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Crimes Commits to LBSU Victories
by Frank Burlison, Long Beach Press-Telegram
November 29, 2006
LONG BEACH - When Long Beach State coach Brian Gimmillaro signed Alexis
Crimes to a national letter of intent in the fall of 2003, he did so with
the notion that she would evolve into one of middle blockers in college
basketball.
Three years later, Gimmillaro doesn't suffer from signer's remorse.
"She is as good as any middle in the country," Gimmillaro said.
"And I've thought that for a long time."
The 6-foot-3 Crimes, who shared Big West Conference Player of the Year
honors last week with conference champion Cal Poly's Kylie Atherstone,
will help lead the 49ers into an NCAA Tournament first-round match with
the Pepperdine Waves Friday night in the Walter Pyramid.
Gimmillaro's team (25-5) has won 15 of its past 16 matches (losing just
once Sept. 30) and will attempt to win only its second NCAA match since
the 2001 season - ironically enough, the last time the 49ers have been
hosts to first- and second-round matches.
Crimes, who averages 3.79 kills and 1.17 blocks per game, believes the
49ers are playing well enough to turn those postseason fortunes around.
"I do agree that this is the most progress we've made, from August
until November, since I've been here," she said. "We were still
learning to play with each other early but, as the season has progressed,
we've become more of a team. It's like night and day from early in the
season until now."
Crimes, a graduate of Etiwanda High in Rancho Cucamonga, was voted the
conference's top freshman two years ago and is three-for-three on first-team,
All-Big West selections.
Her explosive power around the net, as a hitter and blocker, still are
trademarks. But Crimes and Gimmillaro agree that her skills have become
much more diversified as a junior.
"I think she is becoming one of the most versatile middles in the
country," he said of Crimes, who is second in the Big West in both
kills per game and hitting percentage (.393). "She is now excelling
in all phases of the game."
Crimes, a four-time winner this season of Big West Player of the Week
honors (including the final two of the regular season), said her all-around
game "has gotten better.
"But," she added quickly, "I know I have to step up and
do even more than I have been doing. You always want to improve and do
whatever you can to help the team."
Tuesday afternoon, Pepperdine coach Nina Matthies, in her 24th season,
was just about ready to dive into videotape analysis of recent matches
of the 49ers.
But she knows enough of Crimes, by way of reputation and from her performance
during Long Beach's 3-0 victory against the Waves in Malibu a year ago,
to know that "she's tremendous ... a great one."
The adrenaline rush went into overdrive early Sunday afternoon when 49ers
players and coaches learned that Long Beach was going to be one of the
16 first- and second-round sites.
A couple of victories Friday and Saturday would earn the team airfare
to Honolulu for regional action next week.
But Crimes knows she and her teammates have a couple of significant obstacles
to overcome - namely, No. 24-ranked Pepperdine in the first round, and
either No. 12 Hawaii or Oregon, a team that has already beaten the 49ers
in the Walter Pyramid this season, in Round 2 - before they can board
any flights.
And if they can't navigate the first obstacle, the second becomes moot
as two teams not named Long Beach State hook up Saturday night on the
49ers' home court.
"We're very focused and there is no way we're going to be looking
ahead," she insisted.
It was a trap at least one 49er was snagged by last year, when a first-round
match with the University of San Diego was standing in the way of a second-round
hookup with UCLA in Pauley Pavilion.
And USD ended the 49ers' season in Round 1.
Crimes confesses to spending more time thinking about the Bruins than
she should have a year ago.
"Personally, I was looking ahead (to UCLA)," she said. "That's
not going to happen now, though. We're only focused on the match at hand."
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