Editor’s note: This is the second in a series of weekly features profiling newcomers on the UTC women’s basketball team, leading up to the Nov. 13 season opener against McNeese State.
There’s a number of things that University of Tennessee at Chattanooga freshman guard Nakeia Burks does well on the basketball court. She considers herself a good 3-point shooter who sees the floor well.
Now she just has to regain the confidence in her body to continue doing those things well.
The 5-foot-9 Burks tore an anterior cruciate ligament in the summer before her senior season. She was able to come back and play the last couple of months of the season, helping Huntsville High School advance to the Alabama Class 7A state semifinals when she returned in January.
Burks is accustomed to sharing the spotlight, having played on a Huntsville team that had Alabama signee Shaquera Wade and guard Ta’Naisha Hill, who signed with UT-Martin. Burks was a good player in high school, but she knows that’s basically the case for every player who goes to college: Each has an impressive resume.
“You go from being one of the best players on the team to just trying to fit into the framework and get used to everything,” she said. “It’s pretty tough – I’m not going to lie – but I’m still trying to get comfortable with everything. It’s not an easy transition.”
In addition, she says she still has to get over the mental block that is her knee, which isn’t easy.
“Sometimes when I get tired, I start limping around, but I know I’ve got to push through,” she said.
Being on a team that has finished 29-4 in each of coach Jim Foster’s first two seasons is amazing for Burks. She’s not sure where she fits in at the moment, but she definitely fits the mold of an athlete, having run the 100- and 200-meter sprints in high school, coming off the knee injury.
All she wants is to learn under Foster’s Hall of Fame tutelage.
“I learn so much from him, both on and off the court,” Burks said. “He’s a great teacher and takes time to help us and make sure we understand what we’re talking about, and I ask plenty of questions, because if I don’t understand, I don’t want to go out and mess up.
“He’s patient, very humble and a great coach, and I’m very lucky to be a part of this program.”
‘Four-pack’ available
The athletic department has a “four-pack” of tickets on sale for the women’s 2015-16 season. Included in the pack are tickets to the season-opening game against McNeese State on Nov. 13, the home game against Connecticut and two other games of the buyer’s choice.
A reserved seat for the UConn game and general admission for the others cost $50. Reserved seats for all four games cost $55.
Season tickets are still on sale at the box office; they include 14 home dates.
Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com. Follow him at twitter.com/genehenleytfp.