Duffy picks San Diego State, 2005 Classic
- 07-19-2005
- By Tom Shanahan, San Diego Hall of Champions
El Capitan High's Allison Duffy, one of California's top high school players the last two seasons, wanted to play her college basketball career close to home. And the homecoming of Beth Burns has made the decision easy for the 6-foot-1 Duffy, a senior in the fall.
"She's given San Diego State a commitment," said El Capitan coach Darin Curtis. "She wanted to stay local, and with Beth Burns coming back to coach San Diego State's women's team, it made it an easier choice for her. It's great for Allison and great San Diego State. Allison and her father, Don, are close, so he'll be able to see her play."
Duffy, a third-team All-State pick by CalHiSports.com and first-team Breitbard All-CIF choice as a junior, averaged 21.1 points a game last year. El Capitan won the Grossmont North League title and finished as the runner-up in the CIF San Diego Section Division II playoffs to Mount Miguel for the second time in three years.
Burns, who built SDSU women's baskteball into a nationally ranked program in the early 1990s before leaving to take the Ohio State job, is prohibited by NCAA rules from commenting until Duffy signs a national letter-of-intent in November.
Duffy will be playing this week in the 19th annual San Diego Classic July 21-24 at three sites around San Diego. The San Diego Classic is the largest tournament of its kind in the nation, with games to be played at UCSD's RIMAC Arena, San Diego State's Aztec Recreation Center and Alliant International University's Sports Center.
El Capitan is the defending champion of the San Diego Classic and plays its first game at 3 p.m. on July 21 at Alliant.
The Classic features 348 teams and most of the top players in the state. The tournament is for high school teams as opposed to high school athletes representing traveling clubs teams.
Duffy made a decision this summer to forego playing club basketball. Instead of traveling to club tournaments, Duffy wanted to stay close to home and compete in summer league games with her high school team, which this year includes her sister, Ashley, a 5-foot-9 freshman in-the-fall slated to start at point guard for the Vaqueros.
“This is my last summer in high school, and it’s a chance to play with my sister,” Allison said. “I’m getting in a lot of time to work with my teammates and we also play against the boys team sometimes.”
Curtis said Allison's commitment to San Diego State gives the Aztecs a strong edge on landing Ashley four years from now. Ashley has been projected as a more advanced player than Allison at this stage of their respective careers.
"It's almost a two-for-one for Beth," Curtis said. "Allison and her sister want to play together."
Early on in the recruiting process she limited her interests to California schools because of a desire to stay near home, but college scouts can expect to see a different Allison Duffy this year.
That’s because El Capitan is changing its offense to match its lineup in the 2005-06 season. Last year the Vaqueros used their height advantage by getting the ball down low to Duffy and Heather Molzen, a 6-3 post player who is now a freshman at Washington State.
“I think the goal this year will be to play a more inside-outside game,” Duffy said. “We’re not going to be able to pound the ball inside to the big girls like we did last year. We’re going to spread the ball and find the open areas. I’m ready; it should be fun.”
To get ready, she’s been working to improve her ball skills.
“I’m trying to play more as a guard so I can take my game to the next level,” Duffy said. “I want to play a smarter game and handle the ball better. I working on dribbling and seeing the court – all those things.”
Despite the loss of Molzen, the Vaqueros return four starters: Duffy as well as Mallorie Montgomery, Morgan Craig and Lisa Wilkins.
“I’m looking forward to my senior year and taking on a leadership role,” Duffy said. “We spent a lot time working on things this summer. Summer is the time when you find problems and work on them. Like last year, I think we’re a connected team.”
Contact Tom Shanahan at 619-699-2334 or toms@sdhoc.com.
