UMBC women’s basketball graduate student Kiara Bell recently talked with PressBox about how she became interested in basketball, the player she looks up to and more. The 6-foot-1 forward averaged 6.1 points and 4.6 rebounds per game for Long Island University last year before transferring to UMBC. Bell is a native of Santa Rosa, Calif., and graduate of Cherry Hill East High School in New Jersey.
PressBox: How did you become interested in basketball?
Kiara Bell: I became interested in basketball because I was a very big soccer [player] and gymnast. I started getting really tall around seventh grade. My mom, [Jennifer], suggested that I try to branch out, try a new sport. Basketball was the only sport at the moment that was not during my soccer season and could kind of coincide with my gymnastics season. I gave it a try and then I ended up loving it. It got me where I am now.
PB: Who was the biggest influence on your game growing up?
KB: The biggest influence on my game was my high school coach, [Kevin Owens]. He pushed me a little bit because I was kind of unsure about it. My freshman year, he really kind of kept my head in it and was like, “You can be what you want to be in this sport. You can do anything.”
PB: Why did you transfer to UMBC ahead of the 2022-23 season after four years at Long Island?
KB: I decided to transfer from Long Island because I thought a new place would give me a new outlook on basketball. I had just graduated, so I thought a new program might give me another experience — not quite a better experience, but just a different experience and kind of help me get to where I want to go a little bit more.
PB: What’s your favorite memory from your time at Long Island?
KB: We were playing Sacred Heart [in February 2020], and we had gone into overtime. We worked real hard to make sure that they did not get a bucket and we got [Ryan Weise] the ball and she hit a game-winner and we ended up on “Sportscenter.”
PB: What is your favorite thing so far about UMBC?
KB: I would have to say just the people are my favorite part. It’s just a different vibe from New York. Everyone here has been so nice with the transition and everything, and I also like the small town feel. It’s not a super small town, but it’s just comforting and homey.
PB: What’s your favorite thing about Baltimore?
KB: I would have to say my favorite thing so far in Baltimore is the harbor area. Me and roommates, we’ve gone down there a couple times and we’ve gotten ice cream and just walked the harbor. It’s just pretty looking out at the water.
PB: Who’s your best friend on the team and what’s a story that underscores your friendship?
KB: I’d have to say my roommates, [Maryama Turkstra and Riley Donahue]. From Day 1, we’ve just hit it off and ever since then we have become very co-dependent on each other. Immediately there was just like a trust, bond I’ve at least never experienced with another teammate in the past four years.
PB: Was there a player you looked up to at Long Island?
KB: I had this one teammate, Erykah Russell, [who played at LIU from 2017-2019 and in 2021-22]. She was a post player but she kind of was all around. She did everything. There was no limit to her energy and she was always just ready to go, and I actually got to play with her one more time my senior [year] this past season before she left to go overseas. I still tell her this now, how much I look up to her. She’s always been kind of a light to me when it comes to, “Hey, you can do anything in this position. You’re not just a post player. You can move the ball. You can shoot. You’re not limited.” I really thank her for that.
PB: What advice would you give to younger players?
KB: The advice I’d give is just have fun and realize there’s things that you can’t control, but you can control yourself. That’s just all you can do. It is OK to fail. It’s OK to think things are not going to go your way because you know at the end of the day you’re going to keep pushing, and if you keep pushing you’re going to find your way.
PB: What are your goals for after basketball?
KB: This is actually my last season that I get to play college basketball, but I want to go overseas and I want to play for one of the Euro leagues and hopefully get to do that for a couple years.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of LIU Athletics