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/ Women's Basketball
Introducing... Klarke Sconiers
8/1/2019 4:20:00 PM | Women's Basketball
The Minnesota women's basketball team welcomes seven newcomers to the team for the 2019-20 season. GopherSports.com will sit down with each of them to get to know them better as they prepare for their first season in the Maroon and Gold.
Up next, it's Klarke Sconiers, a 6'2 center from Queens, N.Y., who was a three-star recruit and the 18th-ranked post player in the class, according to ESPN. She was named first-team all-state as a senior as she helped lead her team to a state title by averaging 11.7 points and 12.2 rebounds per game.
GopherSports.com: You went to Christ the King High School in New York that boasts famous alumnae like Sue Bird and Chamique Holdsclaw. What's it like going to a school with such a tradition?
Klarke Sconiers: "Just knowing it was a mecca for girls' basketball drew me into it. Going there and talking to the coaching staff they talked about the previous players and what they accomplished, so I was really motivated to go there and make a legacy for myself."
GS: What was your recruiting process like?
KS: "I started kind of late because I switched AAU teams late in my junior year. Once I started playing with my new team, my recruitment opened up a lot more and I started talking to a lot of schools. By September I had narrowed it down to Auburn, Illinois and Minnesota."
GS: What made you choose Minnesota?
KS: "The coaching staff and how they talked about wanting to start a new culture and build something here."
GS: How's your experience been so far?
KS: "It's good, just getting acclimated to the collegiate level and getting used to the pace and everything. I think everything is going pretty smoothly, though. The coaching staff is nice. One thing I can say about them is they're genuine. Some of my friends have gone to other schools and they get there and it's totally different. I really like the fact that here what you see is what you get and they continue to push you to attain your goals."
GS: What's it like playing for Lindsay Whalen?
KS: "It's been awesome. I remember watching her play for the Lynx and seeing all her accolades. Just having somebody be your coach that has accomplished everything you want to and tell you they see so much potential in you and compare you to great players, that just instills a different amount of confidence in you and takes it to the next level."
GS: What's the adjustment been like being as college student?
KS: "Definitely just getting used to the fact that when you go to college you're really on your own. You're responsible for prioritizing and managing; making sure you're getting things taken care of on and off the court."
GS: Have you found that to be easy or difficult?
KS: "I think when everything started out slow and practices were about the fundamentals and classes were just introductions, but now everything has picked up and I'm getting used to the pace of everything. I'd say things are going smoothly with the transition."
GS: How would you describe yourself as a player?
KS: "I would say I'm a really hard worker. I get on the boards, look to attack and I really look to instill dominance with rebounding and blocking shots. Defense is something I take pride in. I'd also say I'm a high-energy player, a lot of and-one screaming."
GS: Have there been any players you've leaned on for guidance so far?
KS: "Kehinde (Bello) with her playing my position and being able to look up to her and model what she does. (Destiny) Pitts, just being a leader and telling me to trust in the process, and Jasmine Brunson, she's from New York, too, so she understands the transition and stuff and explaining things to me around here. And Gadiva (Hubbard) has been there to help me find places and help trust the process."
GS: Did you know Jasmine Brunson before coming here?
KS: "When I was a freshman she was a senior at Mary Louis, so I had seen her play before but we didn't really talk until I got here."
GS: Does your jersey number carry any significance?
KS: "Yeah, 25 is my mom's birthday and I had it since I was really young. I changed my number to 31 this AAU season, but she was telling me how nice it would be to switch back so I figured why not finish out what I started with."
Off the Court with Klarke
Favorite Food: Chicken Tenders
Favorite Movie: Monsters University
Favorite TV Show: Power
Favorite musician: Pop Smoke, Megan thee Stallion, Playboi Carti, DaBaby, 21 Savage
Hidden Talents: I can bake (brownies), draw and write poetry
Player you model your game after: Joel Embiid, he makes it look so easy
Favorite Moment of Career: Winning the state championship this past season because the year before we were undefeated and No. 1 in the country and lost; so winning this year by battling through adversity and then scoring 1,000 points and winning MVP, to go out with a bang was the highlight
Up next, it's Klarke Sconiers, a 6'2 center from Queens, N.Y., who was a three-star recruit and the 18th-ranked post player in the class, according to ESPN. She was named first-team all-state as a senior as she helped lead her team to a state title by averaging 11.7 points and 12.2 rebounds per game.
