The RoundHouse | 11/4/2021 8:40:00 AM
From Spain, Nhug (pronounced Nuk) Bosch Duran met Wichita State basketball on FaceTime with coach
Keitha Adams and associate head coach
Ewa Laskowska. By the time she arrived in the United States in early August, Wichita felt like the right place for school and basketball.
"I fell in love with them and they were so nice," she said. "They make me feel comfortable. I knew that was going to be my second home."
Bosch Duran, a 5-foot-7 freshman guard, is playing like someone comfortable making the adjustment to college basketball. The Shockers play NCAA Division II Missouri Southern State University at 6 p.m. Thursday at Koch Arena in an exhibition game.
Wichita State is experienced in the backcourt with returners such as
Seraphine Bastin,
Carla Bremaud,
DJ McCarty and
Mariah McCully. Bosch Duran's hustle, shooting skills and quickness make her part of the picture
"When I watched her play, the thing that I liked was her energy," Adams said. "She had passion. She had fire. It just popped off the reel."
That impression is holding through practices for the point guard who played for Spain's under-18 national team.
"She can shoot threes and she can play D," Bastin said. "She brings a lot of energy."
Bosch Duran considers energy and emotion essential for teammates. During practice, she bounces from drill to drill, always hustling and ready for the next action.
"You can have a bad game, you can have a bad practice, but the attitude is something you can never lose," she said. "You can miss. You can fall down. But the energy you bring to practice and the energy you transmit to the other girls is most important."
The Shockers emphasized shooting skills all summer. Bosch Duran's speed pushing the basketball can add to the offense.
"She's up-tempo," Adams said. "We'll play her and (Bastin) together. I think they both can create opportunities for one another. The biggest thing is she's competitive."
Paul Suellentrop covers Wichita State Athletics and the American Athletic Conference for university Strategic Communications. Story suggestion? Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.
