SAN FRANCISCO – Scott Rueck has coached women’s college basketball for more than two decades, at Oregon State and George Fox.
Rueck encountered a couple firsts with his current OSU team, and both involved second-year freshman guard Talia von Oelhoffen.
One, Rueck has never had two players on a team whose fathers played in the NFL. Something that obscure, Ruewck might be the first women’s coach ever to encounter such a situation.
Tea Adams, a grad transfer guard from San Diego State, is the daughter of former Seahawk defensive tackle Sam Adams. Von Oehloffen’s father, Kimo, played 14 years as an NFL defensive tackle.
Lack of toughness won’t be an issue from those two during the 2021-22 season.
“Neither shy away from contact,” Rueck said during Pac-12 media day in San Francisco.
Von Oelhoffen not only has an NFL dad, but a mother who is in the Washington state high school Hall of Fame for her wide-ranging athletic abilities. Combine that with being the youngest of three sisters, and von Oelhoffen had no choice but to choose toughness.
“My parents being athletes were pretty hard on me, so it definitely made me tougher. My older sisters played basketball, they were pretty tough on me for sure,” von Oelhoffen said.
That leads Rueck’s other first, which isn’t really a first but more like a best-of. It’s the seamless transition von Oelhoffen made last season playing for Oregon State during what should have been the second half of her senior year in high school.
Because of the pandemic and uncertainty regarding a high school basketball season, Von Oelhoffen graduated early and enrolled at Oregon State in January. A bonus freshman year, if you will. After fewer than a handful of practices, von Oelhoffen made her college debut. She played 21 minutes and scored six points in a double overtime loss to Washington State.
The precocious point guard was just starting. By season’s end, von Oelhoffen played in 13 games, averaging 11.3 points, 3.9 rebounds and 3.0 assists.
“I’ve never seen anything like it,” Rueck said. “It was a unique opportunity, but to absorb everything so quickly and be able to execute at such a high level, on a stage like that, was remarkable.”
If it’s possible to not be surprised, and yet still be a little surprised, that’s how Rueck viewed von Oelhoffen’s debut. On the recruiting trail, von Oelhoffen showed Rueck the tools of a potential star, from physical skills to decision making.
But even at that, Rueck thought maybe three or four-minute stints, let her ease into action. Instead, von Oelhoffen proved she was ready for 20 or 30 minutes a game.
“I can’t say I anticipated her being that ready,” Rueck said.
The hardest part wasn’t the game, said von Oelhoffen, but the adjustment to new surroundings during an unusual time. Von Oelhoffen moved from her family home in southeast Washington midway through the season to a team that had been together for several months.
“I didn’t know anyone besides my teammates, so it kind of felt a little bit isolated as everybody did during COVID,” von Oelhoffen said. “Trying to fill my role and figure out what that role was, it was difficult but I had a lot of support, so they made it easy.”
Because of the experience, von Oelhoffen heads into what is supposed to be her true freshman year as prepared as any player from her recruiting class. During her 13-game stint, von Oelhoffen faced elite guards from top programs such as Stanford and South Carolina.
Rueck said those experiences caused von Oelhoffen to assess what she needed to become a top-flight college point guard. Von Oelhoffen told Rueck during their postseason meeting that she needed to become quicker and faster.
“Then she went to work,” Rueck said. “Her body changed. She went home for a month, came back, and she looked different.”
That progress continued during the spring and summer. Today, Rueck says, whatever lack of conditioning she had last season is gone.
During von Oelhoffen’s bonus freshman season, she was also able to learn from an experienced point guard in OSU senior Aleah Goodman. Von Oelhoffen soaked up knowledge from Goodman, particularly the leadership aspect of the position.
“You kind of have to be a leader at that position,” von Oelhoffen said. “Getting a feel for the game from her was huge.”
Those conversations with her parents now are a little different.
“Now that I’m in college, they’re kind of more hands off. Just going to enjoy it and watch it,” von Oelhoffen said.
--Nick Daschel | ndaschel@oregonian.com | @nickdaschel
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