What to expect from Kia Nurse?

[BroadwayVa]

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. She handles the ball well, doesn't turn it over, can score through contact, and takes it to the hoop against anyone and at least draws a foul. Defensively, she is strong enough to guard any guards and usually can handle the quick guards as well. If her shot continues to fall as she has recently been shooting it, it will be very difficult to keep her out of the lineup. I expect the other talented players on the roster to have improved as well such as Ekmark and Chong but I don't think they will necessarily play the same type of overall game that Kia can/will. I don't think any of the reserve players has improved as much as Kia has this past year with the possible exception of Williams. Now if Gabby has returned from her summer workouts with the handle of a 2 guard, and the outside stoke of a two guard and can also take the play inside against centers and power forwards, that might tip some scales in her favor. We'll see. I'm very excited to see this team.

I love everything about Kia especially since she is Canadian and plays for Uconn. The Pan Am Gold game was against a weakened USA team. The two who had carried the USA to this point were exhausted and to top that Jefferson knocked heads and had a concussion and it took her out of the game. If Stewie and Jefferson had teammates that could and would contribute regularly in all games--the final game against Canada, in my less than humble opinion, is the USA would have won and Kia may or may not have had such an outstanding game. I've been reluctant to write this because I don't want to take away from a very special game Kia had and it sounds USA self serving but if you review those games (the Pan Am's) you'll see Stewie and Jefferson being used for way too many minutes--if they had not used so often USA would have lost against Cuba and maybe Puerto Rico and possibly others. Take this positing apart if you will but you cannot dispute both Jefferson and Stewie were exhausted and carried the USA team as far as it went!!!!!

Gabby is an effective post against small posts, who last year had no 3 ball shot or Free throw or short range jumper and defended less
that efficient--great at stealing. Gabby has an exceptional amount of BB skills growing to do to be a starter this year.

Without a doubt Kia Nurse shall be a starters--at age 19 she was exceptional on a Canadian team full of much older, more experienced women. My only concern is she has played so much basketball for such a long time--she will at some time hit the mountain--mentally if not physically, I think near the end of this past scholastic year she collided with a few walls.

 

[BroadwayVa]

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.

I don't think we disagree in much--much of what you say, I've said.

Kia, thankfully/hopefully, has not nor will not need rehab or surgery--BIG PLUS. But she did run into the wall just before and during the NCAA's this year. Or at least it was widely spoken of here in the Boneyard.. In the Pan Am Games--Stewie and Jefferson played, it would appear, many more minutes than Kia because they carried the USA team. But Kia has been playing at such a long time at such a high level---
I hope Geno plays Gabby, Ekmark, KLS, Collier, Natalie, Saniya for more than 25 minutes in every AAC game and exhibit's, but that's probably in his plan already. Rosemary may have some suggestions along those lines.\

KML is in the WNBA and with a lot less time she's not a factor at UConn. KLS is home assumable resting. Boykin played little. Collier played a lot , but not near Kia's time. It is a given that many high producing Freshmen and Sophs hit a wall when playing for high pressure teams--and there are few other teams that has pressures as great as UConn. After her performance in the Pan Am gold read the expectations heaped upon this 19 year old kid--read it in the Boneyard!!!.. You'll excuse me if I remain concerned--, it doesn't cost a penny!!

 

[BroadwayVa]

No I'm not, but if she truly improved her game as indicated it might be a much harder decision. Based on the skill set we have witnessed so far Gabby won't be playing the 2 guard. But if she added the handle and the outside stroke to her game she would have a dynamite inside outside combo to offer. I'd love to see that because of the match up problems she would present, but she'd have to have improved quite a bit in those other areas. She is an incredible talent as it is, so I hope that her summer of practice brings some surprise improvements for HER soph year as well. God we are so lucky to be fans of this team!!

Geno likes Gabby. Gabby, isn't yet an incredible talent but she has the potential to be one--as do all the Freshmen and Sophs. I am not at all a believer in Gabby being a MatchUP issue for teams--unless they have small post players--under 6/3-. She played well against AAC and smaller NCAA Posts. She will need an exceptional improvement this summer to take away Saniya's or Kia's or even Colliers status with the team--Collier does not have Gabby's one year of experience in Div 1 BB, but she has proven in the U19's she is a capable rebounder, ball handler, and scorer from many positions against Div 1 competition. I think the match up problems other teams will have at Uconn will come from " Stewie, Collier, Tuck, (maybe) KLS, Jefferson, Butler, Nurse

 

[BroadwayVa]

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

I thought that only happened to Samson's--Ralph?

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Her Team Canada coach tells us what to expect:

"I didn't think she could do more that what she did in that Pan Am final but it seems the bigger the game, the more she rises to the occasion," Thomaidis said. "Her toughness and her will to win and fearlessness was showcased this past week.

"People notice her points but it's really on the defensive side of the ball that she really has a tremendous impact. A 19-year-old who's an MVP of the FIBA Americas tournament is really unheard of."

http://www.therecord.com/sports-sto...sketball-team-hopes-to-keep-rolling-into-rio/

 

[rugbymate]

"Her toughness and her will to win and fearlessness was showcased this past week"

Kia's coach refers to her "fearlessness"....what a terrific way to describe her. Kia's leadership is just another attribute that sets her apart from her competitors for playing time.

 

[Gus Mahler]

I like most her Dad's line: "She's a nasty piece of business."

 

[warbler1055]

Of all the possibilities Kia chose to come to UConn. How lucky are we?

 

[Lynx23]

Apparently Kia was waiting for UCONN to come calling. According to one interview with her I read, she had made attending UCONN a goal as early as the 7th grade. It is well documented that UCONN nearly missed the boat in recruiting her because of some confusion about what grade she was actually in. As a result, UCONN came calling late in the game. It is no surprise that she dropped all other college visits, including Tennessee, once UCONN offered.

 

[winlots]

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.

LYNX: thanks for that. I did see both comments, but somehow did not find great solace in either after having seen many shots of Jefferson in such a daze on the bench. It looked very nasty to me. And I believe you are right about the residual effects (which can include propensity for repeat episodes). In sum, I remain concerned though hopeful.