The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1178918
54 THE WOLVERINE NOVEMBER 2019 2019-20 BASKETBALL PREVIEW and athleticism in so many ways, but she's a superb, next-level athlete that can do so many things for us," Barnes Arico said. "She's really play- ing [in preseason practices] with a lot of confidence. She's really playing at a level right now where she's going to really have an impact. I think that even if she doesn't get drafted, she'll play overseas after graduation." "Time goes fast," Robbins noted. "I've been able to learn from seniors from past years and take what I've learned from them. I'm enjoying the leadership role. I've probably grown the most with my overall basketball IQ. When you go game by game and year by year, you start to get it. It starts to click on the court, whether it's making a good pass or a good defensive play." The 6-0 Johnson also showed she was capable of big games down the stretch. She tied a career best with 19 points and pulled down seven boards against No. 13 Iowa in February and went for 12 points against Louisville in the second-round NCAA loss. "Akienreh, too, is playing with a lot of confidence," Barnes Arico said. "She's healthy, knock on wood. It's just amazing to watch, as a coach, their transformation in their senior year, how they're attacking the year with the effort they're showing in the prep- aration for the season in practice every day. They're playing with confidence and Akienreh is doing really well." "My greatest area of growth on the court is in my communication," John- son said. "When I was a freshman, I don't think I said a word on the court. Now, as a senior, I don't think I ever shut up. I'm always talking whether it's a passing drill, a shooting drill or scrimmaging. I think my voice has re- ally grown throughout the four years." Hillmon and Dilk took advantage of summer playing experience to add to their on-court repertoires and con- fidence level. Dilk, a 6-0 guard, started 29 times in her debut and averaged 7.2 points, 3.7 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game, leading all Big Ten fresh- men in the latter category. However, the coach knows both her and Hill- mon can be better in year two. "For Naz and Amy, the offsea- son was critical," Barnes Arico said. "Amy wound up playing with Akienreh and Kayla at the USA Bas- ketball three-on-three tournament. I think that really helped them. "It also allowed Amy to play against Sabrina Ionescu [of Oregon] who was the Player of the Year in the country. Amy got to match up with her and re- ally see the best of the best and how she compared to that. I think that experi- ence really fired Amy up and she came back thinking that she could really af- fect the game for her team and really be one of the best point guards out there." Meanwhile, the 6-2 Hillmon is coming off of a campaign in which she was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year by the media, the league's Sixth Player of the Year and a consen- sus All-Big Ten first-team choice. The forward led the team with 13.1 points and 7.0 rebounds per game, and was also No. 1 in field goal percent- age with a 62.8 success rate, which ranked sixth nationally — making her the only freshman in the top 50. "Naz had a similar circumstance," Barnes Arico explained. "Naz played USA Basketball. Not only played, but she was a difference-maker on that team. She became a leader and a cap- tain on that team because of the pres- ence that she has. Last year, she made an immediate impact, but I think that was partially because we had Hallie [Thome] in the spotlight next to her. "People were keying on Hallie, and I think that really helped Naz emerge. It will be interesting to see in her sophomore year how that goes because now she's going to be at the top of everyone's scouting report." Barnes Arico will also add an excit- ing incoming class of three freshmen: 5-9 guard Maddie Nolan, 5-8 guard Michelle Sidor and 6-4 center Izabel Varejao. "Our freshmen are awesome," the coach beamed. Nolan — who hails from Zions- ville, Ind. — missed most of her se- nior season with a knee injury but has been able to practice in the pre- season. She was a core member of the Indiana Junior All-Star team and still finished as her high school's all-time leading scorer despite playing just five games as a senior. "She's been getting stronger. She's been rehabbing like crazy," Barnes Arico said. "She's a kid that can really score the basketball. High basketball IQ kid. Her mom was a basketball player, she comes from a basketball family. She's a worker." Sidor was just the fourth player in New Jersey prep history to reach 3,000 career points after averaging at least 26.0 per game all four years. Senior forward Kayla Robbins averaged 5.6 points and 3.3 rebounds in 14.1 minutes per contest a year ago, and Barnes Arico thinks she can emerge as an excellent defender due to her athleticism. PHOTO BY PER KJELDSEN