Life on the outside looking in makes posts perimeter threats.

Byline: Rob Moseley The Register-Guard

When an early session of summer school at the University of Oregon ended a few months ago, and the women's basketball team had several weeks before fall workouts began, both Nicole Canepa and Ellyce Ironmonger returned home.

A summer vacation, it was not.

As the Ducks reinvent themselves this season under first-year coach Paul Westhead, the juniors Canepa and Ironmonger may be the two players whose games will look most different when the season begins next month. They are the two true post players on the roster, but in Westhead's fastbreak system, Canepa and Ironmonger will need perimeter skills as well.

On the surface, it seems the case of trying to put square pegs into rounds holes. Would there be a place for posts in the up-tempo philosophy?

When each returned home this summer - the 6-foot-5 Canepa to North California and the 6-4 Ironmonger to Australia - the focus was on not recreation but augmenting skills. Canepa worked out with a former high school coach and Ironmonger with some friends from school, each trying to improve her ability to run the floor and drive to the basket.

"I was really excited to try something new," said Ironmonger, who will join the Ducks in McArthur Court for their first official practice of 2009-10 on Friday. "I had never played basketball like this before."

In Westhead's offense, one forward leads the play upcourt and the other trails, with the three guards handling the ball and attacking the wings. In early workouts this fall, the Ducks have been particularly excited about the development of Ironmonger, a seldom-used reserve her first two years in the program.

Though just 5-of-26 from three-point range through two years at Oregon, Ironmonger is a skilled shooter for a player of her size. That's a valuable commodity for the trail post in Westhead's offense, as she can camp out at top of the key in the fastbreak for catch-and-shoot opportunities.

"I could travel around a lot of places trying to find somebody that can shoot the ball like that," Westhead said. "And here she is in Mac Court, waiting to become a fastbreak player."

A focal point of Ironmonger's offseason work was driving to the basket - never her strength, she said. But after working out in Westhead's system since he was hired in the spring, Ironmonger is excited about the prospects for Oregon this season.

"Carefree isn't the word, but ... when we play we're a little bit more relaxed," said Ironmonger, who has averaged 4.4 points and 2.7 rebounds in 14.9 minutes per game the last two years. "It just flows."

Given how the fastbreak offense will spread the floor, rebounding responsibilities fall to all five players, the trailing post included. That player usually ends up trailing the play after rebounding a miss by the opponent, or inbounding after a make.

Conditioning has been a concern this offseason, and though the Ducks are "getting there," Ironmonger said, "supposedly we're still not quite there yet."

The Ducks run a drill in which the five players must go the length of the court five times - up, back, up, back and up again - while dribbling and attempting a shot, all within 26 seconds. At first the team could do it in no less than 32 seconds, but lately, Canepa said, they're down around 30 seconds.

Getting through such scenarios is making the Ducks mentally tougher as well as more physically fit, she said.

"You're like, `I can do this. It's doable,'" Canepa said.

Initially, Canepa will draw the assignment of the lead forward. She'll sometimes be the first player up the court, not to settle beneath the basket while the ball is dribbled around the perimeter, but to accept a pass in the fastbreak as the Ducks try to meet Westhead's goal of shooting within 5 seconds.

To make that adjustment, Canepa said, "I put in a lot of hours, a lot of work in the gym."

If the Ducks don't score immediately, then Canepa can fall back on her post skills, receiving the basketball and turning for a layup.

"I still have a feel for both," said Canepa, who has started 25 of 49 games and averaged 6.5 points and 3.4 rebounds the last two seasons. "It's not like I'm missing out on one or the other."

In informal workouts leading to the start of practice Friday, their teammates have seen growth from both Canepa and Ironmonger as they adjust to their new roles. During an open gym session Tuesday, senior guard Micaela Cocks said, Ironmonger made seven three-pointers.

"It's really working for them well, and they're really buying into it," Cocks said.

They won't be forgotten elements in Westhead's system, it seems. And just as Canepa and Ironmonger say they aren't to be overlooked this season, neither will opponents be able to overlook the Ducks, Canepa said.

"We're coming in playing against opponents who can't look at us the same anymore," Canepa said. "We're a completely different team. We're the same players, but totally different mentality, totally different work ethic. Everyone has so much fire in them, it's exciting."