What to expect from Kia Nurse?

[trb123]

What to expect from Kia Nurse?

The best of provincial basketball.

 

[Kaizen]

I think we are one step close to the NC with Kia's big improvement... cannot wait LOL

 

[Lynx23]

dtb: Am with ya, but.. ALL better for it?.....Jefferson not so much. ANybody hear anything about how she is doing?? Sure looked WAY out of it on the bench after the collision. Have been concerned since.

A few days after the game I came across a print interview with Kia in which she said that Moriah was doing OK. The implication of course was that Kia was concerned and had been in touch with Moriah. According to the same article, they are roommates. I don't know if that's true. Geno was interviewed too and praised both players for their efforts., adding that it was two tough competitors doing what they do. I think if there were any real cause for concern we would have heard about it by now although I'm very well aware that residual effects of a head injury can surface after the fact.

 

[jsloanjr]

Kia reminds me of Shea Ralph only quicker and a better shot.......She has Shea's killer attitude.........The 3 new freshmen will get a taste of her toughness early in Sept before Geno gets them in practice..........

 

[Waquoit]

I wouldn't expect to see anything like the breakout performance that she had in the Pan-Am games final. She was unstoppable against a very talented US team. But I think we will see a very steady performance that fills the stat sheet in many areas....

I don't understand this comment. Why wouldn't you expect to see her play to her Pan-Am games level??

 

[OldAlum]

I wonder if she will have to make an adjustment to the college rules and referees. She didn't seem to get the charging calls this summer that she got at UConn. I hope she is getting better at going around people, but wonder also wonder if some is due to the more physical play internationally.

 

[EricLA]

I don't understand this comment. Why wouldn't you expect to see her play to her Pan-Am games level??

I think his point was there's a difference between scoring 25 and leading her team to victory in one game vs. how she will perform on average this coming year. You're not suggesting she will be a 25 PPG scorer this season are you?

If you look at what she averaged at the Pan Am games, her numbers were terrific, but more along the lines of 14 PPG and 3-4 APG (i'm going off memory)...

 

[Lynx23]

I don't expect Kia to explode on the WCBB scene with the offense she displayed in the Pan Am and FIBA championship games. She won't have to as UCONN has plenty of offensive power already. But her confidence must be incredibly high right now so I would expect that she at least regards herself as an equitable offensive power and will take the game on her own shoulders if she needs to in order for UCONN to win. It will be interesting to see if she allows herself to assume a leadership role as a Sophomore. If the Seniors don't grab it, I expect Kia might. BTW, I don't expect her summer performances really surprised the coaches. Geno said at the beginning of last season that he expected at least one of his incoming Freshman to eventually be an All-American. He could have meant Gabby or Courtney but I expect he knew what those Boneyarders who felt Kia would be a good role player off the bench didn't.

 

[Waquoit]

I think his point was there's a difference between scoring 25 and leading her team to victory in one game vs. how she will perform on average this coming year. You're not suggesting she will be a 25 PPG scorer this season are you?.

Of course not. But after the Pan-Am Games I'm thinking we can look for more than just "very steady performance".

 

[MarlboroughMike]

Kia has an incredible will to win and knows how to turn up the house lights when on the big stage. It appears that she has not settled simply on the power drive and three point shot. In what I remember as the Brazil game, she tried a change of speed drive a la Jefferson. She did not sell it and I believe stumbled a bit on the first quick step, but kudos to her for working on adding to her skill set. She could have settled for the power drive that resulted in 9 plus ones in the Pan Am final, but she apparently has not. A really positive attribute and attitude. A pull-up jumper ( as used so effectively by Bria Hartley) perfected by her mid-Junior year might just put her in the conversation as one of the best of the very best Huskies.

 

[UConnCat]

Kia's stats at UConn 2014-2015

Mins: 25.5
Pts: 10.2
Rebs: 3.1
Asts: 2.8
FT%: 72%

Kia's stats in 11 games (PanAm and FA)

Mins: 25
Pts: 13.3
Rebs: 3.4
Asts: 2.0
FT%: 82%

I expect Kia's stats during the upcoming season to be very similar to what she put this summer with Team Canada. She'll help make up some of the points lost with KML's graduation.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Kia's stats at UConn 2014-2015

Mins: 25.5
Pts: 10.2
Rebs: 3.1
Asts: 2.8
FT%: 72%

Kia's stats in 11 games (PanAm and FA)

Mins: 25
Pts: 13.3
Rebs: 3.4
Asts: 2.0
FT%: 82%

I expect Kia's stats during the upcoming season to be very similar to what she put this summer with Team Canada. She'll help make up some of the points lost with KML's graduation.

I think Kia's FT shooting was 82% for UConn after the first month of the season. I think that is now her benchmark.

