George Washington University Athletics
Photo by: William Atkins / The George Wash
'Back in the Game'
12/7/2020 1:45:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Luma has comeback season off to a strong start
For Neila Luma, the familiar rhythms of gameday are important. Sitting out the final 25 GW women's basketball games of last season due to a knee injury meant missing out on much more than what happened on the court between tip-off and final horn.
It's why Luma was excited to dial her parents just before leaving her apartment to head to Smith Center on the afternoon of Nov. 25. Just like always.
"My dad just told me what he tells me before every game: 'Go out there and have fun and be loose and be confident,'" Luma said. "Hearing those words again definitely felt amazing. It finally felt real. Like 'I'm back in the game. Everything's back to normal.'"
In any other year, Rony and Yoleine Luma likely would've been in the stands for their daughter's first college basketball game in more than a year, but instead, they watched from home in Macungie, Pa., as she piled up 16 points and 17 rebounds to lead the Colonials to a season-opening win over Lincoln in a fanless arena.
Making her return, Luma showed no sign of nerves or rust, doing most of her damage before halftime vs. the Lions to help the new-look Buff and Blue find their footing in their debut.
The redshirt junior forward converted open midrange looks into points, battled on the boards and defended the paint in a performance that showcased the poise and consistency on both ends that the Colonials could depend on over her first two seasons and the first five games of 2019-2020 prior to her injury.
"It was just really nice to see her confidence and her leadership by example," Head Coach Jennifer Rizzotti said. "She was ready to say, 'Hey, I've got this. I know we're struggling, but I've been here before and I can do it.'"
The even-keeled Luma has continued to offer a steadying presence for a young squad. Through three games, she is averaging 12.0 points and 7.3 rebounds for the 2-1 Colonials, and just as important, she's impressed Rizzotti with her growth as a leader, on and off the floor.
After so long on the sidelines and an extra wait due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Luma is back where she wants to be with a renewed appreciation for the opportunity.
"It definitely gives you a different perspective," Luma said. "You miss being out there. It's not much fun. More than anything, I'm just so happy that I get to play with my teammates again."
In her fourth season in the program, Luma has experiences to share with them.
Under Rizzotti, she's celebrated an Atlantic 10 title, reached double figures in an NCAA game and faced off against marquee opponents on the sport's biggest stages.
When she was the youngest starter on a veteran squad, she learned so much from leaders like Mei-Lyn Bautista and Brianna Cummings. Now, she wants to pay that forward.
"Any chance that I get, I want to use my voice to help my teammates," said Luma, who posted 10 points on 5-of-6 shooting and a team-high six rebounds as a first-year in GW's A-10 final win over Saint Joseph's in March 2018. "I'm no longer a freshman that doesn't know anything. When things get tough, I want to support my teammates and be there for them and talk them through some of the things that I've been through."
That process took real work. Throughout the offseason, Luma made an effort to go outside of her comfort zone to be more vocal. It didn't always come naturally, but she's glad that she pushed herself to do more.
While at home last spring, Luma made a habit of reaching out to her teammates beyond the squad's regular Zoom meetings to talk a little about hoops and a lot about everything else going on in the world.
Once workouts resumed in August, she became a constant source of information, offering pointers about Rizzotti's system in an effort to correct mistakes before they happened.
Luma was rewarded by being voted as a captain, along with teammates Jasmine Whitney and Faith Blethen.
"She took to heart our conversation that leadership isn't given, it's earned," Rizzotti said. "She really set out to earn it this year, and it's paid off for her and us as a team big-time."
Still, Rizzotti didn't know exactly what to expect from Luma on the court coming into the season.
The forward had wrapped up the rehab on her knee just before the pandemic changed everything last March. She did her best to make up for lost time utilizing her hoop at home, but she still had some catching up to do when the Colonials returned to campus.
Nonetheless, Luma flashed familiar form with her start to the new campaign. She grabbed an early offensive board and proceeded to bank in a 10-foot jumper for GW's first points of the season, a sequence that set the tone for her stat-stuffing opener. Three days later vs. Old Dominion, she followed with an 18-point effort in another victory.
"I felt confident in my game because everyone else put me in a really good position to be confident," said Luma, who was honored as College Sports Madness A-10 Player of the Week for those efforts. "I know that my teammates trust me, so I just had to trust myself."
After falling into early foul trouble and never getting on track in last week's loss at Virginia Tech, Luma was back in the gym with the same energy and enthusiasm as ever.
"I think being older and wiser, she knows that one game doesn't dictate everything," Rizzotti said. "She's not too high after Lincoln, and she's not too low after Virginia Tech.
"She's consistent in her attitude and her preparation. That's a sign of her maturity."
Part of that preparation is a brief call home on gameday.
