Last season Lindsay Wight made a good first impression to begin her career as a college basketball player. Now the Ohio forward is looking to ensure that impression was no fluke.
"I would say there's at least one player that comes in and contributes, and you don't expect them to," said Ohio coach Lynn Bria. "You have at least one player like that every year, and she was that player."
The 5-foot-11-inch Wight entered her freshman season having played primarily on the post, with her back to the basket. She said playing away from the hoop last season was a learning experience for her as a player.
"I think I did well as a freshman, coming in here and making the adjustment,"
Wight said. "Especially never playing the three position or shooting threes or facing the basket (before)."
Wight adjusted to her new position well, connecting on 33 three-point field goals on her way to an average of 6.1 points per game.
"I probably could have done better, but I think it was an adjustment year, so I'm hoping to get better and better throughout the years," Wight said.
Bria said she was pleasantly surprised with Wight's performance last season.
"We really didn't have a lot expectations for her or really for any of our freshman," Bria said. "I was very pleased with what she did last year.
" She made some freshman mistakes early, but I really thought she adjusted well to the tempo and the strength of the game," Bria said.
Newly hired assistant coach Shanele Stires said she has been impressed with Wight's willingness to learn.
"She's just like a sponge," Stires said. "She's really receptive and takes coaching really well."
Stires, who recently retired from the Minnesota Lynx of the WNBA, played a similar position to Wight in a comparable style offense in her playing days. She said she has used that experience to coach Wight offensively.
"We've worked on getting her on the baseline, doing some things coming off the block, setting screens and the timing of that," Stires said. "And that's really the thing that I capitalized on a lot when I was in college."
Last year proved to be more than just a position adjustment for Wight. Before coming to Athens, the Waynesville product won two Amateur Athletic Union national titles as a member of the Dayton Lady HoopStars and lost five games total in her last two years at Springboro High School.
Wight said Ohio's 19 losses in 2002 did not sit well with her.
"It was extremely hard," she said. "I remember after the first couple of games we lost, I was just devastated. I'm not used to losing, with high school and with AAU."
Bria said it was evident that the losses were tough on Wight.
"It was different for her. It was very hard to swallow, and I'm not sure she's swallowed it," Bria said.
Despite the losses, Wight said Ohio could turn things around.
"I think last year was a growing season, and I think this year we're going to be so much better," Wight said. "We know if we work hard, good things will come to us."
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T.J. Lasita
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Ohio forward Lindsay Wight shoots and gets fouled by a Robert Morris point guard during a Jan. 4 game this past season at The Convo. The Bobcats won the game 85-76.
