Kisha James limped into the press room with a big grin on her face following LSU’s third consecutive win. When questioned about the ice pack taped to her surgically-repaired left knee, James’ smile broadened as she dismissed the question.
“It’s just sore because I fell out there tonight,” she said. “I’ve just got to suck it up.”
James provides depth for the LSU backcourt and sparks a team loaded with spark plugs. James did not know if she would start Monday night and found out that she would be joining point guard Temeka Johnson in the backcourt during shootaround.
“It doesn’t matter if I start or not,” James said. “If I come off the bench, I’ve got to be focused, and if I start, I’ve got to be focused. You just have to come in and play the way you’re capable of playing.”
Like other members of the 2002 Lady Tigers, James is coming back from a season-ending injury last year. In January, James’ left anterior cruciate ligament was surgically repaired. Anyone who witnessed her performance in the PMAC Monday night never would have known it. James finished with nine points and seven assists in the Tiger’s 88-55 win over Florida Atlantic.
Although James started at the two guard position, she is effective handling point guard duties when called upon to take over for All-American Temeka Johnson.
“Anyone of us can take the ball and go,” Johnson said. “You can throw it to either one of us, and that’s exciting for us and a problem for the other team.”
Monday marked the first time in which James and Johnson started together in the same backcourt. Both players are fierce competitors and demonstrated their ability to play together by combining for 17 assists against FAU.
“It comes with our personalities,” Johnson said. “We got to know each other off the court, and we just connected.”
That connection may well carry the third-ranked Lady Tigers a long way. In addition to the Monday night starters, the Lady Tigers have the luxury of bringing junior Doneeka Hodges into the lineup either as a starter or key reserve.
Hodges averaged 22.5 points and 5.5 rebounds in LSU’s two NCAA tournament games last year.
Head coach Sue Gunter said the opponent would dictate who cracks the starting lineup.
James earned a starting position by playing aggressive defense in LSU’s two wins over the weekend.
“In Arizona, Kisha did an outstanding job coming into the game and making things happen,” Gunter said. “Same thing last night (against SLU) and we wanted to see she and Temeka at the guard slots and I thought she looked very good tonight.”
The former Miss Basketball in Louisiana as a junior and senior at Pineville High School received her degree in kinesiology last May. As the season progresses, James has the potential to be an important part of a special season.
“She’s a smart player, she’s a very intense player, and very much a team player,” Gunter said.