Rich: According to Auriemma, Nurse is different

[pap49cba]

“She’s different, huh,’’ UConn coach Geno Auriemma said. “She’s a pretty aggressive kid. She doesn’t hesitate. She has more experience than most normal freshmen. And she gives off something coming off the bench that … I was not happy with Saniya (Chong) in the beginning of the game. It’s like everybody Saniya goes near makes an open 3 because they’re open and by the time she gets there the ball’s already gone. So we knew that once Kia got into the game things would change or us defensively. And they did. And then Saniya got a lot better. It’s funny how that works. She got a lot better as the game went on defensively. But Kia’s different. She’s not like most freshmen. That kid’s got something special in her.’’

LINK

 

[rugbymate]

One of Kia's teammates on the Canadian senior women's team, Nirra Fields, is a junior guard at UCLA and through two games against quality opponents is averaging 23.5pts/7reb/2.5 assists. Kia averaged 4 more minutes of playing time in the FIBA World Cup than Fields so that gives you some sense how her coaches thought about her on a relative basis. It always amazes me how Geno can finds kids who could put up great stats in another program but will risk having less playing time in exchange for a shot at NC's. Perhaps that is why so many of us religiously follow and root for these terrific student athletes.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Kia was a great recruiting coup for Geno. She's so solid. I'm being repetitive here, but she really plays like a junior or senior. Few kids are that ready this early.

 

[Huskies Rule]

One of Kia's teammates on the Canadian senior women's team, Nirra Fields, is a junior guard at UCLA and through two games against quality opponents is averaging 23.5pts/7reb/2.5 assists. Kia averaged 4 more minutes of playing time in the FIBA World Cup than Fields so that gives you some sense how her coaches thought about her on a relative basis. It always amazes me how Geno can finds kids who could put up great stats in another program but will risk having less playing time in exchange for a shot at NC's. Perhaps that is why so many of us religiously follow and root for these terrific student athletes.

... A reasonable trade off - less playing time in exchange for a shot at the NC and the opportunity to be coached by the best so each young lady's potential can be maximized and she can become the best she can possibly be. Sounds like a good deal to me.

 

[HuskiesU]

One of Kia's teammates on the Canadian senior women's team, Nirra Fields, is a junior guard at UCLA and through two games against quality opponents is averaging 23.5pts/7reb/2.5 assists. Kia averaged 4 more minutes of playing time in the FIBA World Cup than Fields so that gives you some sense how her coaches thought about her on a relative basis. It always amazes me how Geno can finds kids who could put up great stats in another program but will risk having less playing time in exchange for a shot at NC's. Perhaps that is why so many of us religiously follow and root for these terrific student athletes.

But fields shot 8/24 today for 21p

 

[Kibitzer]

I am old-fashioned. My way to evaluate players is the eye test. Just what I see.

And what I see in Kia Nurse (so far) is a young player with exceptional defensive skills and a level of confidence that belies her freshman status.

Once or if she proves herself as a shotmaker, she has such star quality that she is a likely AA. (Big if.)

Now let's she if see can knock 'em down.

 

[rugbymate]

But fields shot 8/24 today for 21p

That is sort of my point...Fields took 24 shots and no one else even took 10...similar to their first game....Fields also played more minutes by far than any teammate against UNC...so the coaching staff has the offense going through her...Kia had slightly better offensive numbers than fields at FIBA...the future is very bright indeed!