GopherSports.com: You went to Christ the King High School in New York that boasts famous alumnae like Sue Bird and Chamique Holdsclaw. What's it like going to a school with such a tradition?
Klarke Sconiers: "Just knowing it was a mecca for girls' basketball drew me into it. Going there and talking to the coaching staff they talked about the previous players and what they accomplished, so I was really motivated to go there and make a legacy for myself."
GS: What was your recruiting process like?
KS: "I started kind of late because I switched AAU teams late in my junior year. Once I started playing with my new team, my recruitment opened up a lot more and I started talking to a lot of schools. By September I had narrowed it down to Auburn, Illinois and Minnesota."
GS: What made you choose Minnesota?
KS: "The coaching staff and how they talked about wanting to start a new culture and build something here."
GS: How's your experience been so far?
KS: "It's good, just getting acclimated to the collegiate level and getting used to the pace and everything. I think everything is going pretty smoothly, though. The coaching staff is nice. One thing I can say about them is they're genuine. Some of my friends have gone to other schools and they get there and it's totally different. I really like the fact that here what you see is what you get and they continue to push you to attain your goals."
GS: What's it like playing for Lindsay Whalen?
KS: "It's been awesome. I remember watching her play for the Lynx and seeing all her accolades. Just having somebody be your coach that has accomplished everything you want to and tell you they see so much potential in you and compare you to great players, that just instills a different amount of confidence in you and takes it to the next level."
GS: What's the adjustment been like being as college student?
KS: "Definitely just getting used to the fact that when you go to college you're really on your own. You're responsible for prioritizing and managing; making sure you're getting things taken care of on and off the court."
GS: Have you found that to be easy or difficult?
KS: "I think when everything started out slow and practices were about the fundamentals and classes were just introductions, but now everything has picked up and I'm getting used to the pace of everything. I'd say things are going smoothly with the transition."
GS: How would you describe yourself as a player?
KS: "I would say I'm a really hard worker. I get on the boards, look to attack and I really look to instill dominance with rebounding and blocking shots. Defense is something I take pride in. I'd also say I'm a high-energy player, a lot of and-one screaming."
GS: Have there been any players you've leaned on for guidance so far?
KS: "Kehinde (Bello) with her playing my position and being able to look up to her and model what she does. (Destiny) Pitts, just being a leader and telling me to trust in the process, and Jasmine Brunson, she's from New York, too, so she understands the transition and stuff and explaining things to me around here. And Gadiva (Hubbard) has been there to help me find places and help trust the process."
GS: Did you know Jasmine Brunson before coming here?
KS: "When I was a freshman she was a senior at Mary Louis, so I had seen her play before but we didn't really talk until I got here."
GS: Does your jersey number carry any significance?
KS: "Yeah, 25 is my mom's birthday and I had it since I was really young. I changed my number to 31 this AAU season, but she was telling me how nice it would be to switch back so I figured why not finish out what I started with."
Off the Court with Klarke
Favorite Food: Chicken Tenders
Favorite Movie: Monsters University
Favorite TV Show: Power
Favorite musician: Pop Smoke, Megan thee Stallion, Playboi Carti, DaBaby, 21 Savage
Hidden Talents: I can bake (brownies), draw and write poetry
Player you model your game after: Joel Embiid, he makes it look so easy
Favorite Moment of Career: Winning the state championship this past season because the year before we were undefeated and No. 1 in the country and lost; so winning this year by battling through adversity and then scoring 1,000 points and winning MVP, to go out with a bang was the highlight
Highlights: Gophers 99, Maryland 100
Sunday, December 07
Gophers in the Bahamas
Tuesday, December 02
Highlights: Gophers 77, Samford 40
Monday, December 01
Cinematic Recap: Gophers-USF
Monday, December 01