Nainima rated in the USA

Once regarded as shorty and chubby, Valerie Nainima has established herself as the top Fijian female basketball player in recent times. She stands testament to the phrase ‘Nothing is impossible through God.’ She has come a long way from being another high school basketball player to one of the current stars in university level basketball and creating history in the land of the free and home of the brave, USA. Currently playing her basketball for the South Carolina Gamecocks, in NCAA rankings through games of January 14, junior guard Nainima and freshman center Kelsey Bone found themselves among the nation’s best in a total of three statistical categories. Nainima is 33rd in the country in scoring average (18.7) and 33rd in the nation in 3-point field goals made per game (2.8). Nainima has been the Gamecocks’ leading scorer nine times this season, during which the team has a 5-4 record. She has scored in double figures in every game this season, including six games with 20 or more points. Nainima led the team in scoring in each of the first three SEC games, netting 13 points against No. 11/12 LSU, 16 at No. 4/4 Tennessee and 21 at Alabama and in her game on against the Tigers, Nainima net 20 points. Following a 14-point effort against Kentucky, she ranks eighth in the league with a 16.0 scoring average in league play. She is shooting 47.9 percent from the field in SEC games, including 47.6 percent from 3-point range. Interestingly her first contact with the sport did not come out of interest but rather it was through a ploy by her mother Betty Jitoko to get her and her brother out of the house during a school holiday break. “My first contact was when my mother wanted my brother and I out of the house for the holidays so she shoved us in a basketball clinic to get rid of us,” said Nainima. “Love you Ma”.

Dreaming big

 The clinic was to be the turning point in her life - where the dream to become a professional basketball player was conceived. Around 14 years of age, Nainima began playing competitive basketball and playing under the coaching expertise of neighbour Bob Tuxson was no laughing matter as she later found out. “Around 13 or 14 years old, I remembered being so scared because my former coach and neighbour Bob Tuxson was screaming at me. I came to realize that it actually helped me later.” Like any other kid growing up, Nainima dreamt of traveling the world. Her dream job was to become a professional basketball player. But at that time with very little opportunity for overseas contracts her dreams were far-fetched. “Honestly I did envision myself here but at that time it seemed like something unattainable. I remember just going to a court and shooting, I would imagine myself playing against some great players. Then I would go home happy until my mother would give me a reality check and tell me to scrub the bathroom.” It was two in the morning in 2005, the first time Nainima spoke to her future basketball coach at Long Island University, Stephanie Gaitley. Nainima was at home when Gaitley called from Long Island University campus in Brooklyn, New York. Gaitley already had Fiji representative Mikaelar Whippy on her roster and was recommending that Gaitley do whatever it took to bring in Nainima. At the time, Gaitley had seen only tape of Nainima, and the tape confused her. She kept watching it and asking herself, “Who is this chubby little girl?” It took two and a half years from the time of that phone call until Nainima enrolled at Long Island, but the wait was worth it: Nainima and Whippy helped lead Gaitley’s team to the best season in the programme’s history. Behind their Fijian guard tandem, the Blackbirds (21-7) have set a team record for victories in a season despite starting with three losses. Nainima initially took the wrong qualifying exams and had to complete a math course to solidify her National Collegiate Athletic Association eligibility. When that finally happened, Gaitley quickly realized that the “chubby little girl” she had seen on tape was, in fact, not chubby at all. Nainima, a 20-year-old freshman who is listed at 5 feet 7 inches, can bench press 220 pounds. That strength and maturity allowed her to step in and lead one of the more diverse rosters in college basketball.

Long Island

Played two years for the Blackbirds and was the fastest player in LIU history to reach 1,000 career points, hitting the milestone on February 9, 2008, in just her 53rd career game; was named All-Northeastern Conference after averaging 20.4 points per game on 34.3 percent shooting, including 41.0 percent from the 3-point line; helped the team to a programme-best record of 27-8 and a spot in the conference championship game.

In July, 2008 she earned a spot on the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District 1 Second Team. Nainima was recognized for her efforts both on the court and in the classroom, where she carries a 3.45 grade point average as a business management major.

