June 19, 2009
Keenan to the WAC
Going 28-3 as the Bishop O’Dowd girl’s team did in 2008-2009 requires contributions from throughout the roster -- both go-to talents and role players -- all accepting and carrying out their parts of the plan. Danielle Keenan is more one of the latter. She wasn’t the top Dragon scorer, nor the best boarder but provided a bit of everything on the court and sometimes more and as a result she is headed to the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) to play college basketball.
Danielle for the defense
The 5-foot-11 Keenan has cast her collegiate fate with San Jose State. She will walk-on her initial year and be ‘shipped’ after that when the team regains some lost scholarships. It’s a basketball program in the midst of a makeover, with the need for a solid foundation of high school recruits as a base from which to springboard forward. There’s a new-ish coach -- Pam DeCosta -- who took over a situation with a respectable facade but a crumbling infrastructure and is tasked with leading Spartan women’s basketball out of the darkness.
That’s where Keenan comes in. An honorable mention Hayward Area Athletic League (HAAL) selection, she averaged 7.5 points per game, shooting 47% from the floor and 62% at the foul line, while nabbing 5.6 rebounds a contest. Her mission every time out against O’Dowd adversaries was to be the proverbial “botherer” meaning taking charges, interrupting the offensive schemes of foes, grabbing offensive boards -- all the things that frustrate opposing coaches and players.
As for her reputation, Keenan prefers the description ‘Energizer Bunny’ and self-describes her best talent as playing defense. Asked why, she offered, "It’s the area where you can help your team the most. I love taking players out of their games."
So why was the choice San Jose State?
"Sometimes, when you go to a school, it just fits," Keenan said. She has also been a club ball teammate with a couple of the present day Spartans so she was well apprised of the school and basketball program. Plus, "it’s far enough away from home that I can go there when I want but don’t have to see my parents every day."
Malik McCord, formerly an assistant but now the BOD head coach for 2009-2010, offered this about his protégé: "She can guard anyone on the court and has grown and matured every year. This last season, I’m so proud of how she took her game to the next level. She’s a good leader and a battler who motivates others. She’s versatile, having guarded the two, three and four spots for us."
Though remaining as an assistant principal on campus, Kevin Cushing stepped aside from leading the O’Dowd girls team after the 2008-2009 season so as to spend more time with his family. The timing was perfect as BOD captured the HAAL championship. Here’s Cushing on Keenan: "Danielle is a lockdown defender who can guard out on the perimeter."
It’s been basketball for Keenan since she was very young, with her father as her biggest hoops influence. "I told him in the third grade that basketball was it for me so he built me a place to play at home, signed me up for AAU ball and took me to all the basketball camps."
But all wasn’t always a constant flow of peaches and cream for Keenan. "Early in high school, my attitude was horrible. I would talk back to my coaches, question things."
But that changed as a sophomore for her.
"Now I listen and understand there is a right time and place for everything," Keenan said. "I’m just trying to soak it [directions and instruction] in."
Cushing begs to differ, believing Keenan is judging herself too harshly. "Danielle is a fun-loving, salt-of-the-earth person who is enjoyable to be around and to coach. She’s just someone who likes to have things explained. She knows exactly who she is and is comfortable with that.," Cushing said.
Keenan’s academics are fine. She’s not settled on a major but has a keen interest in the medical field. "I can’t deal with broken bones and the like but something maybe like neuropsychology."
When asked how her friends would describe her, Keenan offered, "They would probably say I’m the weirdest person you’ll ever meet. I’m very out-going. There’s never a dull moment with me."
It sounds like her specific matchups alone on the court next season will be worth the price of admission. You Keenan opponents -- consider yourself forewarned.