Staff Writer
After playing time in each of Virginia Tech women?s basketball?s 32 games last season, sophomore center Erin Gibson is using her old experience and a new confidence level to help lead the Hokies.
?I believe in myself a lot more than I did last year,? Gibson said. ?I don?t take things to heart as much.?
An excellent inside player who has the ability to pass from the high post or get physical in the paint, Gibson has provided excellent strength and depth to the women?s basketball team.
She averages nearly 12 points and 10 rebounds a game, posting double-doubles in many of the Hokie?s key games this season. She tied a career high by pulling down 14 rebounds Tuesday night in Tech?s heartbreaking overtime loss to Miami.
?I like to post up and try to either clear a lane out for the other players to get to the basket or to get myself a shot? Gibson said.
While the women?s basketball team struggled a bit on the road, Gibson said she sees a change in the team?s morale this season.
?Last year we gave up some of our spirit towards the end of the season, and we kind of pulled away from each other at times when things got rough? she said. ?This year, because our chemistry is so good with one another, we?ve stuck together when things go rough.?
Besides working well on the court, Gibson said the team has a bond off the court as well.
?I think chemistry on and off the court is important,? she said, ?but when you have it off, you?re definitely going to improve your on-the-court chemistry, where you know how each other plays and each other acts.?
A basketball player since third grade, Gibson sometimes finds playing at the college level difficult.
?I think the biggest challenge, like many people do say, is time management with your classes and your practice times,? Gibson said. ?A lot of the time, you have a three-hour practice, and that?s after you go to class all day and you have to lift and watch films.?
However, playing basketball has given Gibson more than just athletic and organizational skills.
?In basketball, there?s times where things get rough and you just want to give up and somehow you manage to pull through,? she said. ?In life, you?re going to run across those situations where you want to give up, but you know that you made it before and you can stick it through again.?