Nobody does it like Faulkner

If you knew Lisa Faulkner, the difference she’s making for UC Irvine

wouldn’t surprise you. If you knew she has been experiencing

tendinitis in her knee while performing at a high level for the

Anteaters, that, too, would not be shocking.

Faulkner, the 5-foot-5 point guard of the UCI women’s basketball

team, has been assisting the Anteaters in their turnaround season,

and it’s been of little surprise to those who know her. UCI, which

was picked to finish sixth in the Big West coaches’ preseason poll,

is in second place in the conference and own a record of 15-8, 8-4 in

the Big West with four games remaining. Last year, UCI won eight

games, and that includes five in the Big West, all season.

Faulkner has been one of the main reasons for the Anteaters’

improvement. Last week, she dished out 16 assists in a 72-59 win over

Idaho to break a UCI school record for most assists in a game.

Faulkner’s 16 assists is the most in the Big West this season and the

fourth best mark in the nation this year.

“She’s our most valuable player as far as the way she keeps the

offense going,” UCI Coach Mark Adams said. “In our mind she’s the

straw that stirs the drink. She’s little, but she has a big heart.

She has been very important to our success, so far.”

As far as Faulkner is concerned she is meeting expectations. She

came from Oregon City High in Oregon, where winning was, and is, as

natural as breathing. Championships at Oregon City are as traditional

as the Star Spangled Banner performed before every game.

The Pioneers have won eight of the last 11 state titles. They’ve

been ranked in USA Today’s Top 20 every year, except for one, since

1987. USA Today named Oregon City national champions in 1995, ’96 and

‘97 and the team is ranked sixth so far this season.

When Faulkner was a sophomore at Oregon City in 1999, she had to have surgery on her ACL. The Pioneers were ranked 14th in the country

and undefeated. They lost their next game without her and they lost

in the playoffs. When Faulkner was a freshman she came off the bench

and hit a few key three-pointers to help lead Oregon City to a state

championship. She also guided the Pioneers to a state title in her

senior year.

“I think that’s one of the reasons UCI recruited her,” Oregon City

co-coach Carl Tinsley said of Faulkner’s background. “Lisa knows what

she’s capable of and she has developed the will to win and with the

point guard position that is very important. She’s the type that

wills a team to win. Just on sheer desire she can take them over the

hump sometime.”

If you need to know anything more about Faulkner’s reputation and,

perhaps her personality, just know that at UCI, she is studying to

eventually become an FBI agent.

“She’s a tough kid; she can perform under pressure, there’s no

question about it,” Tinsley said. “I believe if she wasn’t injured

her sophomore year we would have won six (state titles) in a row. She

had the surgery in February and she was playing again in June. She’s

tough.”

After her winning seasons at Oregon City, Faulkner came to UCI,

where she endured through a trying season (8-20, 5-11 in the Big

West).

“It was humbling,” she said. “I came from a school where we won.

People say you learn a lot from losing and I did.”

Faulkner also learned during the off-season. Adams said she worked

diligently to improve her game, so that when this season came around,

no one would be surprised.

When Faulkner set the UCI record for assists in a game last week

she didn’t think too much of it.

“I wasn’t having one of my best games,” Faulkner said. “There

weren’t really any spectacular passes. I was mostly setting up people

for easy buckets.”

* In addition to Faulkner’s efforts, junior forward Christina

Callaway and senior guard Wendy Gabbe, as well as junior guard

Kristen Green have been important to UCI’s success.

Callaway has been leading the Anteaters in points (13.4), rebounds

(7.5) and steals (1.9) per game in Big West action, while Gabbe,

UCI’s lone senior, has provided leadership and averages 12.5 points

per game. Green, who has also elevated her play this season, is

scoring 12.2 points in Big West games.

* Two reasons why, Faulkner, Gabbe and Green have improved this

season are Kim Lummus-Crabtree and Selena Ho, the assistant coaches

who have been working with the guard this season. Ho is the newest

member of the UCI staff. She comes from the University of the

Pacific, where she was a two-time first-team All-Big West selection

and she ended her career ranked first in the Big West and 24th among

NCAA Division I player in three-pointers made (271).

Ho will return to Pacific for the first time as an opponent

Saturday, when UCI takes on the Tigers. She led the Tigers to the Big

West Tournament championship game last season. She finished her

four-year career third on Pacific’s all-time scoring list with 1,651

points, third in assists (430) and ninth in steals (135).

“It’s going to be exciting,” Ho said. “I want for us to take care

of business. For 40 minutes, I’ll be all about helping the team to be

ready to win. Then, after the game I can spend time with old friends.

It will definitely be special.”

* An interesting note: Faulkner’s best friend, Lacey Mills,

plays for the Vanguard women’s basketball team. The two played

together at Oregon City. Faulkner went to support Mills, when the

Lions defeated Point Loma Nazarene, 54-45, at Vanguard’s gym, The

Pit, Tuesday night.

The Lions have been enjoying some surprising success, too. Well,

surprising to some folks. Vanguard, which was picked to finish ninth

in the Golden State Athletic Conference, is two wins away from

claiming the championship and the Lions are ranked 15th in the NAIA.

* The Anteaters will take part in the NCAA’s Take A Kid to the

Game program Saturday night, when the Anteaters host Pacific. Kids,

ages 17 and younger, will receive a free ticket with the purchase of

a full-priced adult ticket for the game that starts at 7:05.