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http://www.twincities.com/2016/12/21/gophers-kenisha-bell-learned-from-big-tens-best/
Kenisha Bell is happy with her decision to transfer to the University of Minnesota women’s basketball program. But there were times last season she wondered just what she’d gotten herself into.
Her first practices with the Gophers were lessons in humility, taught by Big Ten Player of the Year Rachel Banham.
“There were some days where it was, like, I couldn’t stop her from making shots,” Bell said. “Or she’d be guarding me and steal the ball. But she’d always tell me why she did it, how she did it.”
Banham finished her career as the Big Ten’s all-time leading scorer and was selected by Connecticut in the first round of the WNBA Draft.
Bell’s the transition from Banham’s apprentice to Minnesota’s starting point guard has so far been a success. A 2014 Bloomington Kennedy graduate, Bell leads the Gophers in assists (59) and steals (25) and is second in scoring with a 16.6-point average.
“She took the reins and has just been running with it,” coach Marlene Stollings said. “All the way back in the summer, she knew that once she was ready to go, then it was her time and her position to lose. She’s just very comfortable leading a team.”...
...“They lost a big part of the team in Rachel,” Bell said. “And I felt like they needed a guard to come in and try to replace what she had. I’ve still got a lot to improve on to get to that spot, but I just try to push the ball, make assists, get going and play defense. I think I could really be a motivator, a leader for our team.”
Stollings believes that’s already happening. She pointed out a moment in the Gophers’ win over Belmont on Dec. 14 at Williams Arena when Bell applied some of Banham’s tough lessons.
“They subbed out their starting point guard and (Bell) picked up the sub, took the ball away from her right away and scored,” Stollings said. “We ended up winning by one, and I talked to her and said, ‘How big was that one play, that one possession?’ and encoured her to do that a little bit more, because she has that ability.”
Fernstrom:
“We have high expectations for (Fernstrom),” Stollings said. “She is a prototype of the Big Ten 5 player, and we love what she brings in terms of physicality, and I love the ability to score at the basket, her defensive presence in the paint, and she has a really high basketball IQ.
“Jessie’s playing really well right now, so those two will compete and fight it out, but we want (Fernstrom) to come in and help us immediately.”
Kenisha Bell is happy with her decision to transfer to the University of Minnesota women’s basketball program. But there were times last season she wondered just what she’d gotten herself into.
Her first practices with the Gophers were lessons in humility, taught by Big Ten Player of the Year Rachel Banham.
“There were some days where it was, like, I couldn’t stop her from making shots,” Bell said. “Or she’d be guarding me and steal the ball. But she’d always tell me why she did it, how she did it.”
Banham finished her career as the Big Ten’s all-time leading scorer and was selected by Connecticut in the first round of the WNBA Draft.
Bell’s the transition from Banham’s apprentice to Minnesota’s starting point guard has so far been a success. A 2014 Bloomington Kennedy graduate, Bell leads the Gophers in assists (59) and steals (25) and is second in scoring with a 16.6-point average.
“She took the reins and has just been running with it,” coach Marlene Stollings said. “All the way back in the summer, she knew that once she was ready to go, then it was her time and her position to lose. She’s just very comfortable leading a team.”...
...“They lost a big part of the team in Rachel,” Bell said. “And I felt like they needed a guard to come in and try to replace what she had. I’ve still got a lot to improve on to get to that spot, but I just try to push the ball, make assists, get going and play defense. I think I could really be a motivator, a leader for our team.”
Stollings believes that’s already happening. She pointed out a moment in the Gophers’ win over Belmont on Dec. 14 at Williams Arena when Bell applied some of Banham’s tough lessons.
“They subbed out their starting point guard and (Bell) picked up the sub, took the ball away from her right away and scored,” Stollings said. “We ended up winning by one, and I talked to her and said, ‘How big was that one play, that one possession?’ and encoured her to do that a little bit more, because she has that ability.”
Fernstrom:
“We have high expectations for (Fernstrom),” Stollings said. “She is a prototype of the Big Ten 5 player, and we love what she brings in terms of physicality, and I love the ability to score at the basket, her defensive presence in the paint, and she has a really high basketball IQ.
“Jessie’s playing really well right now, so those two will compete and fight it out, but we want (Fernstrom) to come in and help us immediately.”
