Despite Individual Feat, Bourikas All About Team Play

Original Article was published in the February 16, 2018 edition of the Boston Globe written by John Johnson. 

When Georgia Bourikas was forced to sit out the basketball season in her sophomore year at Suffolk University with a knee injury, scoring 1,000 points for her career was the farthest thing from her mind. Three years later, the 5-foot-8 guard from Hull and Fontbonne Academy has joined the 1,000-point club at Suffolk. Bourikas became the 14th woman there to reach the milestone during a 92-57 victory over Anna Maria Feb. 1.

Bourikas was also named Division 3 Women's Basketball National Player of the Week by the United States Basketball Writers Association Dec. 12 after averaging 29 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 3 assists during a pair of Suffolk wins. Through games of Feb. 13, Bourikas leads the team (18-6, 11-4 in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference) in scoring (14.1 points per game) and is second in rebounding (6.3). She is third in assists with 56. Bourikas is also clutch at the free throw line, where she is shooting 92 percent, with just seven misses (84-for-91) on the season.

What are your thoughts about scoring 1,000 points?
It was one of the most surreal experiences I've ever had. Reaching this goal means everything to me, and I'm so lucky my coach and teammates were behind me. The support was incredibly overwhelming from everyone, especially my family and friends, and it's truly a humbling experience.

How are you generating most of your offense this year?
My game has drastically changed over the years, especially from my freshman year. I used to be a standstill 3-point shooter. Now, I score most of my points by driving to the basket and getting to the foul line.

What initiated the change in your game?
The summer going into my sophomore year (before my injury), I played a lot of pickup in a men's league, and realized I would have to change my game if I wanted to play against stronger and faster athletes. I also worked a lot with my former AAU coach, Dan Norton, who helped take my game to the next level.

What is the biggest asset that you bring to the team?
The girls on the team always joke that I'm the "mom" of the team. It's hard not to be the "mom" when you've been here for five years. I've experienced so much playing for this team — exciting team wins, heartbreaking losses, and traumatic injuries. So I would say my biggest asset is experience. The girls come to me about everything, basketball questions, personal life and college questions. With such a large group of underclassmen, I step into the role of "mom" so they have an idea of what is expected of an upperclassman.

What is most important for the team to be successful in the playoffs?
To understand that we play our best basketball as a team. Playing together has been something that we've stressed all season, but it's becoming more and more apparent to the girls as we play tougher teams. We've learned that we can beat anyone, on any given day, when we play together.

Favorite book and movie?
I just started reading the "Game of Thrones" books while I wait for the next season to come out on HBO. As for my favorite movie, I love all the classics, but one that I always watch is "Dirty Dancing." I watch that movie too often; it never gets old.

What do you hope to do after graduation?
I hope to get into the arts administration field, hopefully for a gallery, museum, or non-profit. I am also interested in teaching and I am getting my [teaching English to students of other languages] certificate, so I'm looking at teaching overseas as well.

Would you like to stay involved in basketball after college?
Absolutely. I've been a coach for the MT Elite Ducks AAU Basketball organization since I was a sophomore in high school, and depending on where I work after graduation, I would absolutely love to stay as a coach for this program.

What do you like to do to keep busy when the season ends?
I like to pick up my studio art practice by drawing and painting. I also will pick up a couple shifts bartending and serving at the Boston Harbor Hotel, so I can start paying back my student loans. As soon as my season ends I will be traveling to Italy to visit my sister who's studying abroad in Florence.