Beckley’s big season ended early
Her season may have been curtailed by a hand injury, but Jacinta Beckley’s attitude and oncourt improvement has been recognised by her team anyway.
The Kapiti-raised Beckley completed her third season in American college basketball with the Seattle University women’s team recently.
An 185-centimetre forward, she received the team’s Iron Hawk award, for commitment to strength and conditioning, and most improved player gong, despite a spiral fracture in her left hand that took a plate and eight screws to repair.
‘‘It sucked to watch, being on the bench and not being able to contribute is so hard,’’ she said.
‘‘Both of these rewards were incredibly humbling to receive.
‘‘I felt really good being recognised for how hard I work for the benefit of the team.’’
The 21-year-old exParaparaumu College student started the season as her team’s sixth woman, or primary bench option, under a much-changed coaching team.
She was inserted into the starting lineup midway through the season after starting centre Wilma Afunugo suffered concus- sion. It was statistically Beckley’s best campaign with the Redhawks.
She played 25 games and started 10, having started a combined four games in her first two years with the team.
She scored in double figures nine times, including a careerhigh 18 points three times.
Her team finished second in their Western Athletic Conference and second in the WAC tournament, beaten 63-48 by New Mexico State in the final.
They exceeded their aim of finishing in the top four, Beckley said.
Beckley missed the last month of the season with the injury, but returned in her team’s 68-52 loss to Wyoming in the post-season Women’s National Invitation Tournament in mid-March.
Now in spring training, she recently had surgery to fix an irregular heartbeat, which she was previously treating with medication.
The past year was her third of a four-year scholarship.
She hoped a strong final season would give her the chance to play overseas afterwards, and play again for the Tall Ferns, who she made her debut for in 2015.
Beckley returns to New Zealand for a break next month.