Coach Sue Gunter was asked about preseason Southeastern Conference Player of the Year Seimone Augustus, and like a well-skilled player, Gunter used a pumped fake of her own.
“Seimone who?” Gunter sarcastically questioned.
She then let out a big smile, even a chuckle or two and focused on the 2002-2003 National Freshman of the Year and SEC Freshman of the Year.
“Oh okay…,” she said, seemingly starting to recall her star.
Augustus lived up to the billing – and the pressure – of being the nation’s top women’s basketball recruit by averaging nearly 15 points and almost six rebounds per game.
The media thought enough of her to vote her its preseason choice for player of the year. It’s an honor that Augustus said is great, but not something she will dwell on.
“I try not to focus on stuff like that,” she said. “That’s a big award for me, to be picked as preseason player of the year. But I think my player of the year [accolades] will come with me helping my teammates out, especially the younger players.
“It’s a big thing for me, but I’m going to try not to focus on it. I’m going to try to just go out and play.”
Any concerns Augustus would be the real deal, even as a freshman, were answered in her first collegiate game. She put up a 27-spot against a solid Arizona team on the road.
“I think all of us have gotten to the point now where you’re not surprised at what people think of her,” Gunter said of the preseason honor. “I think the great thing about it is the fact that Seimone doesn’t seem to be affected by it one way or the other. ‘Okay, that’s kind of neat. That’s it,’ is about the only comment she makes about it. She’s just an exciting player.”
Even the best players must improve in some areas. Augustus said she will look to take more 3-point shots this season.
She attempted just three from behind the arc a season ago.
“As far as offense, the only thing I lacked last year was the three,” Augustus said. “We really didn’t have a lot of 3-point shooters. This year me and [senior point guard] Temeka [Johnson] are planning on extending our offense a little further out.”
Johnson, who with Augustus was a member of the 2003 United States World Championship for Young Women over the summer, saw Augustus blossom into an even better player.
Augustus took home the Most Valuable Player award for the 2003 FIBA World Championship for Young Women as a member of the gold-winning USA team. The biggest difference Johnson saw: improved defense from the Baton Rouge native and Capitol High School graduate.
“Her defense has gotten better,” Johnson said. “She’s a much better defender. She’s a workhorse. She’s working extremely hard this year. For her to be nominated player of the year; the only thing we can do is try to help her get it.”
Augustus agrees her defense has become solid.
“Last year I felt I lacked a little bit [defensively] because I didn’t know the system that well,” Augustus said. “This year I came and really worked on my defensive stances and help-side defense.”
Gunter thinks Augustus will continue to improve throughout her college career.
“She’s going to be much better next year than she was last year,” she said. “She’s going to be better and better. She just continues to get better.”
Augustus said there is only one goal the Lady Tigers are focused on this year and that is being the only team left standing in April.
“We’re working really hard,” Augustus said. “We want to get back to that point and past that point. Just knowing that the Final Four is in New Orleans this year is a very big plus for us because we want to be in New Orleans for Temeka and [senior guard] Doneeka [Hodges], their hometown and play in front of our home crowd. We would like to play Texas again in the Elite Eight or Final Four. We’re very excited about the season and all of the possibilities of an NCAA round being played here and having the Final Four in New Orleans.”