It may appear laborious to think about, watching the pure stroke and true kind that gives Gabriela Jaquez such regular success from past the three-point arc.
However there was a time when Jaquez’s long-range capturing was the a part of her sport that gave UCLA ladies’s basketball coach Cori Shut hesitancy in providing a scholarship.
Desperate to show herself, Jaquez tirelessly toiled at a park throughout the pandemic, getting up one shot after one other. She joined a membership group based mostly in Oakland, flying north twice a month for weekend practices.
Good factor she caught with it.
Jaquez earned that scholarship and is totally flourishing in her senior season, her all-around brilliance powering the No. 3 Bruins to a 99-77 victory over No. 14 Tennessee on Sunday afternoon earlier than a small however spirited crowd at Pauley Pavilion.
Jaquez scored 19 of her 29 factors within the first half, main her group to a 10-point benefit that grew to as many as 23 factors within the second half. Exhibiting her continued emergence as a knockdown shooter, Jaquez made 10 of 14 photographs, together with 5 of six three-pointers, and is now capturing a career-high 48.6% from past the arc this season. That’s up from 34.8% as a junior and 24.4% as a sophomore.
Past all of the work she’s put in with coaches and trainers, Jaquez mentioned, a change over the summer season sparked her latest success.
“One thing simply type of clicked in my head, like the place I need my capturing pocket to be and the way I need it to really feel,” Jaquez mentioned, “and I believe that’s the distinction proper there.”
Her three-pointer from the nook late within the third quarter pushed UCLA (8-1) right into a 71-53 lead and prompted roars after Jaquez held the shape on her follow-through because the Volunteers (5-2) known as a timeout in a futile try to cease the Bruins’ momentum.
Tennessee momentarily pulled inside 10 factors early within the fourth quarter earlier than UCLA rolled off the following eight factors, Jaquez contributing with a Euro step layup in transition. She departed with 2½ minutes to go to a standing ovation.
“She’s such an underrated participant and she or he simply makes issues occur. She’s all the time shifting,” Tennessee coach Kim Caldwell mentioned. “You’ll be able to’t guard her and take one second off or she is going to capitalize.”
Even surrounded by a lot expertise, Jaquez may make a robust case for being UCLA’s finest participant to date this season. She does much more than rating, preventing for gritty rebounds, throwing selfless passes and steadying teammates together with her presence.
“She simply finds warrior methods to contribute and make successful performs,” Shut mentioned. “And the primary yr it regarded like slicing and operating the quick break and taking part in the 4 for us quite a bit and doing the soiled work type of issues after which annually, we’ve seen her add to her toolbox.”
Jaquez had loads of assist in serving to the Bruins publish an announcement victory that prompted Caldwell to name UCLA “Closing 4-ready.” Level guard Kiki Rice contributed 20 factors and 11 rebounds, capturing guard Gianna Kneepkens logged 19 factors and level guard Charlisse Leger-Walker added seven factors and 11 assists. Including an infusion of vitality off the bench, ahead Angela Dugalic made six of seven photographs on the best way to 14 factors.
Sporting a white sleeve over her injured left arm, Bruins heart Lauren Betts didn’t take lengthy to make an impression in her return from a one-game absence. On the sport’s opening possession, Betts obtained a go, took one dribble and pivoted to financial institution in a bounce hook for the primary basket.
Betts completed with seven factors, 4 rebounds and two blocks.
Tennessee was led by ahead Janiah Barker, the switch from UCLA who saved issues shut with a flurry of baskets within the first half on the identical day she obtained her Closing 4 ring and a notice of gratitude from Shut. Barker, nevertheless, didn’t regard Shut as warmly and refused to shake her hand within the postgame handshake line. However Barker couldn’t maintain her early tempo and completed with 25 factors for the Volunteers, who shot 40.8% to the Bruins’ 58.5%. UCLA additionally made 10 of 17 three-pointers (58.8%).
