In the midst of a three game winning streak, the Keene State College Women’s basketball team is thriving this season. With a current record of 18-3, a large part of the Owl’s success has been the play of junior forward Sarah Kober.
Kober is currently ranked fourth in rebounding (7.7 per game) and second in field goal percentage (54.3 percent) in the Little East Conference after 21 games played.
Kober said the team is very “well connected this season” and that they “mesh well together and it’s showing this season.”
Kober has always had a passion for basketball and is motivated to see what the rest of this season has to offer. As a coach’s daughter, Kober learned at a young age she had a knack for basketball.
“Something just kind of clicked,” Kober said.
photo illustration by Tim Smith / Photo Editor
From East Hampton, Massachusetts, Kober played seventh and eighth grade basketball in middle school before moving to Hampshire Regional High school in West Hampton. At Hampshire, Kober was forced to play varsity basketball immediately, bypassing junior varsity, as Hampshire included players in grades 7-12 on the varsity roster.
Kober included that the transition was difficult for her at first, but was a great learning experience. Persevering through the tough competition, Kober ended her high school career scoring over 1,000 points.
Since transitioning to Keene State College, Kober has been “a great presence down low on the court” and a “good rebounder,” according to senior teammate Ryanne Williams.
But the transition from high school to Keene State College wasn’t easy for Kober and took her some time to become the influence on the court that she is today.
“I think the transition from high school to the college game is the hardest part of freshman year,” teammate and senior captain Kelsey Cognetta said.
“With post players it’s different because once you get to college everyone is your size. It’s not like high school where you have size and strength over people. It’s also harder because the game is so strategic and detailed. We’re very thorough with our plays and our scouts so that’s another adjustment as a young player.”
Cognetta continued, “I think in the beginning, these were the struggles of freshman year that Sarah had to overcome. She learned how to use her advantage even with experienced post players. She battles down in the post and it’s a battle she usually wins.”
Cognetta has had a productive season in her own right, averaging 10.4 points per game and is ranked fourth in the LEC in shooting percentage from behind the three point line (35.8 percent).
When asked about her current statistical rankings this season, Kober said the only time she’s ever looked at statistics and percentages is to see where her team ranks in the standings.
Kober also laughed when she learned she was 48 percent from the free throw line.“That’s something I have to work on,” Kober said.
As far as her mentality goes, Kober said she learned how to learn from mistakes made from her Head Coach Keith Boucher.
“You learn from your mistakes, and if you don’t learn from your mistakes then you learn from other people’s,” Kober said.
At first, Kober said she would dwell on her mistakes and get down on herself when Boucher would sit her down in practice.
“Now, as I’ve gotten older,” Kober said, “he doesn’t need to tell me what I did wrong. I know what I did wrong so he’s developed me in that way. He’s definitely shaped me intellectually as a player to know what I can do and what I’m not doing.”
Nick can be contacted at ntocco@kscequinox.com
