ThisIsMyUsernam]

I love the way she plays and the swagger she has on the court. I don't think women's players should be expected to act a certain way just because they're female. She makes the women's game more exciting to me, and that was something I didn't think was possible. If she were 'ladylike' like everyone else, I'm not sure how many Lady Buckeye games I'd have watched. I actually went to yesterday's game. Worth the price of admission.

But to each his/her own. Keep bringin' it, Sammy!

 

[JBaney45]

I love the way she plays and the swagger she has on the court. I don't think women's players should be expected to act a certain way just because they're female. She makes the women's game more exciting to me, and that was something I didn't think was possible. If she were 'ladylike' like everyone else, I'm not sure how many Lady Buckeye games I'd have watched. I actually went to yesterday's game. Worth the price of admission.

But to each his/her own. Keep bringin' it, Sammy!

^^^

This

She plays with intensity and emotion, she doesn't do anything you don't see from football or men's basketball players, shouldn't be held to a different standard.

On another note, the athletic department finally decided it would be a good idea to put a little plug for the girls team with a small highlight reel advertisement featuring Prahalis

http://www.ohiostatebuckeyes.com/mediaPortal/player.dbml?catid=201&id=680888

 

[mendensa]

I was channel surfing Sunday and watched a little of the game. She definately brings a swagger and a some attitude to the court. I've seen her play on tv and in person a few times the last couple of years. Her flash and Lavender's dominance down low is definately what they need come tourney time to make a legit run.

I don't mind the antics as much (sticking the tongue out @ the camera after a good play or smacking the flloor after a call goes against her, ect..) as long as it isn't directed towards the opponent. The thing I have an issue w/ is the amount of turnovers. The box score said 8 but I saw about 6-8 in just the 15-20 minutes I watched. I know she plays w/ that NY street ball mentality but if the Lady Buckeyes are going to go any where in the dance, she needs to take care of the ball a little better than she has been.

On the defensive end of the floor, she reminds me of a knat or mesquito that just won't go away. I like her aggressiveness but it also gets her out of position allowing easy buckets on the other end of the floor when she doesn't make the big play.

I heard over the broadcast that Foster would be pulling out his hair last year @ this time w/ the amount of TO's but I guess when you are scoring an average of 20+ your last 4-5 games, coach is a bit more lenient.

Despite the TO's, I agree w/ the last few posters. I think the swagger she plays w/ makes the women more enjoyable to watch. I don't know if I have watched the women more than a hand full of times the past 5-10 years. I've watched them a dozen times already in the couple of years she has been here. In the past, they have crumbled under pressure in the big games, with Sammy leading the team, don't see them taking a back seat to anyone. (except UConn. What they did to Duke and ND this past week was just nasty. They have also played 4 other top 15 teams and beat them by an average of 25 points)

Go Bucks

 

[Nutz4bball]

What Prahalis has brought to this team has completely changed womens basketball in Columbus, still can't understand why the crowds are not there. This team is a genuine delight to watch, and hopefully do well come tournament time.
Agree with the last poster, turnovers are way too high at the pt guard position. Love the flash for the most part, but perhaps a little less flash forcing too much herself, and using that to get her teammates involved a little more would cut down those turnover numbers. She truly is a delight, just needs to use all that energy to make everybody around her better also. That's what great pt guards do, watching UConn last night proved that. Keeping everyone involved like they do, makes a team unbeatable.

 

[MolGenBuckeye]

I honestly don't see much of a problem with Sammy forcing plays by herself. It seems like the majority of her turnovers are on long outlet passes, interior passes, and the like rather than any selfish play. Are some of those passes ill advised? Well, sure. :) But she connects on enough to make it more than worthwhile, in my opinion.

 

[NYTraveller]

Indiana was easily Sammy's worst TO game of the year and the last few games have had less assists because she's had to score more and the team as a whole is not making as high a percentage as in the beginning of the season.

That said - she's second in the nation in assists and her A/TO rate is among the best in the country, this while playing a high-wire style that is both entertaining and high risk/high reward. She's not perfect but she's also not a me-first player and she definitely doesn't play the square-jawed, crew cut, set shot game that was popular in the Eisenhower administration. Asking her to play a low risk/low reward game would be turning Picasso into a house painter. Wanting her to continue to make the spectacular play at a 100% success ratio and cutting the TOs is understandable and desirable, and I'm sure Foster is trying to help her improve further, but to some degree you have to take some TOs as the price for the good things.

Also, look at her TOs before we get too critical here - most of them are dead balls, i.e. they do not lead to opponents' fast breaks. She does get too aggressive sometimes - but those TOs also have a small benefit by putting constant pressure on the defense to be aware that any opening will be exploited. She sometimes gets greedy in runs and tries to put a dagger in with a risky pass that might ignite the crowd. And sometimes she just makes bad decisions - but not that often when compared to other guards statistically.

The larger question here is why the Buckeyes do not draw 8-10,000 a game to watch Sammy and Jantel and Tayler and Sarah and Brittany and Shavelle et al - all of whom can play at a very high level of both entertainment and skill.

 

[Padraig]

If I lived closer, I'd probably have season tix to watch the Lady Bucks play. I absolutely love watching Sammy & Jantelle work together.

The last two seasons are the first that I've ever gone to see a women's basketball game live (and I even went to tOSU for a year that Katie was there :( ...and sad about missing out to this day). I'm [censored]ed when the Lady Bucks have a game and it's not on t.v.

Coach Foster and these players put a fantastic product out on the court, and I'd even go as far as saying that Sammy may be the 2nd most electric "baller" (as she puts it) that Ohio State has had playing the last couple seasons (men & womens).

.....and I think her sticking her tongue out at the camera is just hawt!

:osu:

 

[Dryden]

Minnesota Golden Gophers vs. Ohio State Buckeyes - Recap - January 28, 2010 - ESPN

Prahalis had 23 points, 6 rebounds, and 10 assists with 0 turnovers last night against the Gophers, and she appeared at #7 on SportsCenter's Top-10 of the night with a no-look, between the legs pass back to a trailing Sarah Schulze in the paint for an easy layup.

If you play womens basketball and make Top-10 without dunking, you know you've done something ridiculously cool.