University of Minnesota Athletics
China Antoine: "I've Always Been This Tall"
11/18/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
It’s not easy to be so termed “height-challenged” and survive in college basketball. Five-foot, three-inch Golden Gopher point guard China Antoine stands up tall to this challenge and after just two exhibition games is already becoming a fan favorite of the Williams Arena faithful.
Antoine, a junior college transfer from Shelton State Community College in Madison, Ala., needs only to look as far as associate head coach Barb Smith to get advice on being a smaller player in a game where height is so revered.
Coach Smith confirms she is the taller of the two, asking her height be listed as 5-4 3/4, “or 5-5 since I round it up,” she added jokingly. The two were seen testing who was indeed taller, standing back to back at a recent practice, much to the delight of the rest of the Gopher team.
“When I was going to play at Ohio State, I had a lot of people tell me not to do it; you’re too small, you’re too short, you won’t like it, you won’t be successful,” Smith explained. “All of that just charged me up and gave me the ammo to go through with it. I see that a lot in China, not with her teammates, but when we were recruiting her. You just don’t see 5-3 on the roster much. Being in her shoes, I knew if she had the other intangibles, that she’d be just fine.”
Antoine takes her stature in stride and though she stopped growing in height, her basketball talents were not as limited. “I started playing basketball at about seven and I was about average size, in fact I was probably taller than most of the kids. All of a sudden, they just kept growing, getting taller and taller, and slowly I had to change my game. It’s never really been a problem for me since I’ve been this height all my life. I know what to do with my height and it’s just what I have to do.”
Smith can relate to the intestinal fortitude it takes to be successful when height challenged. “You have to have an exceptional work ethic,” she said. “You have to be able to out-think people because you have to be ahead of the game if people are going to take advantage of your height. If they are going to post you up, you have to know you are headed there before you are so you can prepare yourself. If you are defending a taller guard, you have to try to get in their head a bit in the backcourt so you can perhaps get them frazzled a bit before they can take advantage of your height. You have to figure out how you’re going to get around people; how you’re going to defend people since on both sides they are bigger than you. They may not be faster, though; they may not work as hard. They may not be as quick a thinker on the floor. In the college game, you get very little room for error because while someone can make up for a certain weakness with athleticism or height, there aren’t a lot of things that make up for lack of size. You can be fast. You can be strong. You’re not going to jump over people so you have to learn to box out. You’re not going to pass over people so you have to know how to pass around them. You have to figure out how you can survive out there, otherwise, you’re not going to be out there.”
Antoine is working on figuring all this out every time she steps on the hardwood whether in practice or a game. “The only way to get better is to learn. I might go in there and not make the right pass or get my shot blocked, but you can’t hang your head. You have to keep playing to make yourself better.”
The Gopher fans have quickly noticed this quick fireball, the first player to don #2 in Minnesota history. Minnesota faithful know one of the best ways to earn more minutes of playing time is to show your wares on the defensive end of the court.
“I love defense,” Antoine said. “The easiest way to get offense is to play hard defense. I love fast breaks, pushing the tempo, stealing the ball and all that. It’s all about the defense.”
That’s a good attitude to take coming into the Gopher program, whether as a true freshman or by taking the route that Antoine took, going to junior college for two years.
“Basketball is basketball and no matter where you go you’ll play against people as good, or better than you are,” Antoine continued. “Here you have to bring your A game every day. You have to play hard every single day. Basketball-wise, the intensity level, the athleticism and just the talent, period, you have to play up to par every day. You can’t slack because someone is always eager to take your spot.
“I wanted to play at the highest level. I took a risk and decided my best opportunity was to go juco. That was absolutely the best thing I could have done for my career.”
The hard work and determination finally hit home when she experienced her first game donning the maroon and gold of Minnesota and playing on the famed raised court of Williams Arena. She took the time to put her thoughts of the experience into words.
“What I thought first was, finally! It’s been a long time coming,” Antoine recalled. “I’ve worked hard to get to where I am. I’ve been through a lot, injuries, school, going to juco, and I’ve been working really hard. Putting that jersey on for the first time and going out and playing in front of a big crowd was a dream I’ve always wanted. It made me feel good. That was one of the biggest crowds I’ve ever played in front of so I was pretty excited.”
As the season progresses, Gopher fans will watch the progress of Antoine with extreme interest.
“I want to do whatever it takes to get the job done, whether it’s passing, or shooting, or just cheering my teammates on,” said Antoine of how she sees herself as a basketball player. “It’s about winning the game and that’s what I’m all about. I want to be known as a hard worker and the one who will do the gritty work to get the job done.”
And what has she already taken from her brief Golden Gopher career?
“…That anything is possible,” she says. “No matter what you are, no matter who you are, no matter how tall you are, you can do whatever you put your mind to. I’m a prime example of that. People didn’t think I’d make it this far because of my height, but I have.”
