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St. John's Women: The efficiency numbers

Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports

Ladies first. Utilizing the NBA/WNBA efficiency formula, we take a look at the 2013-14 performances of the St. John’s Women.

Pts Per Game

Efficiency Per Game

A. Thompson

7.8

14.0

A. Handford

16.7

12.9

B. Brown

9.2

10.9

E. McPherson

7.7

10.0

D.Grant

10.9

8.8

K. Langley

6.5

7.3

A. Perez

6.6

4.3

J. Walker

4.7

2.9

S. Udobi

2.1

2.6

A. Lewis

3.0

2.3

The basic formula:

EFF = (Pts + Reb + Assists + Steals + Blocked shots) – (Turnovers + missed FGA + missed FTA)

The full season statistics were utilized for the compilation. Players averaging 10 or more minutes a game were included. A footnote: Ashley Perez averaged 26 minutes per but appeared in only seven games. Sandra Udobi actually averaged 9.7 minutes per game but was included by rounding her playing time to ten.

Aliyyah Handford had the clear lead in scoring. The efficiency side saw Amber Thompson overtake her. Thompson pulled down a team high 313 rebounds. She also shot 50% from the Floor. Handford was hampered by 61 assists against 118 turnovers while shooting 214 of 448 (48%) from the floor. Turnovers did not sole afflict Handford. They were a common problem as the Red Storm posted a 22% turnover rate (turnovers divided by possessions). Twenty per cent is the cutoff as teams aspire to be under that figure to maximize efficiency. Handford did ge to the line for a team pace setting 216 attempts. She hit on just 54% of those charity tries.

On the assist/turnover topic…the best showing was by Eugenia McPherson with 106 assists against 77 turnovers. She is gone so the returnees will be asked to help limit turnovers and increase the assists.

Beside 133 boards, the 6-2 Thompson, now a senior, blocked a team high 45 shots.

Coach Joe Tartamella returns veterans from last year’s 23-12 team. There was no one with a truly outstanding efficiency. The half full approach shows a number of players grouped together which provides balance. Also, one or more of that group can excel on a given night.

Final note on the numbers…The late Martin Manley devised the efficiency formula. In his 1989 Basketball Heaven, Manley breaks down the values citing a 10-15 efficiency as a ‘role player’. That measurement has to be adjusted as the figures suggested were for the NBA, a 48 minute game, as opposed to the 40 of the colleges. The opportunity to post a higher efficiency with a longer game in the NBA requires the standard ‘labels’ as role player, to be adjusted.

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