Illinois women’s basketball coach Theresa Grentz says her versatile forward Tauja Catchings has played basketball this season like “a woman among girls.”
“Some seniors, when they reach the position Tauja reached, either get senioritis or become All-Americans,” Grentz said. “Tauja is an All-American. She’s one of the 10 best players in the country.”
Catchings, 6-foot-1-inch daughter of 11-year NBA veteran Harvey Catchings and sister of Tennessee junior star Tamika, worried last autumn about her postcollege life, as do many seniors. She described it as “scary.”
Until last Dec. 12, Tauja had an uneasy freeling that her graduation from Illinois might signal the end of her playing days. Then in an exhibition game against the pros on the Olympics-bound U.S. national squad, Catchings received a massive surge of confidence.
This confidence has transformed Catchings into the leader of the Illini who play Michigan State in Friday’s quarterfinals in the Big Ten tournament.
Next Catchings intends to help Illinois advance deep into the NCAA playoffs. And she doesn’t believe that will be the end of basketball for her.
“I had doubts, serious doubts about playing at the next level,” recalled the 1996 Illinois Ms. Basketball from Stevenson High. “I felt pretty confident about my defense, even about guarding Chamique Holdsclaw. But I didn’t know about scoring and rebounding.”
Illinois lost that Dec. 12 game, but Catchings scored 18 points, grabbed seven rebounds and had three steals.
Defensively Catchings spent much of the game guarding Holdsclaw and helped hold her to five points. Holdsclaw, 6-2 former Tennessee star has frequently been called the best-ever female player. Tauja’s sister Tamika played in Holdsclaw’s shadow at Tennessee.
“That game helped my confidence a lot,” Catchings said. “I felt better about my game. I’ve played with that confidence the rest of the season.”
Fierce defense has been the backbone of Tauja Catchings’ game since she and Tamika, 21 months her junior, battled one-on-one as preteens on the driveway of their home in suburban Lincolnshire. But this season Tauja has become the complete player: defense, offense, rebounding, passing, steals, leadership.
“Tauja has been absolutely positively phenomenal,” Grentz said. “She’s played defense against every position from point guard to post. She’s made rebounds and passes and steals I’ve seen, but can’t believe.”
Ohio State coach Beth Burns, a proponent of defense, mentioned Catchings and Michigan’s Stacey Thomas as her choices as Big Tenplayer of the year.
“Catchings has very quietly had an unbelievable year,” Burns said. “She can disrupt your offense. She can defend any player in your lineup. So can Thomas, but Catchings is more consistent on offense.”
She ranks among the league’s top 10 in four categories: the No. 6 scorer at 15.7 points per game; No. 5 rebounder at 8.1; No. 1 in offensive rebounds, 3.5; and No. 9 in field goal percentage, .440.
Catchings’ improvement came at the perfect time. Pre-Christmas injuries ended seasons for two Illini regulars, 6-2 center Cindy Dallas and senior floor leader and four-year starter Melissa Parker.
“After those injuries Tauja literally strapped this team on her back and carried it,” Grentz said. “She has battled bigger people. She’s come up with rebounds Cindy Dallas would have made. Tauja’s taken over more leadership since Melissa went out. Tauja knows there’s a time to put an arm around a younger player … and a time to get right in her face. “
Illinois, 21-9 overall, tied Purdue for third place the Big Ten with an 11-5 record.
Illinois women basketball players become role models for children. Catchings credits her father with instilling in her a responsibility toward this role.
“Children look up to you. It’s up to you to encourage them and behave yourself,” she said. “I got this from my dad. He said, `Watch what you do and what you say.'”
