Hughes centers her success on team
Senior starter prefers strong group performance on court over
high personal statistics
By Emmanuelle Ejercito
Daily Bruin Staff
Any basketball player averaging 12.8 points and 7.4 rebounds per
game would be having a pretty good season, but then again UCLA
senior Kisa Hughes is not just another basketball player. And her
averages so far this season have left many people wondering what is
wrong.
In the shadow of former All-American and UCLA great Natalie
Williams, Hughes – who transferred from California State
University, Fullerton – averaged only 16 minutes per game her first
year playing in Westwood. But after Williams graduated, Hughes came
into her own in her junior year.
Hughes had a stellar 1994-95 campaign. She ended last season
ranked second in the conference in rebounding with 10.4 per game,
second in field goal percentage and seventh in scoring with 16.4
points per game.
Hughes’ numbers earned her a spot on the All-Pacific 10
Conference first team. Basketball Times named her an Honorable
Mention All-American, and Hughes entered the season as a 1995-1996
All-America Candidate.
So what happened?
"I would say that last year I think that I surprised a lot of
people in terms of my game," Hughes said. "I even surprised myself.
I just went out there and started playing, and I was enjoying the
game."
This year, however, opponents aren’t planning to be caught off
guard.
"Obviously everyone knows that she is a very good player and so
people tend to double team and really key on her," UCLA head coach
Kathy Olivier said. "I don’t think that she is necessarily playing
worse, it’s just a different look for her."
Another factor is the improved play of her teammates this
season. With Nickey Hilbert and Zrinka Kristich consistently
posting solid numbers, and with the emergence of freshman Erica
Gomez, Hughes does not have to be the team’s savior every game.
Last season, Hughes was one of only two starters who averaged
over 10 points per game. In contrast, four starters average over 11
points this season.
Moreover, last year Hughes accounted for 41 percent of the
team’s total rebounds. This year, Hughes shares the rebounding
duties with fellow post player Kristich.
"I don’t look at (my lower averages) as a disappointment because
we’re so much better as a unit – there’s not just one individual
that is our star player," Hughes said. "I think that this year we
have a much better team than what we had last year because
everybody is contributing and that makes it great, because in terms
of winning, it is the whole team."
Although she had a great season personally last year, she was
dissatisfied with the team’s 10-17 record.
"I think that a lot of times, especially with me, even though
you are the star player, if your team doesn’t excel it is still a
disappointment," Hughes said. "Last year was frustrating. Even
though I did well as a player I was frustrated because we didn’t do
that well overall, and we didn’t go to the tournament.
"But this year it feels different. Even though I am not playing
like I did last year, where we are playing right now, the Pac-10 is
so open."
Extending UCLA’s season to March is one of Hughes’ objectives
for her senior season. Motivated by her father, Ronald’s,
philosophy of never taking anything less than the best and doing
well in everything you do, Hughes also wants to improve on her
rebounding during the second half of conference.
"I love rebounding, and I’m frustrated right now with my
rebounding," Hughes said. "My personal goal for the second half of
the season is I definitely want to do a lot better on my rebounding
and to focus on my role on defense."
Her performance against California last Friday showed her
dedication to grabbing more boards as Hughes took a game-high 11
rebounds.
Hughes remembers transferring from Fullerton and being
intimidated by UCLA. But four years and a bachelor’s degree in
history later, Hughes has persevered.
"I feel that I have survived," Hughes said. "Even though it has
been hard – practice, studying and traveling – there are so many
different things that I have gained."
When she steps onto the court for the last time as a Bruin at
the end of the season, she knows that it will be a strange
feeling.
"I’ll feel good if I step on the floor, and I know that we are
going to the tournament," Hughes said. "But if I step on the floor
and we’re not, I’ll be like, ‘Whoa this is over,’ and I think that
I’m going to have to ask myself, ‘Have you done all that you could
do, and are you pleased with what you have achieved?’"
FRED HE/Daily Bruin
Senior center Kisa Hughes is not posting the numbers she was
last year, but she attributes this to the improved team surrounding
her.Comments to webmaster@db.asucla.ucla.edu