Cougars’ Kot getting comfortable

Charlotte Kot’s education is continuing at the University of Regina.

The 18-year-old Regina product is in her second season with the Cougars women’s basketball team, but in reality, she has only just completed her rookie campaign.

Kot played in all of the Cougars’ pre-season games and in two regular-season contests during the 2012-13 campaign before suffering a knee injury that required surgery. That operation cost her the rest of the regular season as well as the Cougars’ run to the CIS final for a total of 27 games.

After Friday’s 75-70 Canada West victory over the Winnipeg Wesmen at the Centre for Kinesiology, Health and Sport, Kot now has played in 13 exhibition and 11 regular-season games during the ’13-14 campaign — and she’s finally getting settled in.

“Just this second half of the season, I feel like I’m really starting to get into my game more,” Kot said after registering a double-double (13 points, 11 rebounds) against the Wesmen.

“The first half of the season was a lot about recovery for me and now in the second half, I feel great, I feel strong and it’s more about my skills and the actual technique of the game.”

Cougars head coach Dave Taylor noted that Kot now understands what it takes to play at the CIS level and, as a result, is building confidence. With that under her belt, the former LeBoldus Golden Suns star is starting to do the things that made her such a prized recruit.

After Friday’s outing, the 6-foot-0 wing is shooting 50 per cent from the field while averaging 9.8 points and a team-leading 7.0 rebounds per game.

“What’s happening now is teams are very aware of her,” Taylor said after his squad improved to 112. “When you’re a rookie, you’re getting (the other team’s) fifth-best defender. Now teams are scouting her, they’re putting better defenders on her and they’re game-planning for her. It should be tougher for her.

“But the thing is, she’s way better than she was last year. She’s more well-rounded.”

That’s a direct result of her lost season last season.

Even though she was a spectator for most of the 2012-13 campaign, Kot watched her veteran teammates and learned the ropes of life in Canada West.

“My basketball IQ level got higher just because there were a lot of fifth-years that I could learn from on and off the court,” Kot said, referring to Michelle Clark, Lindsay Ledingham, Brittany Read and Danielle Schmidt.

“We had really great coaching — I learned a lot from Dave and (former assistant coach Steve) Burrows and Carly (Graham, another assistant) — but I obviously would have loved to have played.”

Looking back, Kot said she was glad to learn from her teammates and coaches and “honoured” to be part of a team that made it all the way to the national final.

“But every game killed me,” she said.

“It killed her because she’s a gym rat,” Taylor added. “(The injury) took away the thing she loves most — next to her family and her dog ... She handled it well, but it was like waking up every day and getting hit in the head with a 2-by-4.”

Luckily for Kot, she’s not enduring the same pain this season.

She changed positions, but has handled it seamlessly. She also is putting to good use the lessons about team defence that she picked up last season.

Her block late in Friday’s game preserved a 70-68 Regina lead and her 10th and final defensive rebound clinched the victory. Both of those occurred after she missed a layup that could have put the Cougars ahead.

“At the end of a close game, you can’t let one possession affect the others,” Kot said. “If you miss a shot on offence, that can’t affect your defence. You still have to get the stop.

“Those are the most important things at the end of a game, defence and getting the rebound. You still have to finish the play all the time.”

Nicole Clarke scored 29 points and Janine Guijt added 10 for the Cougars, who trailed 68-63 with three minutes left in regulation time before rallying.

Stephanie Kleysen had 19 points and 18 rebounds for the Wesmen (6-7), who got 16 points from Megan Noonan.

The teams are to meet again today, 5 p.m., at the CKHS.

■ Regina’s men’s basketball team lost 73-63 to Winnipeg in Canada West action Friday at the CKHS.

Brandon Tull had 17 points and Jeremy Zver netted 12 for the Cougars (3-10).

Steven Wesley put up 25 points and pulled down 10 rebounds for the Wesmen (8-5), who got 11 points from Andrew Cunningham.

The teams are to play again tonight at 7 o’clock at the CKHS.