Brock lands another women’s basketball recruit
Grimsby native Ilijana Vukovic is the latest recruit by the Brock women’s basketball team. Photos by aerialpromotions.
Ilijana Vukovic’s hopes of an NCAA scholarship were dashed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“A couple (NCAA) schools nearby have always been interested in me and I had been talking to some of the schools throughout the year,” the 18-year-old Grimsby resident said. “I am sure I would have gone on visits and they would have been able to see how I play a little bit more but because of COVID I couldn’t do that.”
When that didn’t happen, the Ontario Scholastic Basketball Association player with the TRC Academy in Brantford began to think about pursuing her post-secondary career in a familiar place.
“I wanted to stay close to home and Brock was the best option for me,” said Vukovic, who won four Division 1 OBA titles and an OBLX crown with the Niagara Girls Basketball Academy.
The six-foot guard/forward has always been on Brock head coach Mike Rao’s radar and that interest played a major role in Vukovic signing with the St. Catharines university.
“He has always been after me and he has always been interested in me since the beginning of the year,” she said. “I kept an eye on Brock and it has always been an option.”
Now that she needed any convincing, but Brock’s run to a USPORTS silver medal this spring certainly made her choice even easier.
“That was a huge thing to see how far the girls have come in the last couple of years and even the way coach Mike coaches,” she said. “I like everything about the program and how it has gotten better and better. I want to be a part of that and keep that going.”
Vukovic attended Grimsby and District Secondary School in Grades 9 and 10 before going to play in the OSBA for Grades 11 and 12. It turned out to be a great choice.
“You learn a lot of new things because it is university-like. You are living away from home so I am going to mature more and learn to do things on my own,” she said. “And basketball-wise, it’s a higher level and much higher than normal secondary school. You grow on and off the court.”
Her growth on the court came in a number of areas.
“I am much better at decision making and my court vision has gotten so much better because I learned to be more patient over the years. I look for the right move and the right spot and just slow down the game.”
The former Ontario Summer Games silver medalist hasn’t set any specific goals for her rookie season with the Badgers.
“I just want to learn, get confident about playing at the university level, just play the best that I can and be happy and enjoy it.”
Rao is certainly happy to have Vukovic on his roster and was delighted when the player called him three weeks ago to express an interest in suiting up for Brock.
“I saw her last year playing for Rise Academy and I liked her length, her play and her effort,” he said. “She is athletic and long which is what I am looking for and she can play the 2, 3, 4 spots and sometimes 1.”
“She is a very nice player and she has get a bit stronger just like (Pascal) Siakim.”
Rao expects her to become a two-way player for Brock.
“She can get up and down the court and she can extend the floor for us,” he said. “And I won’t have to worry about the pick and roll action because she can guard 1 to 4.”
Vukovic takes a lot of pride in her defence.
“Honestly, defence is just as important and I focus on it just as much as offence,” she said.
Vukovic has already been training at Brock for cardio and strength and she has also been working out with a personal basketball trainer in Grimsby.
“I can’t wait to start because it has been too long since I have been on a court and played a basketball game,” she said. “I am looking forward to getting closer with the girls and helping to build the family bond that I see that they already have.”
Raso expects a lot from her.
“I think she will make us better and I think she will make us better right off the bat.”
