For years, Kobe Bryant has been known as a prolific scorer, which overshadows his other abilities, despite doing everything in his will to lead his team to victory.
Kiyanna Black, Ohio’s freshman point guard known as “KB” to her teammates, has been a bright spot for a team struggling through inconsistencies and injuries during the first half of the 2012-2013 campaign.
She did not start until the seventh game of the season, but is currently 12th in the Mid-American Conference in scoring. Black is averaging 11.5 points per game, which is the highest among all Bobcats, despite having only started eight games.
However, while she leads Ohio in total points, she has made only 33 percent of her 196 shot attempts, which is something that coach Semeka Randall wants the freshman to work on, but recognizes that it is inevitable for scorers to miss shots.
“You can’t say anything to a player that is getting good looks, especially when it’s mid-range jump shots, which I think is a lost art in basketball,” Randall said. “It’s not like she’s just jacking it up; she’s attacking the basket.”
While being recruited by Ohio, Black was known for her scoring abilities — primarily making mid-range jump shots. She was Ohio’s Division III player of the year during her senior season at Columbus Africentric, which she led to a state championship and has since helped lead Ohio to four wins in her first six starts before injury setbacks.
“I’m only like 5’5” on a good day, so I can’t get all the way in, which forces me to pull up sometimes,” Black said. “Sometimes shots fall and sometimes they don’t. You’ve just got to go in and play with no fear, whether you’re a freshman or senior, you need to be aggressive and just go.”
The Bobcats score the second-lowest points per game in the MAC and have the worst field goal percentage, but Black’s play has been sparked by Ohio, as she has finished in double-digit points eight times this season.
After scoring a career-high 23 points in a win against Xavier in Ohio’s first game of 2013, Black was named the MAC East offensive player of the week.
“I’m a scorer and it took some time to come about, but I’m not surprised,” Black said about her quick success. “Recently, I’ve been shooting, which hasn’t really been working, so everyone is telling me to get to the (hoop).”
Even when she cannot get her shots to fall, her teammates attempt to boost her confidence and encourage her to continue to fuel the offense.
“Before the game we always have a talk and a game plan, but there really isn’t any competition, we just try to play together,” said fellow freshman Lexie Baldwin. “I’ll try my best to get rebounds for her if she isn’t making shots and just keep her motivated and keep shooting.”
Although Black is recognized for being an offensive force, other facets of her game are continuing to improve as she gains more playing time on the court.
During Ohio’s overtime win against Morehead State in December, not only did Black lead the Bobcats in scoring with 19 points, she was also at the center of the team’s biggest momentum play of the game — on defense.
Black took a charge from Morehead State’s Terrice Robinson, who earned her fifth foul on the charge with less than three minutes remaining in overtime. Robinson had already scored 39 points for the Eagles, but Black’s defensive stand allowed the Bobcats to secure the game and the win.
At the midway point of her first season, Black is already making a name for herself around the MAC as a prolific scorer, but Randall would like the rest of her game to mold her into being known as more than just a scorer.
“I’m going to keep pushing her day-in and day-out. Heck, KB even took a charge at the end of the Morehead State game, and the young lady never plays defense,” Randall said. “But I’m trying to build her and help expand her game because I expect great play from her. I try not to label players because she’s not just a freshman, she’s a basketball player.”
cl027410@ohiou.edu