 

[CTHUSKY74]

Waquoit, you misunderstand what I was meaning. Not so much what she did in the Pan Am games as a whole (as Uconn Cat illustrated above) but what she did in the final against the US. 33 pts!! I would expect her to improve all of her stats against other college players since she was putting up very similar numbers to her freshmen year against some very tough international players. I also feel that she will have even more of a green light on offense and any freshmen deference to veteran players may also be gone, if that even occurred at all. She is very solid and dependable player and she demands playing time with the effort and execution she puts forth. She's fun to watch.

 

[DaddyChoc]

I expect her to not be wearing red fingernail polish

 

[j66kicker]

I expect her to not be wearing red fingernail polish

Blue!

(She'll have to switch from National Flag [Canada] Red to National Flag [USA/UCONN] Blue.)

 

[bramos]

Blue!

(She'll have to switch from National Flag [Canada] Red to National Flag [USA/UCONN] Blue.)

CD rules: no nail polish for games..but Kia did sport a blue tongue..thanks to chugging a blue Powerade...

 

[hjoerring]

Of course not. But after the Pan-Am Games I'm thinking we can look for more than just "very steady performance".

In one of the many interviews she had w/ reporters she made it clear that her 1st year was a learning one: learning the girls, system, culture-- fitting in. I suspect that all are on notice that she is competent to lead. I see her as continuing the good hard play- numbers are unimportant, but she and Mo will be equal in the backcourt and may take turns at various positions. More importantly, I see the others elevating their game and aggressivity to match that of Nurse. This could be a case of her pushing the others to the next level. The latter is true for the seniors as it is for the junior class. (And Stewart and Jefferson may want to mugg her for stealing their gold.)

 

[BroadwayVa]

Will her name be on the wall before she graduates?

Will she exceed Kelly Faris's achievements?

Oops, did I ask those questions once before?

I love Kelly Faris--tough kid. Same with Gabby. But neither are the ALL AROUND WBB player Nurse is--neither at her age or a few years added had the success at the level of play Kia has had. Kia will hit the floor at Uconn with greater confidence, why not she just beat the best Uconn had, and if she isn't exhausted from continuous play, she'll be Nurse of 14/15 on steroids.
I have great hopes for Saniya, Gabby and Courtney-and two of the 3 Freshmen HOPES. Saniya should be the backup guard after Jefferson/Nurse just because of her experience---Gabby and Courtney have to prove a lot to play a lot. Collier and KLS should play like Sophomores with Freshmen moments.
Kelly as a Frosh, Soph, Jr could not hit the 3 like Nurse did as a Frosh.

Yes I expect Kia's Name on the wall.

 

[Waquoit]

I'm not talking about her stats, those things take care of themselves at UConn. I'm talking about her level of play. What team will she play this season that's as good as what she faced last month? And she excelled. The thought was that UConn had 3 AA level players returning. Perhaps it's four?

 

[BroadwayVa]

Kia will do whatever it takes to win. I do not see her role changing much, you will probably see a few more baskets and assists.

Together
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Sunshine

Kia Nurse has the POTENTIAL to be '''All YOU CAN BE"--the skies the limits--what I'm concerned about is she has played basketball --almost continuous for 2 plus years and this past year has been at a very high body demanding year. She a kid with lots of strength and energy--but even Samson was brought down--

 

[meyers7]

Kia Nurse has the POTENTIAL to be '''All YOU CAN BE"--the skies the limits--what I'm concerned about is she has played basketball --almost continuous for 2 plus years and this past year has been at a very high body demanding year. She a kid with lots of strength and energy--but even Samson was brought down--

She'll be ok as long as she doesn't get a haircut.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

It's the bun - the bun must be maintained!

 

[rugbymate]

Look for Kia to have a better year statistically and overall effectiveness.....last year she noticeably deferred to KML in the half court set but this year she will be more secure and confidant...also,IMHO this years starting five will rebound better and the transition game will be faster and more of a team focus, which will play smack dab into Kia's strengths

 

[jdubct]

Yes, she'll improve her stats. Ultimately, she'll end the season as an important part of a national championship team.

 

[CocoHusky]

Kia Nurse has the POTENTIAL to be '''All YOU CAN BE"--the skies the limits--what I'm concerned about is she has played basketball --almost continuous for 2 plus years and this past year has been at a very high body demanding year. She a kid with lots of strength and energy--but even Samson was brought down--

I'm not as concerned about the amount of basketball Kia has played. 1) There is no injury or surgery requiring rehab like Gabby and Morgan. 2) Her current and former teammates ( KML, Stewie, Mojeff) will have played a similar amount of games by the time you factor in USA basketball invitations & Trials , Pan Am games and the good old pickup games on campus.
If Kia wasn't with a team trying to qualify for the Olympics she would be on Campus playing pick up for much of that time anyway. The team on Campus is arguably more talented than the competition Kia is facing in her current tournament.