The summer months on campus at Syracuse grow much quieter than when class is in session

For athletes, those precious three months prove valuable as they take a class or two while honing their practice routines before fall semester comes. For freshman athletes, it gives them time to make that needed adjustment to the collegiate level and become better acquainted with their team.

But Lina Lisnere didn’t follow that route. The SU women’s basketball team’s freshman forward decided to play for the Latvian Under-20 National Team, guiding the squad to a third-place finish at the European Championship.

The experience in international competition has helped Lisnere push her game into full gear so far with SU. Leading Syracuse with 16.5 points per game in two exhibitions, Lisnere plans to be a key contributor to the Orange when it faces a pair of opponents this weekend to kick off the regular season. Syracuse plays Manhattan tonight at 7 and Buffalo on Sunday at 2 p.m.

‘It was kind of late (when I got here) because the whole team was here for the whole summer,’ Lisnere said. ‘It was OK. I adjusted quite quickly.’

Lisnere adapted in more ways than one. The Latvian native soaked in just about everything when she arrived on campus Aug. 25, the first time Lisnere ever set foot on Syracuse grounds. When head coach Keith Cieplicki recruited her, Lisnere never bothered visiting. She said his sales pitch convinced her enough. During their talks, Cieplicki told Lisnere about the strong education Syracuse provides as well as its athletic reputation, particularly with men’s basketball.

Regarding the women’s team, Lisnere knew she would be part of the youth movement for a team that seems to be making strides under Cieplicki. Jill Norton enters as the team’s only senior. Tracy Harbut is the only returning junior, joined by Ashley McMillian, a junior transfer from Monroe Community College. That leaves 13 underclassmen, Lisnere included, to participate in the playing time crapshoot.

‘We have an opportunity to build our program,’ Lisnere said. ‘It’s a great opportunity to play with those young people.’

She already notes the style differences between American and European basketball. Lisnere and sophomore Vaida Sipaviciute, a Lithuanian native, thinks American players have better athletic ability.

While American play emphasizes strength and muscle, European basketball relies more on speed and endurance. In America, having a quick crossover and a consistent jump shot overrides a powerful presence in the paint. The different pace is illustrated in the respective shot clocks: U.S. women’s basketball allows 30 seconds per shot while Europe allows 25 seconds.

In Lisnere’s case, she could easily mold into two different positions. Standing at 6-foot-3, she actually played the small forward spot in Latvia. Lisnere’s tendency to play on the perimeter showed when she hit seven 3-pointers in SU’s two exhibitions. Given her height, though, Cieplicki wants her to play power forward.

Lisnere hasn’t shied away from the paint, per say, but she has had the tendency to play on the perimeter more often. Lisnere admits she still needs to work on her post moves. Along with adapting to a different culture, Lisnere has leaned on Sipaviciute to help guide her in practice when they post up inside.

‘I understand how she feels now,’ Sipaviciute said. ‘She was in the same position I was in a couple years ago. It’s hard to be away from home.’

Sipaviciute and Lisnere will have elevated roles in the paint this weekend. Injured center Sara Antolick will not play this weekend and wasn’t at practice this week. SU said trainers will evaluate her right knee injury on a week-by-week basis. With Antolick’s absence, Lisnere will likely see an increased role this weekend, something she has no problem with.

‘Everyone feels pretty bad (about Antolick’s injury),’ Lisnere said. ‘On the other hand, everyone understands injuries are a part of reality. That’s why there are 11 more players on the team who are good players.’

Published on November 17, 2005 at 12:00 pm