Junior center Adijat Adams has had to step up this year and lead a Biola women’s basketball team that lost key pieces from last year. Her persistence and hard work could help the Biola women’s basketball team achieve their goals of a better season this year.

The Eagles have played a total of seven preseason games this year, and Adams’ presence on the court has been prominent since the start. She scored 22 points in the first game of the season and has had an average of 16 points since then. Although the team has gotten off to a slow start with an overall record of 3-3, Adams has full confidence they will succeed in the regular season.

“We have so much potential; we're such a young and athletic team it’s ridiculous," Adams said. “We're looking good, we just need to improve some parts of the way we play. I can see us going really far once again because we have so much leadership and talent.”

Leadership has been key for Adams

Leadership is what the Eagles needed this year as they lost key players like guards Charrise Reece and Emily Drews to graduation. But Adams is determined to continue to improve for herself and for her teammates as they prepare for yet another tough season. Teams like Concordia University Irvine, Westmont College and Vanguard University will be the Eagles' toughest competitors.

“I just know that [Reece and Drews] were a big impact for Biola and they did so much for the school, so I knew that I had to step up my game,"  Adams said. “Improving was a must.”

Adams explains that from the start, her brother was always someone she looked up to.

“He's basically the one who influenced me to play basketball,” Adams said. “Because in high school he was really good and in college I saw how he could get a scholarship with the ability he had, and I've always challenged myself once I saw that.”

Adams looks to brother for inspiration

With dreams of following in her older brother's footsteps, she plans to play basketball on a professional level overseas. This dream seems to be getting closer as Adams is halfway done with her collegiate career. But since the beginning, she has never stopped thinking about and preparing for her future after Biola.

“I want to play basketball overseas, and if God leads me to pursue something higher than that like coming back to the U.S. and playing in the WNBA then I'm up for it,” she said.

For the next two seasons, Adams will continue to help her teammates and improve along the way. She expects big wins from her team this year, as her focus always remains on her teammates.

“Personally, my goal is to make the freshmen and the people that did not get a chance to experience nationals stronger so that we can be ready for any opponent,” Adams said. “And I want to take GSAC this season because we need that banner in the Gym.”