Arizona's Kailyn Gilbert on mission to show growth; Jada Williams first game, first start

It may only have been an exhibition game, but Kailyn Gilbert played with a sense of purpose Wednesday night.

She showed just what she’s been cooking up since last spring.

In Arizona’s 103-58 win over West Texas A&M, she stuffed the stat sheet with 24 points (4 of 6 from beyond the arc), seven rebounds, five assists and five steals and only one turnover in 30 minutes of action.

“I just want to get on the floor and I know if I have a lot of points but I don’t play defense, (coach Adia Barnes) is not going to play me. I just have to play defense,” Gilbert said.

There’s been a lot of talk about Gilbert’s offseason transformation across the board from her fitness and speed to understanding the system and point guard position and that focus on defense. Wednesday night was the first time to see how this actually translated on the court.

Typically, you don’t read too much into exhibition games. These scrimmages are used for Barnes to see how her team matches up against an opponent, what still needs to be worked on, as well as what lineups work well together. For Gilbert’s new teammates, it was all about playing in front of their home crowd (6,400 on hand Wednesday) for the first time, while learning how game day unfolds.

It may have taken a moment for Gilbert to get rolling, but the proof of all her hard work was there by the end of the first quarter. In only 75 seconds; she knocked down a jumper, grabbed a defensive rebound, dished an assist to Esmery Martinez (who hit a three-pointer) and followed that with a three-pointer of her own.

In the third quarter she grabbed three of her five takeaways with two coming on consecutive defensive possessions.

After the game in the press conference, there was a little back-and-forth good-natured ribbing between Gilbert and Barnes, but it was all love.

Barnes has always known that Gilbert’s ceiling was high. It was just a matter of time.

“That was some of the best defense she’s played but she’s worked and was intentional in offseason,” Barnes said. “She’s taken it personal and she did a really good job. (She’s) a completely different player.

“Having some pride, becoming a better player, a complete player, and she has the ability to (do that). It’s just (that) she didn’t have the mentality and now she has that mentality.”

While this is a small sample size, Barnes added that this is only the beginning, “She’s only going to get better.”

First time

Jada Williams will always remember this exhibition game.

There were a number of special moments for her including getting her first start in college in her very first game, scoring her first bucket on a steal and finishing the break and playing in front of that hometown crowd.

“It was cute … (Jada) was getting emotional for a second saying, ‘I’ve dreamed of this,’ like she dreamed of playing her first college (basketball game). It was really sweet,” Barnes said. “I was thinking to myself, ‘Wow, she is just a baby, coming to start in her first game in college.’ That was an ‘aha’ moment.

“These are the moments that are special as a coach.”

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Barnes thought Williams responded well to this new challenge. Her numbers don’t tell the full story as she finished with eight points — 4 of 13 from the field and didn’t hit her three-point attempts — four assists, two rebounds and two steals.

“She still impacted the game and that’s an unselfish player,” Barnes said, despite Williams’ shot being off.

“Usually when you are ice cold, you’re pissed off and you’re not playing defense,” Barnes said. “She was playing defense fighting 50-50 balls. She still helped us and she was still earned minutes on the floor. Those are shots that I’d love for her to keep on taking. I mean, all of us would. She fights and she’s a great teammate. I thought she handled the environment perfectly.”

The night off

Breya Cunningham, Courtney Blakely and Skylar Jones were all held out of this game. Cunningham and Blakely were a little banged up, while Jones is in concussion protocol.

Jones and Gilbert slammed into each other in practice.

“When they first collided, I thought they hit heads and Kailyn knocked the wind out of her (but) Skylar kind of dove and hit (Gilbert’s) chest and got a concussion,” Barnes said. “The next day (Jones) woke up with a headache.”

Jones is day-to-day and she was not on the bench for the game. Blakely and Cunningham were there cheering on their teammates. Barnes said all three are important pieces to the team and wants all three to be healthy before stepping foot on the court.

Without these three, the Wildcats were down to only seven active players. Everyone scored; everyone picked a steal; everyone played more than 20 minutes.

Radio, radio

The Adia Barnes radio show kicks off in the new year starting Tuesday, Jan. 2 at 5:30 p.m. This year the show will be held at the Arizona Sands Club, which is on the north side of Arizona Stadium. Derrick Palmer will host the show alongside Barnes. It will air on 1290-AM, “Wildcats Radio.”

By the numbers

22 and 15: The Wildcats played team basketball with 22 assists on 43 made baskets. On the other end of the court, they snagged 15 steals.

2: West Texas A&M was held to two points in the second quarter – 11% shooting – and went scoreless for more than seven minutes in that frame. The scoreless draught carried over into the third quarter for more than a minute-and-a-half.

20: During West Texas A&M’s scoreless draught, the Wildcats put up 20 points.

83 and 50: Arizona shot 83% in the first quarter and finished the game at 53%. The Wildcats hit 50% of its three-point attempts.

5: Five Wildcats finished in double figures. Gilbert led the rout with 24 points; Helena Pueyo had 20; Martinez had 18; Maya Nnaji with 15 and Sali Kourouma added 14.