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Tigers' Weiser makes the most of opportunities
1/17/2012
By CONOR NICHOLL
cnicholl@dailynews.net
At Oakley High School, Kimber Weiser was most comfortable driving inside than pulling up and hitting shots. The formula helped Weiser earn all-state honors and pace the Plainsmen to a Class 2A state title. At Fort Hays State University, Weiser's strength is also the ability to work inside and score in a variety of ways, including layups and scoop shots.
"I can hit the open shot, but I always like driving more than shooting. Shooting makes me nervous sometimes," she said with a laugh.
Weiser, the longest tenured Tiger on the roster, averaged 16 minutes, 6.3 points per game and led FHSU in scoring seven times on last season's squad. This winter, Weiser, a senior, has seen less playing time. She averages 9.5 minutes and 4.3 points a contest.
"It's been hard, like being up-and-down," she said. "Being your senior year, you want to be out there and you want to play. Since we are so talented, we have a ton of players on our team. Just kind of whenever you get the chance, you kind of want to take advantage of it."
Weiser's strengths are effective against certain teams, especially Pittsburg State University and Lincoln (Mo.) University. On Nov. 30, she collected 12 points in a road win against Lincoln.
After the victory, she tallied five total points and never played more than 12 minutes in a game until Saturday.
Then, Weiser delivered eight points in 11 minutes against Pittsburg State's pressure defense in a 64-55 overtime loss to the Gorillas, ranked No. 10 in NCAA Division II. Weiser led a FHSU comeback in the final minutes of regulation, and helped Fort Hays take the lead.
"Offensively, in a scattered game like that, it's basically just crazy," fourth-year coach Tony Hobson said.
"It's hard for us to run a set. It's hard for them to run a set. There is a lot of just creation, and in those types of games, like Lincoln that make the game ugly and make you put it on the floor, Kimber is good in those games."
On Wednesday, Fort Hays, receiving votes in the national poll at 14-3, 6-3 MIAA, will travel to Emporia State University, ranked No. 18 in the country at 11-3, 7-2 MIAA. Game time is 5:30 p.m. at White Auditorium. FHSU stands fourth in the conference, while ESU is in third.
Including a close loss to Washburn University earlier in the year, the Tigers are 0-2 against the league's top three teams. After Saturday's tough defeat, Hobson is worried about a possible hangover.
"You hope our kids respond appropriately, but sometimes no matter how hard you try, it just gets you," Hobson said. "Basically, you think about nothing else for a couple days and it wears on you. We will see. We will do everything we can to avoid that. I have had it affect teams for awhile before."
One positive from the defeat was it showed the Tigers could score in a different way against a top-10 opponent. Junior guards Melissa Nelson, Kelsie Sorenson and Traci Keyser combined for two points on 0-of-10 shooting versus Pittsburg State's defense. Fort Hays' guards were having a hard time getting the ball anywhere from the wings. At halftime, Hobson decided to play Weiser.
"She is a special player in that you cannot play her very much some games where against a real organized defense sometimes she wouldn't be as effective," Hobson said. "In a game like the other night, it dictated, you know what, we need somebody that can drive it off these picks without getting all flustered and take it to the basket.
"If it was a pickup game or just a freelance-type, she would be in there all the time," he added. "Basically, that's what it was the other night."
Weiser, who had a 17-point game last season versus the Gorillas, scored eight points and had a steal.
"They got us a couple of times on screens where they were able to penetrate middle and that's totally against what we want to have happen, and she was one of the first ones to do it," Pittsburg State coach Lane Lord said.
She hit a short jumper midway through the second half and then scored late on two free throws, a backcourt steal that led to a layup and a scoop shot. Weiser could get another opportunity versus Emporia State, but could receive a bigger chance Saturday when Fort Hays hosts Lincoln.
"They are both really good at pressure defense," Weiser said of PSU and Lincoln. "When they are in your face, you are always told to just rip it and drive and that's kind of what I did."
| Scoreboard | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Sport | Date | Opponent | Score |
| 2/18 | SW Baptist | L 66-53 | |
| 12/1 | Oklahoma - Panhandle | L 66-60 (OT) | |