Hoopster Kristich shoots from the heart
Two-sport star in high school finds consistent success in Bruin
basketball
By Emmanuelle Ejercito
Daily Bruin Staff
The Freeway League athlete of the year in volleyball.
All-American honors from Volleyball Monthly. Most Valuable Player
of the CIF Southern Section, the Freeway League and the La Habra
High School volleyball team. With all these honors, it isn’t
surprising that senior Zrinka Kristich came to UCLA. But to play
basketball?
However numerous her volleyball honors were, her basketball
awards are even more impressive.
Kristich also earned the Freeway League athlete of the year
distinction for basketball, and was a two-time MVP for her high
school team and countless basketball tournaments.
"I love volleyball," Kristich said. "Volleyball was so easy to
me – maybe because it was high school – college level is probably a
lot harder. But volleyball was just fun."
So why isn’t the 6-foot-5-inch Kristich playing volleyball at a
collegiate level? A huge factor was scholarships. Although offered
a scholarship to play at Cal State Northridge to play alongside her
sister, Ana, she preferred UCLA over CSUN.
"I was playing (in a) basketball club for four years, so
everyone just assumed that I was going to play basketball,"
Kristich said. "I couldn’t afford to do basketball and volleyball
club-wise, so no one really contacted me for volleyball."
At first Kristich had some regrets about choosing basketball
over volleyball. She even considered playing for the Bruins, but
thought that it would be too difficult missing part of the
basketball season. However, any regrets she has had have subsided
over her four years on the women’s basketball team. Kristich has
grown to love basketball and has enjoyed her collegiate playing
experience at UCLA.
"These are your learning years. I learned a lot in the classroom
and on the court you learn a lot about yourself," Kristich said. "I
made a lot of good friends … definitely friends that I will have
for the rest of my life – the people that I played basketball
with.
"(Basketball) brings a lot of good things and then there are a
lot of bad times where there are a lot of sorrows, but it pays
off."
Her affection for the game took a long time to develop.
Kristich’s parents pushed her to make use of her height and play
basketball – a sport which Kristich was, to say the least, not very
fond of. In fact, for Kristich, basketball was just a means of
paying for a college education until this year. With one year left
in her basketball career her perspective on the game has
changed.
"Last year was like, ‘I’ve got to learn these fundamentals,’"
Kristich said. "In my senior year I am just going to come here and
play, and that’s when I do my best. It all comes from your heart at
this point."
Kristich, who was named after her father’s home town in Croatia,
has displayed her newfound fondness for the game convincingly this
season. Kristich leads the conference in field goal percentage,
making over half of her attempts from the floor. Last year, she
scored in double figures only five times in the entire season. This
year, Kristich has tallied 12 double-digit games, including two
career-tying highs of 20 points.
"(Kristich) has always been a really solid player for us," UCLA
head coach Kathy Olivier said. "Offensively, her game has gone to
another level this year. She looks to score a lot more. She is a
lot more confident on offense."
Kristich attributes her consistent success this season to her
relaxed attitude. She has learned to keep basketball in
perspective. If she has a bad game, you can’t tell from watching
her reaction on the court. Nor can you tell if she’s having a good
game. Kristich likes to stay stoic and she does not allow emotions
to interfere with her play on the court.
"I don’t get excited because I just play," Kristich said. "If I
get all emotional, if I mess up, then I will get all down on
myself, so I just have a real even tone, I would say."
Kristich, a sociology student with a business emphasis, also
keeps an ambivalent attitude towards her future in basketball.
Although she is curious about playing professional ball in Europe,
and has been contacted by the Hungarian national team, she is
skeptical.
"I really need to start doing my career," Kristich said. "I
really don’t want to wait a year doing something that isn’t going
to payoff, … but I heard that there is a league (in the United
States) and I would do it if I was offered it. I would definitely
do it, but we will see if I am offered."
FRED HE/Daily Bruin
Senior Zrinka Kristich has scored in double digits 12 times this
season.
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