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Message: [QUOTE="#12in21, post: 4084106, member: 10763"] I would agree and go further to suggest that if the priority for Nika to see extensive playing time this season hinged on her being 'a great scorer' that would indicate a lot of players on the rooster are not playing to their strengths, Nika included. I believe Nika will continue to improve in the many areas I mentioned above but her personal goals and what will serve the team the best does not include being one of the leading scorers. In terms of scoring, she just needs to be an able scorer and someone you need to cover because she will hit more than she misses if left open. What Nika can bring to the team this season, even more so than last, is to enable the many gifted scorers on the rooster to be in the best position and have the best opportunities to score. She will move the offense, set the picks, do the box outs and make the passes to do just that. That is where her heart and skills are on the offensive end. She loves to be part of the setup for her teammates to make the great shots, that is when we see her fist pumps and chest bumps, not after her own basket. I have to believe her teammates love to play with her because of her team first attitude, intensity, energy, engaging personality and her commitment to work her butt off to be the best player she can be for her team. The icing is that it isn't all about just a great attitude and desire but that she delivers as a skilled, great court visioned, hard-nosed competitor. She's a unique kid on this rooster who I believe will continue to win over those who still don't see her as a valuable piece of what should be a championship caliber team this year and a few to come. Delegating her, as some have suggested, to be the player that spells Paige at point for the five minutes she will be off the court each game (Paiges concession mid season in the contract negotiations with Geno last year to have her shoot more) just isn't going to happen. Nika plays one position and that is point and I expect to see her there a lot more than 5 minutes/contest. I'm pretty sure Geno does as well. [/QUOTE]

Verification: First name of men's bb coach

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