Luma will do it again Wednesday before the Colonials face CAA preseason favorite James Madison in Harrisonburg, Va., finding joy in a tradition that's taken on special meaning in her comeback season.
It's why Luma was excited to dial her parents just before leaving her apartment to head to Smith Center on the afternoon of Nov. 25. Just like always.
"My dad just told me what he tells me before every game: 'Go out there and have fun and be loose and be confident,'" Luma said. "Hearing those words again definitely felt amazing. It finally felt real. Like 'I'm back in the game. Everything's back to normal.'"
In any other year, Rony and Yoleine Luma likely would've been in the stands for their daughter's first college basketball game in more than a year, but instead, they watched from home in Macungie, Pa., as she piled up 16 points and 17 rebounds to lead the Colonials to a season-opening win over Lincoln in a fanless arena.
Making her return, Luma showed no sign of nerves or rust, doing most of her damage before halftime vs. the Lions to help the new-look Buff and Blue find their footing in their debut.
The redshirt junior forward converted open midrange looks into points, battled on the boards and defended the paint in a performance that showcased the poise and consistency on both ends that the Colonials could depend on over her first two seasons and the first five games of 2019-2020 prior to her injury.
"It was just really nice to see her confidence and her leadership by example," Head Coach Jennifer Rizzotti said. "She was ready to say, 'Hey, I've got this. I know we're struggling, but I've been here before and I can do it.'"
The even-keeled Luma has continued to offer a steadying presence for a young squad. Through three games, she is averaging 12.0 points and 7.3 rebounds for the 2-1 Colonials, and just as important, she's impressed Rizzotti with her growth as a leader, on and off the floor.
After so long on the sidelines and an extra wait due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Luma is back where she wants to be with a renewed appreciation for the opportunity.
"It definitely gives you a different perspective," Luma said. "You miss being out there. It's not much fun. More than anything, I'm just so happy that I get to play with my teammates again."
In her fourth season in the program, Luma has experiences to share with them.
Under Rizzotti, she's celebrated an Atlantic 10 title, reached double figures in an NCAA game and faced off against marquee opponents on the sport's biggest stages.
When she was the youngest starter on a veteran squad, she learned so much from leaders like Mei-Lyn Bautista and Brianna Cummings. Now, she wants to pay that forward.
"Any chance that I get, I want to use my voice to help my teammates," said Luma, who posted 10 points on 5-of-6 shooting and a team-high six rebounds as a first-year in GW's A-10 final win over Saint Joseph's in March 2018. "I'm no longer a freshman that doesn't know anything. When things get tough, I want to support my teammates and be there for them and talk them through some of the things that I've been through."
That process took real work. Throughout the offseason, Luma made an effort to go outside of her comfort zone to be more vocal. It didn't always come naturally, but she's glad that she pushed herself to do more.
While at home last spring, Luma made a habit of reaching out to her teammates beyond the squad's regular Zoom meetings to talk a little about hoops and a lot about everything else going on in the world.
Once workouts resumed in August, she became a constant source of information, offering pointers about Rizzotti's system in an effort to correct mistakes before they happened.
Luma was rewarded by being voted as a captain, along with teammates Jasmine Whitney and Faith Blethen.
"She took to heart our conversation that leadership isn't given, it's earned," Rizzotti said. "She really set out to earn it this year, and it's paid off for her and us as a team big-time."
Still, Rizzotti didn't know exactly what to expect from Luma on the court coming into the season.
The forward had wrapped up the rehab on her knee just before the pandemic changed everything last March. She did her best to make up for lost time utilizing her hoop at home, but she still had some catching up to do when the Colonials returned to campus.
Nonetheless, Luma flashed familiar form with her start to the new campaign. She grabbed an early offensive board and proceeded to bank in a 10-foot jumper for GW's first points of the season, a sequence that set the tone for her stat-stuffing opener. Three days later vs. Old Dominion, she followed with an 18-point effort in another victory.
"I felt confident in my game because everyone else put me in a really good position to be confident," said Luma, who was honored as College Sports Madness A-10 Player of the Week for those efforts. "I know that my teammates trust me, so I just had to trust myself."
After falling into early foul trouble and never getting on track in last week's loss at Virginia Tech, Luma was back in the gym with the same energy and enthusiasm as ever.
"I think being older and wiser, she knows that one game doesn't dictate everything," Rizzotti said. "She's not too high after Lincoln, and she's not too low after Virginia Tech.
"She's consistent in her attitude and her preparation. That's a sign of her maturity."
Part of that preparation is a brief call home on gameday.
Luma will do it again Wednesday before the Colonials face CAA preseason favorite James Madison in Harrisonburg, Va., finding joy in a tradition that's taken on special meaning in her comeback season.
Players Mentioned
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/ Women's Basketball
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