Akienreh Has Big Game For Kayla: Best Friend Steps Up For Senior Co-Captain
1/26/2020 7:55:00 PM | Women's Basketball, Features
By Steve Kornacki
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The message from Wolverines basketball coach Kim Barnes Arico to her players after senior co-captain Kayla Robbins was lost for the season with a torn ACL dealt with filling a void.
"In Kayla's absence, everybody just has to do a little bit more," Barnes Arico said after a resounding 71-57 win Sunday afternoon (Jan. 26) over a Rutgers team that remains ahead of Michigan in the Big Ten standings by one full game.
Senior co-captain Akienreh Johnson, also Robbins' best friend and roommate, took the message to extreme lengths. She doubled both her scoring and rebounding averages with a career-high 24 points and grabbed 11 boards to equal her single-game best.
"I think I'm playing for me and her because I'm playing with a little more heart and chip on my shoulder," said Johnson, a 6-foot guard from Toledo (Ohio) Rogers. "You never know when it could be your last game, and Kayla's a prime example of that. She played her heart out the whole season, a misstep and a wrong step happened (landing awkwardly on her right knee), and she's out for the rest of her senior season.
"So, I'm obviously going to try and pick up the slack for me and her and keep her positive."
Johnson combined with sophomore forward Naz Hillmon (20 points, 12 rebounds) for Michigan's second double double-double by teammates this season. The other one came from Hillmon and Robbins in a close loss to Notre Dame two months ago.
"It's been a really tough week," said Barnes Arico, "and we haven't really spoken about Kayla too much. But I've had an opportunity to talk to her a number of times one-on-one and in front of the team, and I had a meeting one-on-one with Akienreh, too, because she's a kid who's gone through two ACLs and knows what it means.
"Akienreh is Kayla's roommate and best friend, senior teammates, who have been through the ups and downs of college basketball together. Akienreh was devastated for Kayla, and so we talked about Kayla giving her presence from the sidelines, and can Akienreh give us just a little bit more. If every person can just do a little bit more of the things Kayla was able to give us, and Akienreh did that tonight. She had energy to the ball and was everywhere. She's kind of letting the game come to her and is not pressing, and is really playing with a lot of confidence right now."
Robbins was the second-leading scorer (11.6 points) and one of the leading rebounders with 5.2 per game. She announced the injury suffered in the previous game at Nebraska on Twitter with a classy message that thanked everyone involved in the Wolverine program, while writing, "Injuries will test you physically and emotionally, but know that I am strong enough to undergo my road to recovery. I am ready to help and support my team as we finish out the season."
The Wolverines (13-6, 4-4 Big Ten) are tied for eighth in the conference, while Rutgers (15-4, 5-3) is tied for fourth in a tightly-bunched race. Michigan also is looking to impress the NCAA Tournament selection committee for a repeat trip to the big dance.
Robbins, who encouraged teammates from the bench wearing a sweat suit Sunday, won't be able to impact the stretch run on the hardwood. I asked Johnson how the injury and losing the rest of the season are impacting Robbins.
"When I tore my ACL my freshman year," said Johnson, "it was the opposite. I was the one hurt and injured and she was trying to keep me positive. So, it's very different. It doesn't make me feel any better because she's in that position but, of course, she was down a lot and it wasn't really real for her.
"Watching her first practice was tough. Watching her first game today was tough. But Kayla's such a strong person, such a positive person. She might show it when we're home, but out and about she's not going to show it. She's going to make sure she's positive. She's still here. She's still a captain. She's still a leader. She's still going to be there every day.
"We won't leave her out of anything, but it's been tough. But she's such a strong person that she's going to get through it."
Johnson, now averaging 10.3 points and 5.8 rebounds, had 5.6 points and 3.3 rebounds last season. She's starting regularly for the first time and playing a strong all-around game. "AK," as she's known on the team, also had some crisp passes against Rutgers (two assists) and drew a team-high seven fouls from opponents.
"She's finally 100 percent healthy," said Barnes Arico, "and part of Akienreh's transition last year, when she was coming back from the injury, was getting her confidence back to the level where she felt she was capable of doing anything. Her confidence right now is at an all-time high.
"She is such a great player, and we've seen that when she's come back -- her ability to affect the game in so many ways. Now, she's got it all together. That's a credit to her and her hard work."
Johnson said, "We're trying to get more shooters on the outside, and so I've been working a lot in the past two or three weeks on my outside shot, and also rebounding. Naz can't be the only one on the offensive-rebounding glass. I've worked on my free throws a lot. I'm probably going to be getting fouled more slashing to the rim, and I'm working on ball-handling."
Leadership, even for a co-captain, also needed adjusting.
Barnes Arico noted that Robbins is "now going to be a coach on the sideline," adding that she's challenged Johnson, Hillmon and junior forward Hailey Brown to "step up" as voices on the team.
"But AK is such a mother on our team," said Barnes Arico. "She's the one they turn to. She's the one they ask for support. But I told her she also has to push them and challenge them."
Johnson and Robbins live off campus, and their apartment became a meeting place for the Wolverines after she announced Tuesday that her career was over with the injury.
Barnes Arico said of Robbins: "She said, 'Coach, you would not believe it. I didn't even have to lift a finger all day. I said, 'AK made you breakfast?' (Johnson makes a killer French toast, eggs and bacon sandwich covered in syrup.) She said, 'Teammates brought me breakfast, lunch and dinner.' The amount of support she's received has been incredible from the president of the University (Mark Schlissel) all the way down to the local fans."
Sophomore Danielle Rauch started in place of Robbins, and got two quick fouls, finishing with two rebounds and one steal. Freshman Izabel Varejão also will see increased playing time now, and came off the bench for eight points, two rebounds and two assists.
Johnson, who made 9-of-13 shots, including 2-of-3 three-pointers, carried the big load in this game, and when it was mentioned that she set a career scoring high while matching her 11 rebounds against Wisconsin earlier this month, Hillmon playfully jabbed her in the shoulder.
"Ohhh, my gosh!" said Hillmon of the accomplishment.
Then Johnson said, "I didn't really know. All I cared about was getting the rebounds and guarding my assignment, No. 24. (Arella Guirantes came in averaging 19.6 points and 6.6 rebounds, and had 16 points with only two rebounds.) Coach always says the ball finds energy, and I guess today it was about more than usual. My teammates started looking for me more as I scored.
"It was tough with Kayla out. It's very difficult not having her out there with her leadership and athleticism. So, my roll has stepped up. I have to bring more energy, bring the feel that she did, take the charges that she got, defend the best player like she did, get the offensive rebounds like she did. So, I have to do more of what I was already doing."
Hillmon noted that "nobody is going to be Kayla Robbins," and she's correct. Experienced talent is hard to match until underclassmen get the chance to play more and, in turn, make strides.
Johnson said Robbins didn't have a vocal message for her following the win over the Scarlet Knights.
"We just kind of hugged it out a little bit," said Johnson. "Our coach's daughter, Emma, brought her some cupcakes and she got a little emotional. We know each other, and sometimes she doesn't want to be (vocal) and sometimes you've got to give her a little hug."
Sometimes, nothing beats a hug.
