Corvallis Gazette-Times

Mercedes Fox-Griffin always has the Christmas spirit, long after the wrapping paper, bows, wreaths and ribbons have been packed away for the rest of the year.

The point guard for the Oregon State women’s basketball team has long preferred the give over the take, ever since she started playing basketball as a youth down in the San Diego suburb of La Jolla. And that helps explain why the speedy, 5-foot-8 sophomore leads the Pacific-10 Conference with 6.36 assists per game heading into this weekend’s series at the Los Angeles schools.

“I’ve always looked to pass first and shoot second, that’s just my mentality,” she said after Wednesday’s practice, OSU’s final full-scale workout before Friday’s 7 p.m. Pac-10 road opener against UCLA at Pauley Pavilion.

“I kind of got thrown into this position because I’m not big, that’s kind of how it started,” she said. “My brother Stan used to play basketball with me a lot, and my stepdad, after school he’d set up cones and trash cans and have me dribble around them” to polish her dexterity.

“I’ve always liked handling the ball and setting up my teammates,” such as Stanford junior Candice Wiggins, a teammate at La Jolla Country Day High.

“That’s what I enjoy.”

It’s been a trial-by-fire season, one that’s made her appreciate the effort of predecessor Mandy Close, now a volunteer assistant.

Fox-Griffin played in 29 of 31 games in 2006 as a true freshman, but Close played the majority of the time; with close gone and backup Julie Futch a true freshman, Fox-Griffin’s the one who rarely takes a seat.

“I knew (point guard) was important but I didn’t really realize how challenging it was,” she said. “Mandy had a lot going on last year, and she got it done. There was a lot of pressure on her; I didn’t realize it was going to be this challenging but I like it.”

Coach LaVonda Wagner describes Fox-Griffin as a work in progress who has made big strides since the 2006 season ended with a loss at Wyoming in the second round of the WNIT.

“She continues to get better,” Wagner said. “She’s getting game experience and learning on the fly. Mercedes has more of a presence for us, being able to run the show.

“She did a great job of getting us into our sets and finding the open person” at last weekend’s Surf ‘N Slam tournament at the University of San Diego.

She scored a career-best 18 points against Texas on Dec. 28, with five assists, and followed that up with seven assists against Holy Cross. Those games followed a 10-assist performance in the 71-67 overtime loss to Washington on Dec. 23.

“We play team basketball. Everybody has to touch the ball,” Wagner said, because if often takes 10 hands to score. “We like to have a lot of assists, that’s our goal every time we come out.

“Mercedes has gotten better every day” at helping the Beavers reach that objective.

Fox-Griffin said Wagner “demanded me to change” her attitude upon becoming a starter. Point guard is no place for a wallflower Fox-Griffin needed to take on the assertive and aggressive persona and leadership role expected of one charged with running the show.

“(Wagner) knows I need someone else to push me and she’s really pushing me to become a better point guard, a better teammate, and play all-around to help (seniors Casey Nash and Ebony Young) get this done this year,” Fox-Griffin said.

“She needs me to be more vocal, to be in better shape physically and mental, to be a better shooter, and to be more aggressive and more of a threat so we’re not playing 4-on-5.

“I think I’m stepping up.”

Two honored

Nash and Fox-Griffin were selected to the Surf-N-Slam all-tournament team after OSU went 1-1 in the tournament this past weekend.

Nash had 25 points and eight rebounds in a 65-64 opening-round loss to Texas, and then added 16 points and five rebounds in a 59-44 victory over Holy Cross in the third-place game.

Fox-Griffin scored a career-high 18 points and had a game-high five assists against Texas. Fox-Griffin led all players with seven assists against Holy Cross.

WHO: Mercedes Fox-Griffin

WHAT: Sophomore point guard on the OSU women’s basketball team

AGE, SIZE: 19 years of age; 5-foot-8

HOMETOWN: La Jolla, Calif.

FAMILY: Mother Donna Fox, step-father Darrell McGaughy, father Stanley Griffin Sr.; siblings Stanley Jr., Tristan, Tia, Darrell Jr.

EDUCATION: Majoring in liberal studies. Graduated from La Jolla Country Day High School in 2005 with a 3.6 grade-point average.

STATS: Averaging 8.3 points, 2.0 rebounds and 6.3 assists while playing 37 minutes a game. She played in 29 of 31 games in 2005-06 as a true freshman and averaged 0.9 points, 1.5 rebounds and 1.3 assists,

ETC.: Four-time all-CIF honoree on high school team that won back-to-back state titles. ... Was team co-MVP in 2005. ... Prep teammate of Stanford’s Candace Wiggins. ... also ran track for three years.

QUOTE: “I could never be satisfied with what we’re doing, but I’m happy with the way we’re getting better. Every day it seems like we’re getting better, every game we’re improving different things, and I’m very happy about that,” n- Mercedes Fox-Griffin

Many had a lot better shot but I can get to the basket better so she wants me to use that as an advantage, to get points or dump it off. So that’s why I try to do, mix it up.