While at Archbishop Spalding, star forward Koi Sims had a few options to continue her basketball career at the college level.
After some consideration, the choice was relatively easy. She decided to commit to the University at Albany and play for the Great Danes of the America East Conference starting in the 2021-22 season.
Since Sims had extended family in upstate New York, close to her new home for the next four years, the choice to play at UAlbany made sense. However, New York’s capital is nearly 350 miles away from her actual home of Glen Burnie, Md.
The relationships Sims made at UAlbany were important, but she wanted to find her way back to Maryland. Loyola gave her that opportunity after she entered the transfer portal this past offseason.
Since that point, Sims has wasted no time making her impact felt for the Greyhounds. The 6-foot sophomore forward is averaging 28.0 minutes, 6.6 points and 8.6 rebounds per contest entering play Dec. 30.
“Koi’s doing a great job of maximizing the opportunity to be at Loyola from an academic standpoint,” Greyhounds head coach Danielle O’Banion said. “She’s certainly maximizing the opportunity from an athletic standpoint. We’re just so happy that she’s here and she’s thriving.”
A McDonald’s All-America Game nominee in 2021, Sims was a proven performer on the high school scene. She enjoyed quite the career at Spalding, averaging 14.2 points per game as a senior and joining the Cavaliers’ 1,000-point club.
Sims’ playing time at UAlbany didn’t reflect the track record she had built in high school. She averaged just 5.8 minutes, 1.8 points and 2.3 rebounds per contest in 24 games played for the Great Danes.
Sims pointed out that Class of 2021 recruits didn’t get to play AAU ball in the spring or summer of 2020 because of COVID-19, meaning they didn’t have a chance to attract more interest.
“I was still happy with my decision to go to Albany because I met amazing people and I loved my teammates there,” Sims said. “… The reason why I entered the transfer portal was because it was important for me to come home and play in front of my family and friends.”
“It was more of a comfortable transfer process for me to come back and play in my home state,” she added.
At Loyola, Sims has been one of the main pieces for the Greyhounds and has taken advantage of the playing time she sought. O’Banion describes Sims as a “sponge” in practice, someone who is able to absorb a lot of information at one time and apply that to game situations effectively.
Sims’ decision to transfer to Loyola means she gets to work with her usual trainers as well. By working with the people who helped her progress in her basketball career, she has found a groove again.
“They very well helped me get prepared and build myself up for the season, the preseason and just coming into Loyola,” Sims said. “I appreciated it a lot. … The coaching staff at Loyola has also been great with staying after, helping me put up shots, putting in extra time to work with me.”
Everything about the move back home has helped Sims gain some confidence and get comfortable on the court. The added confidence, along with her basketball IQ, has helped her evolve into one of the top scorers and rebounders for the Greyhounds.
Sims’ individual goals include continuing to get better in all facets of the game. She wants to turn into a double-double machine and improve her rebounding.
“I think Koi is in a situation now where she can play to her strengths,” O’Banion said. “She’s a worker, and one of the reasons why she’s continuing to have a positive impact for our team is because she does all of the extras. She’s constantly in the gym with her position coaches. She’s constantly in the film room with a coach figuring out ways she can help our team be successful.”
“I’m happy for Koi because so far, she’s getting a great return on her investment and she’s earning everything that she’s getting,” the coach added.
Sims is joined at the top of Loyola’s stat sheet by graduate guard Taleah Dixon and sophomore forward Lex Therien, both of whom are averaging double figures in scoring. The Greyhounds won just five games during the entire 2021-22 season but won five of their first 11 games this season.
With the program trending in the right direction, Sims’ main goal is the same as everyone at Loyola — to win a Patriot League championship and return to the NCAA Tournament, something the Greyhounds haven’t done since their lone appearances in 1994 and 1995.
“After my experience at the tournament last year, it is a one-of-a-kind experience,” said Sims, whose UAlbany squad beat top-seeded Maine in the America East title game last year. “Going another year, it would be a blessing and an amazing experience. I would love to see my teammates experience it. It would be great for the city and the program.”
Photo Credit: Larry French
Issue 278: December 2022 / January 2023
Originally published Dec. 21, 2022