On a hot streak, FGCU women’s basketball star looks forward to tournament

A Southwest Florida women’s basketball player is helping her team to a 20-game winning streak.

Kierstan Bell transferred to Florida Gulf Coast University last fall and says she has treasured this season. The team is now gearing up for the A-Sun Conference tournament.

Destined to play sports from the start, Bell grew into a special basketball player.

“My first word as a baby was ‘ball,’ so my family knew, oh, she’s going to be into sports.”

She’s now the 6’1″ guard directing FGCU to 20 straight wins and a No. 24 ranking in polls.

“I think it’s the fastest I’ve ever connected with my teammates,” she said. “Everyone likes each other, likes to be around each other, likes playing with each other.”

When your nickname is Shebron, you know she can play. She’s won the A-Sun Conference Newcomer of the Week award not once, not twice, but for 10 straight weeks.

“I’m not actually the one that sees the award first. It’s either my teammates, they’ll send it to me, or my coach will say something to me.”

Bell, the highest-rated recruit to ever play for the Eagles, transferred after spending her freshman year at Ohio State. Her reason: to be close to her parents, who settled in Lehigh Acres.

“I can come and see them anytime I want, or if I’m down or upset, I can straight go home, you know, have conversations with them.”

Bell and the Eagles have soared during the regular season and March Madness is about to start. The conference tournament tips off next week.

“It’s either win or go home and I’m pretty sure nobody wants to go home. I’m sure everyone wants to go on a good run and we can do that.”

Bell will be back for at least one more season before she’s eligible for the WNBA Draft. Some scouts believe if she keeps playing the way she does at FGCU, she could be a first-round pick.