Friday, February 04, 2000
CHCA star takes quick path to college scholarship
BY DAVE SCHUTTE
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Nancy Bowden, a 5-foot-2 shooting guard for the Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy girls basketball team, is standing tall with a Division I college grant-in-aid in her hip pocket.
Bowden averages 12.9 points, 6.6 steals and 6.7 assists a game. But, it was her quickness that helped her get to college.
Bowden signed this week to play at Butler University in Indianapolis. First-year Butler coach Wendy Gatlin's said Bowden was her No. 1 recruiting prospect.
“(Former Ohio University coach) Liana Coutts started talking with me last year after watching me play in the district tournament,” Bowden said.
“But, after Coach Coutts left Ohio to take an assistant coaching job at Butler University, that's when I started getting mail everyday from Butler.”
Coutts convinced Gatlin to watch Bowden play for the Dayton Lady Hoop Stars in the National AAU Tournament held in Kingsport, Tn in August.
“Every game, coach Gatlin was in the front row watching me,” Bowden said. “She told me after every game that she was interested in signing me.”
Bowden admitted that before Gatlin showed interest, she had never heard of Butler University.
She took time to investigate and discovered Butler has high academic standings and an excellent reputation.
CHCA coach Tim Southerland wasn't surprised when Bowden received the offer.
“Nancy has a great mind for the game,” Southerland said. “She understand how to use her unbelieveable speed and quickness. She's almost amazing when it comes to picking angles to get to the ball. She's know when to go after it and when not to.”
Bowden, along with Keli Gentry (5-5) and Karen Hewitt (5-5), give CHCA one of the smallest and quickest backcourt trio in Cincinnati.
A starting guard for Hughes as a freshman and sophomore, Bowden took advantage of an opportunity to transfer to CHCA, making the move after talking with her parents, Norene and Anthony Price.
“I also talked to Linda Miles (former Highes standout now at Rutgers University) and she encouraged me to make the switch,” Bowden said. “It was a tough transition, especially on the social side.”
Southerland was immediately impressed with Bowden's athletic ability but was surprised at her quietness.
“When I first saw Nancy, she was shy and didn't say two words,” Southerland said. “She still isn't a big talker but has come out of her shell, both on and off the court.”
Offensively, Bowden is an average shooter (45 percent), and according to Southerland, “needs to improve on the pull-up jump shot off the dribble and the 3-pointer.”
But, the lack of high-percentage shooting is made up for with Bowden's quickness and the ability to penetrate. This trait is the reason for her assist average.
“We also have two excellent shooters in Keli Gentry and Karen Hewitt,” Southerland said. “If teams collapse on Nancy, she has great vision and gets it to either Keli or Karen, both who are excellent 3-point shooters.”
Since Bowden joined the team for the 1998-99 season, the Eagles are 34-3. She averaged 17 points, eight steals and six assists as a junior.
The Eagles should be one of the top-seeded teams in the Division III sectional tournament that begins in three weeks.
Bowden's statistics have fallen off this season with Gentry, a transfer from Little Miami, giving the Eagles another offensive and defensive weapon.
“When I arrived here, I couldn't pass the ninth grade math proficiency test,” Bowden said. “Mr. (Earl) Edmonds told my parents not to worry because the school had a tutor who would work with me.”
Three weeks later, Bowden passed the proficiency test and recently took the college entrance test.
“I had to look at the big picture when making the change,” Bowden said. “Everyone made me feel comfortable and accepted me. I'm doing well in school which is my top priority.”
Southerland summed it up.
“I try to teach the girls what I think will help them during their entire lives,” said Southerland, who's in his fifth year at CHCA.
“I don't want them to take losses well because chances are it will become a habit. But, I also don't want them to take them too hard because they will be blinded and won't see the big picture.”
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