Fil-Am Vanessa De Jesus ready to take charge for Duke in sophomore year
MANILA, Philippines — Filipino-American guard Vanessa De Jesus is eager to take the reins for the Duke women's basketball team ahead of her sophomore year.
Having only played four games in her freshman year due to COVID-19 cancelling the season, the Gilas women prospect is looking forward to impact the game more.
"For myself, I think one thing I always try to work on is just being the best leader and to play my role," De Jesus told Philstar.com during Duke's media availability on Wednesday.
"As a point guard, you have to control the team and make sure everyone is where they're supposed to be," she added.
De Jesus played as the starting point guard for the Blue Devils in her first year, averaging 12 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.8 assists in the four games of Duke's 2020-21 season.
The US-born Pinay is one of only five returnees in the women's hoops program where they are outnumbered by the newcomers with seven transfers and two freshmen.
Having been part of the system for a year longer than most of her teammates, De Jesus aims to be a helping hand for her squad.
"I feel like the biggest thing for me is just to be supportive of my teammates, just helping them on the court," she said.
"You know, being that guy that they need and just also playing my role and that being aggressive, making sure I do what I need to do on the court throughout the year," she added.
'Freshman in terms of experience'
While De Jesus is technically already in her second year on the program, Duke women's basketball head tactician Kara Lawson concedes she is still a rookie in terms of experience, having only played a limited number of games last year.
That's why Lawson, who led the USA Women's 3x3 squad to the gold medal in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, hopes to see the Fil-Am guard progress more as the season looms.
"She only played four games, and so, although she's a sophomore on paper, she's really still a freshman in terms of game experience. She obviously has a year under her belt at Duke, in the classroom, a year under her belt in terms of practice in our system, so she does have experience with that," said Lawson.
"But any player or a coach who has been in this league before can tell you it's hard, and they go throughout night in and night out against some of the top players in the league, it's a challenge," she added.
The decorated coach sees De Jesus taking a big role, though, as that's what she expects from her starting point guard regardless of experience.
Having seen her do it for a couple of games last season, Lawson hopes she can sustain it for a longer period of time.
"That's kind of the progression that she'll have to take, being able to do it for more than four games. You know, being able to do it for a full season, be somebody that can impact the game on both ends," said Lawson.
"That's what we look for from all of our players and that's certainly what we'll look for in V this year at the guard position," she added.
Lawson, De Jesus and the rest of the Blue Devils will open their season on November 9 against Winthrop at their home arena.
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