By: Benn Addison & Matt Kirkle
The first place Sophomore Center Elena Pilakouta associates with basketball is the United States not her home country Cyprus an Island country just south of Turkey. So when Pilakouta had a chance to come to the U.S., and play Basketball, she didn’t hesitate with her decision. It wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows when she made the big Jump from Nicosia, Cyprus to Omaha, Nebraska.
Coming to a new country with a whole different culture can make a players’ life more difficult off the court and it can make an impact on the court as well. Pilakouta described it as a different approach to the game.
“The big difference between here and back home is our Basketball IQ is different. So, like, here we run a lot, the athleticism is different too, it’s a fast tempo game,” said Pilakouta. “But back home it’s more like plays and smart positions, not as fast as here.”
It’s these differences that can give a competitive advantage to other players on the UNO Women’s Basketball team as Muriah Murdie, Sophomore Center, explained.
“Her experiences are different from mine, so I get to learn from her, her past, her little tips and tricks because we play the same position. So, seeing what she has and what her skill set is, it makes my skill set better as well. It forms a different type of bond,” Murdie said
Pilakouta accredits her teammates for making the transition as smooth as possible while on the court.
“I didn’t know what to expect when I came here, but I am lucky enough people were more than welcoming for me, and they helped me adjust as fast as possible,” said Pilakouta
Pilakouta’s teammate, Murdie, has noticed the adjustments that Pilakouta has made on and off the court.
“Elena’s really blossomed, I feel like she’s just grown into this really vibrant, she really communicates a lot more frequently now, both on and off the court. She’s so funny to be around; her English just since she’s gotten here, and her little jokes are the best. You always want to hear those.” Said Murdie.