Sound familiar, Coach Smith?
Antoine, a junior college transfer from Shelton State Community College in Madison, Ala., needs only to look as far as associate head coach Barb Smith to get advice on being a smaller player in a game where height is so revered.
Coach Smith confirms she is the taller of the two, asking her height be listed as 5-4 3/4, “or 5-5 since I round it up,” she added jokingly. The two were seen testing who was indeed taller, standing back to back at a recent practice, much to the delight of the rest of the Gopher team.
“When I was going to play at Ohio State, I had a lot of people tell me not to do it; you’re too small, you’re too short, you won’t like it, you won’t be successful,” Smith explained. “All of that just charged me up and gave me the ammo to go through with it. I see that a lot in China, not with her teammates, but when we were recruiting her. You just don’t see 5-3 on the roster much. Being in her shoes, I knew if she had the other intangibles, that she’d be just fine.”
Antoine takes her stature in stride and though she stopped growing in height, her basketball talents were not as limited. “I started playing basketball at about seven and I was about average size, in fact I was probably taller than most of the kids. All of a sudden, they just kept growing, getting taller and taller, and slowly I had to change my game. It’s never really been a problem for me since I’ve been this height all my life. I know what to do with my height and it’s just what I have to do.”
Smith can relate to the intestinal fortitude it takes to be successful when height challenged. “You have to have an exceptional work ethic,” she said. “You have to be able to out-think people because you have to be ahead of the game if people are going to take advantage of your height. If they are going to post you up, you have to know you are headed there before you are so you can prepare yourself. If you are defending a taller guard, you have to try to get in their head a bit in the backcourt so you can perhaps get them frazzled a bit before they can take advantage of your height. You have to figure out how you’re going to get around people; how you’re going to defend people since on both sides they are bigger than you. They may not be faster, though; they may not work as hard. They may not be as quick a thinker on the floor. In the college game, you get very little room for error because while someone can make up for a certain weakness with athleticism or height, there aren’t a lot of things that make up for lack of size. You can be fast. You can be strong. You’re not going to jump over people so you have to learn to box out. You’re not going to pass over people so you have to know how to pass around them. You have to figure out how you can survive out there, otherwise, you’re not going to be out there.”
Antoine is working on figuring all this out every time she steps on the hardwood whether in practice or a game. “The only way to get better is to learn. I might go in there and not make the right pass or get my shot blocked, but you can’t hang your head. You have to keep playing to make yourself better.”
The Gopher fans have quickly noticed this quick fireball, the first player to don #2 in Minnesota history. Minnesota faithful know one of the best ways to earn more minutes of playing time is to show your wares on the defensive end of the court.
“I love defense,” Antoine said. “The easiest way to get offense is to play hard defense. I love fast breaks, pushing the tempo, stealing the ball and all that. It’s all about the defense.”
That’s a good attitude to take coming into the Gopher program, whether as a true freshman or by taking the route that Antoine took, going to junior college for two years.
“Basketball is basketball and no matter where you go you’ll play against people as good, or better than you are,” Antoine continued. “Here you have to bring your A game every day. You have to play hard every single day. Basketball-wise, the intensity level, the athleticism and just the talent, period, you have to play up to par every day. You can’t slack because someone is always eager to take your spot.
“I wanted to play at the highest level. I took a risk and decided my best opportunity was to go juco. That was absolutely the best thing I could have done for my career.”
The hard work and determination finally hit home when she experienced her first game donning the maroon and gold of Minnesota and playing on the famed raised court of Williams Arena. She took the time to put her thoughts of the experience into words.
“What I thought first was, finally! It’s been a long time coming,” Antoine recalled. “I’ve worked hard to get to where I am. I’ve been through a lot, injuries, school, going to juco, and I’ve been working really hard. Putting that jersey on for the first time and going out and playing in front of a big crowd was a dream I’ve always wanted. It made me feel good. That was one of the biggest crowds I’ve ever played in front of so I was pretty excited.”
As the season progresses, Gopher fans will watch the progress of Antoine with extreme interest.
“I want to do whatever it takes to get the job done, whether it’s passing, or shooting, or just cheering my teammates on,” said Antoine of how she sees herself as a basketball player. “It’s about winning the game and that’s what I’m all about. I want to be known as a hard worker and the one who will do the gritty work to get the job done.”
And what has she already taken from her brief Golden Gopher career?
“…That anything is possible,” she says. “No matter what you are, no matter who you are, no matter how tall you are, you can do whatever you put your mind to. I’m a prime example of that. People didn’t think I’d make it this far because of my height, but I have.”
Sound familiar, Coach Smith?
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's BasketballHighlights: Gophers 55, Ohio State 60
Friday, March 06
Cinematic Recap: Gophers-Illini
Tuesday, March 03
Highlights: Gophers 78, Illinois 73
Sunday, March 01
Coming Home: Carlie Wagner Olstad
Monday, February 23