Kobe King-Hawea named first team all-American
Gillette College freshman Kobe King-Hawea was named a NJCAA Division I women’s basketball first team all-American on Tuesday. King-Hawea, a Point Cook, Australia, native, was the only freshman named to the 2019-2020 first team.
GILLETTE, WY-
Gillette College freshman Kobe King-Hawea was named a NJCAA Division I women's basketball first team all-American on Tuesday.
King-Hawea, a Point Cook, Australia, native, was the only freshman named to the 2019-2020 first team.
"It's really cool for our program. For Kobe to get such accolades as a freshman is outstanding, and we're really excited that she's returning to Gillette College next year," said Liz Lewis, Gillette College women's coach.
"A lot of it has to do with her talent and also her basketball IQ. I mean, she just knows and understands the game. But she also has a passion for the game of basketball," Lewis said.
King-Hawea led the Pronghorns to a 28-5 overall record, leading in scoring with 675 points (averaging 20.5 per game), a single-season team record. She passed former record-holder Kenosha Wright, who tallied 558 points in the 2012-13 season.
King-Hawea also broke the Gillette College women's basketball records for most field goals in a season (284), most made field goals in a game (16), most steals in a game (10), and she has the only triple double in team history (13 rebounds, 10 steals, and 12 points against Bismarck State), according to Lewis.
She was the pick-up of the year for first year coaches Lewis and Janie Rayback. King-Hawea still needed a team to play on late in the summer, and the coaches had a roster spot.
She played basketball on scholarship at the NBA Global Academy in Canberra, Australia before moving to Gillette.
"I learned a lot about the American style of basketball. I got better in some areas of my game, but I still have a lot to learn," King-Hawea said.
Gillette College, which was ranked No. 21 in the nation in its final game of the season, ended the year in the semifinals of the Region IX tournament when it lost to then-No. 2 Western Nebraska.
"It didn't go as we planned it. We wanted to go to nationals, but we understood, and we knew why and what we needed to work on," King-Hawea said. "Overall, this season for us all, as a new program, new coaches, new players, was a pretty good season, I think, for all of us."
Western Nebraska sophomore Tishara Morehouse was the only other Region IX player selected to the all-America first team.
The Pronghorns only lost to two collegiate teams during the season. They lost once to Western Nebraska, and three times to Casper College.
King-Hawea plans to return to Gillette next season. There were five freshmen and six sophomores who finished the 2019-20 season with the Pronghorns
"I don't really have personal goals," King-Hawea said about next season. "As a leader, (I want) to help my team win a championship. Win the region, and hopefully head to nationals."