LSU head coach Kim Mulkey has predicted that Last-Tear Poa will make a major impact for the Tigers this season as she praised the star for her leadership qualities on her return to action.
The Australian guard is playing her last season at Tiger Stadium and featured for 19 minutes in her team’s 85-74 victory over the Tulane. The 21-year-old ace was on hand to supply two points, with one rebound and five assists on the night en route to the win.
Poa missed exhibition games during preseason, alongside the first three clashes of the current NCAA campaign due to personal reasons. Coach Mulkey had confirmed that her player’s absence was down to her needing to “take care of some business off the floor”.
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Speculation that she was missing from LSU games due to a lawsuit Poa has filed against the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) after her P-1A Athlete visa application was denied also was confirmed to be erroneous. According to The Daily Advertiser, Tigers team officials played down these rumors.
After her team’s win over the Green Wave, Mulkey has waxed lyrical about Poa’s locker room presence, as she outlined the senior’s leadership qualities behind the scenes. She divulged: “The impact can be her experience. She’s going to take charges.
“She’s going to open her mouth. And all that is good, she knows the position. She can play any of the three positions on the perimeter for us. She will tell you her true position is the off guard. She’s been very unselfish in playing the point for us. It’s good to have her back.”
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Kim Mulkey praised Last-Tear Poa as she predicted that the LSU senior will make a major impact for the Tigers in her final campaign (
Reagan Cotten/LSU/University Images via Getty Images)
Meanwhile, the legendary coach praised Poa as she admitted that her ability to set an example to her teammates is a rare quality among the current generation of players. She continued: “I don’t know why young people don’t want to lead anymore. Do you have a suggestion? I think I know why.
“Because they want everybody to like them. Leaders aren’t going to be liked. Leaders are going to challenge their teammates. Leaders are going to hold them accountable. I never had a problem just leading and guiding as a point guard, and taking care of them, but challenging. Kids don’t want to lead anymore.”
Despite this, Mulkey spoke positively about her current raft of stars, adding: “It may be a while before I know the identity of our team. I just know that when you’ve got five players and they go four of 23, we’re better than that.”
“But these other players are good. And I’m going to challenge them because you’re missing wide-open layups. And it’s not the defense. If it was the defense, the opponent, I’d give those guys credit. I’m one that will always give credit to the opponent, but we’re just missing chippies.”
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