Success comes at a cost. For Estella Moschkau, the cost comes with fives, one after the other.
This year, the junior guard has taken charge of leading the post-3-point celebration for No. 6 Stanford (18-2, 7-1 Pac-12). The task: to execute a series of high fives from the first player on the bench down to Katelin Knox, the athletic trainer.
“It’s been a tradition since I came here,” Moschkau said. “I think the first person to do it when I was here was Shannon Coffee. She and I just would get really excited on the bench whenever there was a 3-point made.”
So far, Moschkau has been kept busy. The Cardinal have knocked down at least four 3-pointers in each game, had a season-high 14 in the new home of the Splash Brothers against San Francisco, and have totaled the third-most in the conference. Freshman guard Hannah Jump has led the way with 35 from beyond the arc. Her 46.7% mark would tie for fourth in the country, but she is three 3s away from meeting the eligibility requirement of two made per game.
During a stretch last game in which Jump drilled four straight, Stanford went from a healthy lead over Utah to a blowout. Whether a game-winning buzzer beater or a moment that is cut from the season highlight tape, Moschkau is there to celebrate it.
“When we hit a 3, even when we’re up by a lot or it’s not an important point of the game, you can still feel the energy, and I think that’s what resonates most with me,” Moschkau said.
Although more often than not she is running up and down the bench after Jump’s shot, Moschkau actually has the freshmen beat on her percentage. After connecting on her first five from beyond the arc to open the season, Moschkau is at 7-of-12 for the year. Throughout her Stanford career, Moschkau has scored nearly 80% of her points on the long ball, including 21 of her 27 this season.
“I put in a lot of extra time into my shot,” Moschkau said. “I try to shoot extra on my own and just really focus when I get in the game and always stay ready.”
When Stanford met Washington State (9-11, 2-6 Pac-12) earlier this season in Maples Pavilion, Moschkau saw eight minutes on the floor, the most in the conference season, and, per routine, drained a 3. The Cardinal also hosted Washington (10-9, 2-6 Pac-12) that weekend, and scored 77 on both schools. Now, Stanford heads up north in the hope of a repeat performance.
“It’s always a fun trip,” Moschkau said. “I love Seattle, and then going and playing Washington State will be fun, too.”
The 3-point celebrations begin tonight at 7 p.m. PT against Washington.
Contact Daniel Martinez-Krams at danielmk ‘at’ stanford.edu.