Hobart junior Kurah Krucina is showing a knack for scoring.
After setting the girls soccer team’s single-season record with 32 goals, the 5-foot-8 guard has emerged as the girls basketball team’s leading scorer.
“It’s the environment,” Krucina said. “My teammates hype me up, and the coaches help a lot keeping my confidence up. And me just driving myself to get better, going my hardest in practice, staying after practice to put up more shots, it’s just fine-tuning what needs to be fixed.”
Krucina is averaging a team-high 11.2 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 2.5 steals and a team-high 1.3 blocked shots for the the Brickies (10-12), who will play either Valparaiso (20-2) or Chesterton (15-7) in the semifinals of the Class 4A Valparaiso Sectional on Friday.
“I feel like I’ve really ramped it up,” she said. “It’s a lot with confidence. My shot’s definitely way better. I know more about the game — when to drive, when to pass. My passes are better. It’s moving the ball all around. That’s gotten a lot better too.”
Krucina, who also competes as a sprinter and long jumper for Hobart, has started since she was a freshman. In two seasons as Krucina’s coach, Ryan Gregory has seen her progression.
“She’s improved all around — defensively, offensively,” Gregory said. “She’s been able to learn how to finish inside a little bit more. The girls keep saying she’s gotten more shifty — she can go right, she can go left, she can go back right. And then shooting, her shooting’s improved a lot too. Not to say she was terrible at all last year, but she’s improved a lot. Last year, she had some standout moments, but this year she’s more dependable.
“She’s just very important to the team. She brings a lot of offense. She brings defense. She brings energy. She’s a leader, especially to the underclassmen. The freshmen ask a lot of questions, and she answers them. She’s there for them. She’s helped a lot with the freshmen not knowing plays. She’ll run through them with them. They really look up to her. Overall, she’s the best leader I’ve had. She’s just an all-around good kid.”
Krucina is a team captain along with senior guard Zaria Gildon. Krucina called it an “honor” to fill that role.
“I try to keep the morale up, making sure nobody’s arguing, making sure even if we’re down, everybody knows we can get back in it,” Krucina said. “Just keeping the intensity up, just keeping the morale up, making sure everyone’s happy and having fun and enjoying being here. It’s a great team all around.”
Indeed, the Brickies have improved dramatically after going 3-19 last season. They’ve eclipsed their total victories from the past two seasons combined.
Krucina has been a key player in that turnaround.
“She brings a lot of hustle and heart to the team,” Hobart senior forward/center Riley Weber said. “She’s definitely that person when she’s on the court, everything gets elevated and people feel more heart to drive and do a lot more because of her energy.
“The way she speeds up the game or slows it down for us is very helpful. She looks for everybody. She’s not selfish on the court. She’s just a very great teammate.”
Krucina is happy to be out there.
“Soccer is always going to be my No. 1,” she said. “But I love basketball as well.”
