May 13, 2005
Comfortable In The Driver's Seat
Derevjanik Confident With Sun System As She Vies For Backup Point Guard Role
By NED GRIFFEN
Day Sports Writer, Connecticut Sun
Published on 5/8/2005
New London, Conn. -- Jen Derevjanik has spent the better part of the last year getting adjusted, on and off the court.
For instance, the Connecticut Sun's second-year guard spent last fall and winter playing in Lithuania. It was the first time she'd ever been overseas, and it provided her with a whole new set of challenges. Like driving.
"I was scared," Derevjanik laughed. "(Teammate) Katie Douglas had to drive everywhere because I was scared that I would get lost and wouldn't know what to do."
Over time, Derevjanik got comfortable with her new surroundings and hit the roads on her own. She has developed that same kind of self-assurance on the court, too, something that she lacked during her rookie season.
"I feel a lot more comfortable than I was last year," Derevjanik said. "Coming here and not knowing anything, not knowing any system. Now I come back, and I know everything. I know a lot of people. It's just a lot easier. I'm definitely more confident."
Connecticut plays the Charlotte Sting today (4 p.m.) in their second preseason game at the Arena at Harbor Yard in Bridgeport.
Connecticut head coach Mike Thibault wants two point guards backing up starter Lindsay Whalen, and Derevjanik is one of three players fighting for those spots. Derevjanik, 23, is the only veteran of that group. The other two players are free agents: Maria Conlon, who played on three national championship teams at UConn, and Penn State's Jess Strom, who was not selected in the 2005 WNBA Draft.
"I feel like it's my spot to take," Derevjanik said. "I hope to step up and get that backup point guard spot. But I'm more confident. Being (in Lithuania) helped me out with being a leader, too."
Thibault said of Derevjanik: "I watched a couple of her games (from Lithuania) on tape. Basically, the things that she did well were defend and run a team. She's done well with those. Her shooting has been up and down. She is aware that she has some work to do. With our team, we don't rely on (the point guards) to take a whole lot of shots, but they can't make mistakes."
Derevjanik had enough ups and downs for two players during her inaugural WNBA season. The Staten Island native and former George Mason star was one of 39 undrafted free agents who showed up at the Sun's two-day free agent training camp last April. She impressed Thibault with her speed. She played her way onto the final 11-player roster as the No. 3 point guard.
Things continued to get better for Derevjanik early in the regular season when Whalen came down with strep throat and missed three games of a West Coast road trip. Derevjanik backed up veteran Debbie Black on that trip and did well enough to be elevated to Whalen's top backup once the team returned home.
Derevjanik, however, looked tentative and struggled, soon overtaken by Black. Derevjanik played in 24 of Connecticut's 42 games, averaging 5.8 minutes.
"I don't know if it was confidence," Derevjanik said, looking back at her struggles. "Sometimes I just didn't know what I should do because I'm playing with such great players. I'm like, `OK, I have to get them the ball.' I didn't want to make a mistake. Then when I thought about making a mistake, that's when I would turn the ball over."
Derevjanik spent several months after the WNBA season playing with Lietuvos Telekomas Vilnius of the FIBA Euroleague. She went for the experience, and it was a bit unnerving at first.
"I was scared," Derevjanik said. "It was definitely a culture shock. Everything is different. The food. The people. It was hard to communicate with people. I would go to the supermarket and point to things I needed. It was just different. It took me a little while to get adjusted. I wouldn't say that I was adjusted until after I came back from Christmas."
Derevjanik wasn't alone -- she had Douglas to lean on. Douglas, Connecticut's starting off-guard, is a EuroLeague veteran. Thibault likened it to a big sister relationship that benefited both. Derevjanik had a mentor that she was familiar with, while Douglas, 25, got to take on a leadership role.
"Katie was great because you can get homesick over there," Derevjanik said. "She lived across the hall from me, so if I was feeling lonely, I would just knock on her door. We'd eat together and hang out. It was great. Even on the court, she helped me out a lot. We worked out extra together.
"She was `Mama Bear,' " Derevjanik laughed.
The time in Lithuania would prove beneficial to Derevjanik. She eventually settled down and played her best ball late in the season, particularly when Lietuvos made its tournament run to the Final Four, a first for the team. Her defense improved, and she was allowed to call plays, something she hadn't done in Connecticut.
"Last year, I came not knowing anything, not knowing any system," Derevjanik said. "Now I come back and I know things. I know a lot people. It's just a lot easier. I'm definitely more confident. It's OK. If I have to beat out people for a spot, than let the better player get the spot."
