ORONO, Maine — Katia Bratishko admits it has been challenging playing basketball at the University of Maine.
She arrived in 2006, hoping to take her career to the next level and help the Black Bears re-establish themselves as an America East women’s power.
It hasn’t gone as planned, but Bratishko continues to put forth maximum effort with the thought UMaine will put it all together at next week’s America East Championship.
“You have to keep your head up and go for the next game,” said the senior from Annandale, Va., who along with classmates Kristin Baker and Amanda Tewksbury will be honored prior to tonight’s 7 p.m. game at Alfond Arena.
“You can’t get down. That’ll just start to spiral and you won’t get anything out of that.”
It is that kind of resolve that has made Bratishko a key contributor this season for coach Cindy Blodgett’s team.
“She’s got a great personality. She’s always positive,” Blodgett said.
Bratishko is having a career year, averaging a career-best 6.2 points and 4.4 rebounds per game. She has posted even better numbers in conference play.
The 5-foot-11 forward has increased her playing time dramatically, logging more than double the total minutes from her first three seasons this winter alone. She is playing 24.6 minutes per contest.
“I feel a lot more comfortable,” said Bratishko, who has taken ownership of her role as a senior.
“I felt that I had to step up since there’s nobody ahead of me and who are the younger players going to look up to now,” she explained.
Bratishko’s efforts haven’t been lost on her coach, who commended her unselfishness and willingness to serve as a mentor for younger players.
“She takes an interest in talking with other players from a leadership standpoint,” Blodgett said. “You can see how she treats the younger players, constantly high-fiving them, always saying something positive to them.”
Coming out of Flint Hill School, Bratishko was an accomplished AAU player for coach Annie McCormick. She was offered a scholarship by former UMaine coach Ann McInerney.
That’s when reality set in for Bratishko, who watched her freshman year of eligibility used up when she played a total of seven minutes in six games.
“That was kind of disappointing when I wasn’t all that great like I thought I was when I was in high school,” said Bratishko, who was behind the likes of Katie Whittier, Lindsey Hugstad-Vaa, Brittany Boser and Colleen Kilmur-ray.
Bratishko tried to remain patient and keep things in perspective, but was frustrated after a 13-15 season under McInerney. She considered transferring, but was reinvigorated when Blodgett took over.
“Cindy Blodgett saved our lives when she came here,” said Bratishko, who quickly took to her new coach’s fo-cused, hardworking approach.
She has gradually worked her way into a more prominent playing role, largely because of her willingness to fulfill a role as a defender, rebounder and screen-setter.
Bratishko also takes pride in her ability to communicate with teammates on defense.
“She’s that person that will do all the dirty work,” Blodgett said.
“Since I’ve been here, she’s our most improved basketball player,” she added. “She works incredibly hard every day in practice, she plays through pain. She’s someone who every single day we can count on to bring consistent effort.”
Bratishko learned her work ethic from her parents, Guennadi and Elena. She was born in Minsk, Belarus, in the former Soviet Union and moved to the United States with her family when she was 6.
Bratishko’s father was a world rowing champion in 1979 while her mother won a silver medal for Russia in the 1980 Summer Olympics and earned a 1982 world rowing title.
Katia grew up speaking Russian at home and can also read and write her native language. She explained her last name is spelled Bratichko, but in basketball she uses Bratishko so people will pronounce the “sh” sound correctly.
Bratishko, who is majoring in business (management) will graduate in May. She may apply for an internship with the Navy in the hope of working in the international shipping business and is also considering graduate school.
UMaine plays its final regular-season game tonight. With the tournament up next, Bratishko is confident the Bears have turned the corner this season and are on their way back to respectability.
“I know it’s been rebuilding years,” she said. “I think this year we’re more focused. It’s been ongoing and we just want to get up there, finally, where we should be.”