New Article on Kia Nurse

[Bajan Best]

Click the Following Link Below:
Nurse Gives Opponents Another Player To Worry About

"When I got here, I was not a shoot-first guard," Nurse said. "I was always kind of [thinking], I can go to the basket if I need to. Now, I think, I'm more confident as I've grown over the three years here. Now especially, if you get in the gym and see a couple you can knock down … confidence is half the battle. It's gotten a lot better."

 

[MilfordHusky]

Kia is out-shooting Lou at the 3-point line AND free throw line. Kia Nurse has become an elite shooter. She has been an elite defender for 3 seasons, but now she's an overall great player.

 

[Carnac]

Click the Following Link Below:
Nurse Gives Opponents Another Player To Worry About

There it is. When a team prepares to play another team, many times they try to isolate or shut down the other team's best scorer. Most teams only have 1-2 players that can carry a team scoring wise. What happens when the other team is UConn, and they have 5 starters that can score? Which one do you try and stop? Which one do you try to isolate? You can't double team everyone. What do you do?

So far this year, no one has been able to figure that out. Lou, Gabby and Napheesa can roll out of bed and give you 20 points before they've had their morning cup of Joe. Now Kia has joined the club. She has her rhythm back from before her injury. Her performance (26 points in the 1st half) Monday had to concern the remaining teams that may face the Huskies in the next four games. Chong is also very capable of knocking down 3-5 3's in succession at any given time. What do you do?

 

[RockyMTblue2]

This is not surprising to me. What has been surprising to me is that Kia's offensive tour de force has not been on fuller display before now, except when she dismantled Mo and Stewie's Team USA. When the word of UConn's interest first surfaced I went and examine quite a few of her games on YouTube. Time and again you'd see her lifting off a three, usually on the right, as well as really excellent 15 foot jumpers. She was very much a scorer. When she said recently she doesn't see herself as a shooter I think that has to do with her being intimidated by all things UConn on her arrival and there were lots of shooters so....

 

[UcMiami]

This is not surprising to me. What has been surprising to me is that Kia's offensive tour de force has not been on fuller display before now, except when she dismantled Mo and Stewie's Team USA. When the word of UConn's interest first surfaced I went and examine quite a few of her games on YouTube. Time and again you'd see her lifting off a three, usually on the right, as well as really excellent 15 foot jumpers. She was very much a scorer. When she said recently she doesn't see herself as a shooter I think that has to do with her being intimidated by all things UConn on her arrival and there were lots of shooters so....

Up until that Pan Am games she as the youngest member of the national team also deferred to her older Canadian teammates and was more of a defensive stopper and PG. That Pan Am games was a sort of coming out party for the scorer. So it wasn't just Uconn. She has gone off for a few games each season for Uconn, but is just as happy to facilitate others and certainly hasn't been consistently needed to put up big numbers - but she has averaged one side or the other of 10 ppg since freshman year.

Just as an aside - i can't believe they focus so much on Kia in this article, and don't mention how important Gabby is to this team!

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Just as an aside - i can't believe they focus so much on Kia in this article, and don't mention how important Gabby is to this team!

LOL ... figured you'd save someone a post, huh?

 

[Gus Mahler]

Now what we need is for Saniya to go, say, 4 for 7 against UCLA to give her confidence a boost for Maryland. Just in case she's needed to be The Turtle Crusher again.

 

[Lynx23]

I suspect something psychological has taken place. Renewed confidence, perhaps a burden unloaded. Or maybe just an intense desire to win this thing. As she talks about going to the gym and seeing shots go in, I can't help but wonder if Kia is utilizing visual imagery to enhance her accuracy. Whatever it is, I hope she keeps it up! Nice to see a kid who works her tail off succeed.

 

[UcMiami]

I suspect something psychological has taken place. Renewed confidence, perhaps a burden unloaded. Or maybe just an intense desire to win this thing. As she talks about going to the gym and seeing shots go in, I can't help but wonder if Kia is utilizing visual imagery to enhance her accuracy. Whatever it is, I hope she keeps it up! Nice to see a kid who works her tail off succeed.

The coaching also changes subtly at this time of year - they no longer are breaking down every little thing a player is doing wrong, but building up their confidence by praising everything they are doing right. Former players often talk about the change that comes when the tournaments start - practices get shorter and more focused, and they aren't adding things, but refining things they already know. Works a treat, and it has been honed over 30 years of post season games.

 

[rugbymate]

Kia has the 6th highest 3-point shooting pct in D-1. So, no question she is a shooter. However, she has played most of this year as a facilitator offensively or a key defender. It makes one wonder if her goal was to help bring along the offensive confidence of Lou, Phee and Gabby. That is what leaders do...sacrifice self for a greater goal. She is the glue....she is what we need to win it all.