Christina Callaway
Steve Virgen
The turning point of Christina Callaway’s season, rather her
basketball playing life, came Nov. 31 when the UC Irvine women’s
basketball team defeated William & Mary, 70-67. That’s when the light
switch turned on for Callaway. That’s when Callaway realized she
belonged on the NCAA Division I level and she was meant to succeed.
Callaway, the Anteaters’ leading scorer and rebounder this season,
scored a career-high 24 points to go with 11 rebounds to lead UCI to
the win in the Holiday Inn Mountain View Invitational, hosted by the
University of New Mexico.
She shot 9 for 11 from the field and was named to the
all-tournament team.
More importantly, Callaway received confidence, the belief that
she was better than her sophomore season and better than she ever
thought she could be.
Last season, Callaway shot less than 40% from the field, but, this
year, the 6-foot junior forward, who uses quickness to beat her
defender to the basket, is shooting 48% from the field.
“I have a lot more confidence in myself than I did last year,”
Callaway said. “Against William & Mary, that’s when I saw myself
playing harder and playing better. I’ve done so much better than last
year. That turned me around and made me better.”
When asked if she was surprised by her improvement over the
offseason, she offered the truth.
“You should have seen me last year,” Callaway said, referring to
the low amount of confidence she played with. “I am a little bit
surprised about this year.”
Nevertheless, Callaway’s confidence has led her to a successful
season that more than likely will garner her first-team All-Big West
honors. In the process, she has been one of four returnees whom have
helped turn around UCI’s season.
The Anteaters finished 8-20, 5-11 in the Big West last year. This
season, UCI is in second place in the Big West at 9-5, with an
overall record of 16-9.
“This year, we’re more of a team,” Callaway said. “We’re more like
a family.
“We understand the plays. Last year, we liked each other, but we
weren’t a family. Once we started losing it was downhill from there.
“This year, we love playing basketball and we love going to
practice. We know we’re going to be good. We just have to play as a
team.”
In February, Callaway, the Daily Pilot College Athlete of the
Month, led the Anteaters to a 5-2 record. She scored 89 points (13
per game) and grabbed 43 rebounds (7.6 per game). She has started in
every game this season.
“It’s a little bit of a surprise that she has improved,” UCI Coach
Mark Adams said. “Last year she wasn’t playing with as much
confidence as she is now. She is a kid who has to play on instincts.
And, we’ve told her to do that. She is very productive. She has
certainly stepped up.”
Adams said hard work is the primary reason Callaway has improved.
He said she has always been a tireless worker and an aggressive
basketball player.
There have been times when it appeared Calloway would faint from
exhaustion, but she continued to play, Adams said. Now, she applies
that effort to her mentality.
“She has been a lot stronger mentally,” Adams said. “She has good
basketball instincts. She’s a fairly complete player. She has been
pretty consistent out there. She deserves all-conference recognition,
that’s for sure.”
Along with Callaway’s confidence has come a high level of
maturity. She has been able to become one of the leaders on the
squad, and not just with statistics.
“Her maturity is on a different level than last year,” Adams said.
“She has changed her mentality a lot. A lot of kids have done the
same thing. Lisa Faulkner, Kristen Green and Wendy Gabbe, it has all
rubbed off on all of them.”
With their improvement this season, the Anteaters are confident
more people will come to realize the pleasant brand of basketball the
team has been playing.
“I don’t think we’ve gotten that much exposure,” Callaway said. “A
lot of people don’t realize how good our team really is.”
Until this season, Callaway never realized how great she could be.
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