Lobo women's basketball: Hooks 2.0 expects significant upgrade

Destinee Hooks 1.0 made a strong impression with UNM women’s basketball fans last season.

The 5-foot-9 guard from Indianapolis averaged 15.0 points as sophomore transfer from Vincennes University. She ranked among the Mountain West leaders in shooting percentage (45.3%), hit 32.6% from 3-point range and established herself as a legitimate inside-outside scoring threat on her way to earning All-Mountain West honorable mention.

Not a bad start, but Hooks was dissatisfied. Destinee Hooks 2.0, she says, will be even better.

New Mexico’s top returning scorer took her offseason training to a new level and is now reaping the benefits as the Lobos work toward their Oct. 22 exhibition opener against Adams State. She says her physical transformation came down to a personal challenge.

“I really had to accept the fact that I wasn’t where I wanted to be,” Hooks said. “My coaches giving me extra work was really just support heading into this year. I had to take the constructive criticism and just get to it. I have specific goals for myself and to get there, I have to be in the best shape possible.”

Specific goals? Hooks wants to reach 1,000 points scored (she had 480 last season) and take the next step to All-Mountain West status.

UNM coach Mike Bradbury believes both are within Hooks’ grasp.

“Oh yeah, her improvement over last year has been dramatic,” Bradbury said. “Destinee’s in much better shape, her knowledge of the game and attitude have been tremendous. She could have a really big year.”

Hooks had her share of big moments as a sophomore, including a 28-point outburst at Texas Tech and double-doubles against New Mexico State and UC Irvine. But conditioning sometimes limited her minutes and overall impact, something she doesn’t plan to repeat as a junior.

“I think I’ve gotten a lot quicker, a lot more athletic in all aspects of the game,” Hooks said. “I can move better. I’m more active. I can jump higher. I’m trying to focus on getting more rebounds; get some blocks here and there. Physically, I think I’ve drastically changed from last year — but otherwise I’m pretty much the same me.”

Well, perhaps a more relaxed version of Destinee Hooks 1.0. She arrived in Albuquerque just in time for fall classes and the beginning of practice last season, making for a difficult transition. Spending a full year acclimating has made a difference, she said.

“It definitely helps because last year I was stressed and had a lot of anxiety about the games,” Hooks said. “Coming into practice was hard, too, in my first year as a D1 college athlete. This year I’m more poised and calmer. I feel like I’ve just got to let the game come to me. That’s where maturity comes into play.”

Hooks also has broadened her support group. Her mother, Cassandra Hooks, attended all of her daughter’s games last season, but Destinee says she’s now more comfortable relying on her UNM teammates and coaching staff to “keep the love around me.”

Perhaps it’s little surprise then that Hooks has high expectations for her second season as a Lobo — and not just for herself. Her top two goals are for UNM to win a Mountain West title and secure an NCAA Tournament berth, and she believes the Lobos have the personnel to accomplish both.

“Personally, I think this team is a lot better than last year,” she said. “No offense, but I’ve gotten a lot better. All the returners have gotten like 10 times better than they were last year and our new group of girls, they’re all very talented and catching onto things very quickly.

“I think the sky’s the limit for this group,” Hooks added. “We just have to talk each other through it and make sure we’re all chasing the same goals.”

WHISTLE ADJUSTMENT: UNM invited a group of Division 1 and Division 2 game officials to Wednesday practice to take turns working scrimmage sessions.

“It’s good for the players and the officials,” Bradbury said, “getting everyone ready for the season. Besides, it’s nice to have someone else here calling fouls so I don’t have to.”

STARTING FORMULA? Asked who his starters would be if the season started Wednesday, Bradbury listed Hooks, Alyssa Hargrove, Joana Magalhães, Cacia Antonio and Clarissa Craig. He then added, “That’s just today. It seems to change two or three times a week.”