Lester Continues to Show Potential
Jan 02, 2024 | Women's Basketball, Sports Extra
By: D. Scott Fritchen
Jeff Mittie knows this is his deepest team at Kansas State. The 11th-ranked Wildcats continue to demonstrate as much as player after player seemingly comes off the bench to give the team production this season.
In less than 10 minutes on the floor, Imani Lester showed it was her turn to make an impact in the Wildcats' Big 12 opener.
The 6-foot-3 redshirt freshman transfer forward from Louisville scored six points on 2-of-3 shooting and a 2-for-3 mark from the foul line to go along with three rebounds and two blocks in five minutes in the Wildcats' 66-41 win at Cincinnati on Saturday.
It marked a career-high in points for Lester, who topped her previous high of four points against Oral Roberts, as she showed glimpses of that consistency that Mittie seeks as the Wildcats get underway in the Big 12 season.
"I thought Imani did some really, really good things," Mittie said. "Defensively, she rotated in the right spots. I thought she was physical down there. Offensively against the zone, she has a pretty good feel in there. It was a good job by our guards to find her and a good job by her to finish."
Lester has four seasons of eligibility remaining after redshirting the 2022-23 season. K-State announced the signing of Lester on May 9, just days after she made her first-ever trip to Manhattan. Lester joined shooting guard Zyanna Walker, a Wichita native who also transferred from Louisville.
"(Lester) is a really skilled big," Mittie said prior to the season. "She's got a really good feel, she's a really good passer, and she has a good touch around the rim. All those things are really, really good."
Lester had no hesitation in joining the Wildcats.
"I clicked immediately with the coaches and loved the team on my visit," Lester said prior to the season. "I really had no ideas on K-State just because I lived far away. I loved the campus and everything. K-State was a great fit for me."
Lester, a native of Raleigh, North Carolina, finished her career at North Raleigh Christian Academy as a four-star prospect and was ranked No. 57 overall in the nation and the eighth best post player by ESPNU HoopGurlz. During her prep career, which began in the seventh grade, Lester reached 1,000 career points by her freshman season, which culminated in her selection to the 4A All-State team and 2019 Triangle Independent Schools Athletic Conference Player of the Year honors.
As a senior, Lester was named to the Charlotte Observer North Carolina First Team Super Team while helping her squad to a 25-8 record and the 2022 NCISAA state title. She had 23 points, 15 rebounds and four blocks in the championship game.
This season, she has come off the bench in 11 games. She has totaled 26 points on 9-of-21 shooting and 24 rebounds to go along with 12 blocks while averaging 5.4 minutes per contest.
K-State has recorded 374 bench points this season. It has received at least 20 points from its bench in 13 games, including a season-high 47 points against McNeese State on December 6.
Lester showed glimpses of her potential once again at Cincinnati.
"(Lester) played within herself and ended up being rewarded for it," Mittie said. "As a bench player, that's what you need to do. If you come in and try to force things, you end up not playing as well as you're capable of. I was pleased."
Jeff Mittie knows this is his deepest team at Kansas State. The 11th-ranked Wildcats continue to demonstrate as much as player after player seemingly comes off the bench to give the team production this season.
In less than 10 minutes on the floor, Imani Lester showed it was her turn to make an impact in the Wildcats' Big 12 opener.
The 6-foot-3 redshirt freshman transfer forward from Louisville scored six points on 2-of-3 shooting and a 2-for-3 mark from the foul line to go along with three rebounds and two blocks in five minutes in the Wildcats' 66-41 win at Cincinnati on Saturday.
It marked a career-high in points for Lester, who topped her previous high of four points against Oral Roberts, as she showed glimpses of that consistency that Mittie seeks as the Wildcats get underway in the Big 12 season.
"I thought Imani did some really, really good things," Mittie said. "Defensively, she rotated in the right spots. I thought she was physical down there. Offensively against the zone, she has a pretty good feel in there. It was a good job by our guards to find her and a good job by her to finish."
Lester has four seasons of eligibility remaining after redshirting the 2022-23 season. K-State announced the signing of Lester on May 9, just days after she made her first-ever trip to Manhattan. Lester joined shooting guard Zyanna Walker, a Wichita native who also transferred from Louisville.
"(Lester) is a really skilled big," Mittie said prior to the season. "She's got a really good feel, she's a really good passer, and she has a good touch around the rim. All those things are really, really good."
Lester had no hesitation in joining the Wildcats.
"I clicked immediately with the coaches and loved the team on my visit," Lester said prior to the season. "I really had no ideas on K-State just because I lived far away. I loved the campus and everything. K-State was a great fit for me."
Lester, a native of Raleigh, North Carolina, finished her career at North Raleigh Christian Academy as a four-star prospect and was ranked No. 57 overall in the nation and the eighth best post player by ESPNU HoopGurlz. During her prep career, which began in the seventh grade, Lester reached 1,000 career points by her freshman season, which culminated in her selection to the 4A All-State team and 2019 Triangle Independent Schools Athletic Conference Player of the Year honors.
As a senior, Lester was named to the Charlotte Observer North Carolina First Team Super Team while helping her squad to a 25-8 record and the 2022 NCISAA state title. She had 23 points, 15 rebounds and four blocks in the championship game.
This season, she has come off the bench in 11 games. She has totaled 26 points on 9-of-21 shooting and 24 rebounds to go along with 12 blocks while averaging 5.4 minutes per contest.
K-State has recorded 374 bench points this season. It has received at least 20 points from its bench in 13 games, including a season-high 47 points against McNeese State on December 6.
Lester showed glimpses of her potential once again at Cincinnati.
"(Lester) played within herself and ended up being rewarded for it," Mittie said. "As a bench player, that's what you need to do. If you come in and try to force things, you end up not playing as well as you're capable of. I was pleased."
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