To be eligible for the team, which is voted on by CoSIDA members, a player must contribute significantly to her team and have a GPA of at least 3.20. Nainima currently leads Long Island and is second in the Northeast Conference in scoring, averaging 20.5 points per game. She is also second in the league in both three-pointers per game (3.05) and free-throw percentage (86.1) and ranks among the conference leaders in rebounding, assists, steals, three-point percentage and assist-to-turnover ratio.

The award adds to a growing list of accolades for the 5-foot-7 guard, who is the reigning NEC Player and Rookie of the Year. Nainima has been named NEC Player of the Week twice and has earned a place on the PrestoSports/Metropolitan Basketball Writers Association weekly honor roll three times. As a freshman, she set a conference record by winning 10 NEC Rookie of the week awards and garnered Second Team All-Met honors.

She became the first player in conference history to earn player of the year and rookie of the year honors in the same season when she swept the awards her freshman year behind 17.8 points per game, the highest scoring average of any freshman in the nation

High School

She played for the Fiji team and the U-20 team ... averaged 23 points, five rebounds, four steals and three assists at the 2005 South Pacific Mini Games helping her team to the gold medal.

She led Fiji to a gold medal at the 2007 SPG, averaging 25.7 points per game and also played volleyball and netball in high school.

South Carolina 2009

In 2009 upon joining the Gamecocks of South Carolina, Nainima was named AgSouth Athlete of the Week.

Nainima scored a season-high 27 points against NC State to lead team to a 74-71 victory. Her 12 field goals made against NC State were the sixth-most by a women’s basketball player at Colonial Life Arena and her 25 attempts were the fourth-most in arena history.

Nainima led the team with 18.3 points per game and 18 3-point field goals. She has been the team’s top scorer five times in eight games last season.

Breaking barriers

Like any other person visiting a new place for the first time, moving around becomes a daunting task because one can easily get lost.

“Some difficulties off the court was knowing where I was in the city, everything is big, you can easily get lost and they don’t have 75 cents bus fare like Fiji so that was another issue.

“I also had a hard time with the cold weather.

“On the court was a bit different, I was schooling with Mikaelar Whippy when I first came to the US, she helped bring me here by telling our head coach.

Kayla has such a big heart so she took me in like a sister and everything just ran its course. “It also didn’t hurt that we had both played together for Fiji for a couple of years before that under her dad coach Mike.”

But a believer that one must overcome the hurdles before reaping the rewards, Nainima took it a day at a time.

“My experience here in the US has been very challenging but at the same time, very rewarding. Playing Division 1 basketball here in South Carolina is very demanding. The coaches demand a lot, the fans do the same and as a team we demand the most from ourselves.

There are a lot of benefits that come with it as well. We get to travel for free all over the US-two months ago we played in the Virgin Islands which was exciting, we get a lot of free stuff from our sponsor Nike, I have made a lot of new friends as well as build up a networking base,” said Nainima.

“I guess the best thing about it (my mother would say) is that I go to school for free.”

Lifestyle

“The lifestyle is very different. It’s definitely fast paced and everything in my life is scheduled. It is scheduled around school and basketball. If I am not practicing then I am in class, eating or doing something that promotes the team. “I ‘tamani’ miss Fiji Time! Sometimes I would love to just relax but there are consequences to that. “At times when she feels like giving up especially after a long strenuous training session and she starts asking herself the reason she is pushing herself too much or when she feels homesick and feels like coming home, Nainima would look to God. “The Lord has definitely been the single biggest and greatest influence in my basketball career and life. He has changed me and my family in ways unimaginable. I am telling you the truth when I say this, it is so easy to lose yourself when you get here because of all the influences especially being an athlete in a school like this. God keeps me grounded, even if it humbles me. It definitely doesn’t feel great at that time but I get to understand its relevance later. He is the reason I am here, I am blessed and I will be forever grateful to Him.” “I would love to play professional basketball. I don’t mind where I play, whether it be Europe or in the WNBA. To continue to do what I love to do and get paid doing it would be great but if God has another plan for me then that’s where I’m going to go. “

The Fiji Sun Online

Tuesday 26th January, 2010

 



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