Consistency.
That is the best word to describe the women's basketball team's newest starter, Michele Matyasovsky. She was inserted into the starting lineup at the power forward position four games ago against Georgia Tech to provide new energy, and Matyasovsky has done exactly that. In addition to energy, the 6-foot-1 junior forward has added tremendous post defense and even more versatility to the Blue Devils' already multi-faceted attack. Matyasovsky's skills on the court complement her extremely likeable demeanor.
"Michele is a pleasure to coach," said Duke assistant coach Gale Valley, who coaches Duke's post players. "She has a great personality. The coaches all love her, the players all love her. She gets along with everybody."
Matyasovsky came to Duke after being named the Gatorade Circle of Champions New Jersey Player of the Year out of Triton Regional High School in Somerdale. The Blue Devil coaches first noticed her talent in an AAU game the summer before her sophomore year. Valley was particularly impressed with her versatility, noticing that she excelled in every aspect of the game.
Matyasovsky continued to develop her game throughout high school, and during her senior year, she committed to Duke, despite flirting with Virginia. She justified her decision by praising Duke's balance of academics and athletics.
"You can't really go wrong coming here," Matyasovsky said.
She played her first season at the guard position, and experienced moderate success, starting seven times, averaging 19.8 minutes per game and being named to the 2000 All-ACC freshmen team. Matyasovsky greatly enjoyed her freshman campaign, and looked to carry over her confidence into her sophomore season.
But there was an unexpected twist to her second year at Duke: Matyasovsky was moved from the perimeter to the post. As a result, she worked painstakingly to adjust her game.
"When the coaches told her she was going to be moved down to the post, she did not have a problem with it," teammate Sheana Mosch said. "She's the kind of person that will do whatever the coaches tell her to do."
Matyasovsky's transition, however, was not as smooth as she would have hoped. After starting at the end of her freshman campaign, Matyasovsky was not re-inserted into the starting lineup again until the end of her sophomore year, when she started the final eight contests of the season.
"It was hard at first," Matyasovsky said. "The post is a lot more physical. Before I was really a finesse player; I didn't really like the whole contact thing. Coach Valley helped me a lot. This year, I feel a lot more comfortable. Coach G gives me freedom, and I'm not just stuck on the low block."
Matyasovsky now uses many of her guard skills to frustrate her opponents in the paint. She feels she is quicker than most of her opponents, and can step outside and shoot the three.
If her guard skills lent themselves to scoring in the paint, her transition to playing solid interior defense has taken longer.
"Her biggest improvement since we've moved her into the post has been her post defense," Valley said. "She is a very, very good defensive player."
Duke has not lost since Matyasovsky was inserted into the starting lineup this season, and she has big plans for her team's future.
"I think we have a great shot at making it to the Final Four," Matyasovsky said. "We have all the talent that we had last year, but now we have the chemistry and the discipline."
Duke's coaches are certain Matyasovsky will have a big impact on the Blue Devils' run in March.
"She's everything you can ask for in a Duke player," Valley said.
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