Adams Opts to Quit UC Irvine Program

Christina Adams, a freshman on the UC Irvine women’s basketball team, has left the Irvine team because of a back injury.

Adams, a 5-foot-6 guard who led the state in scoring two seasons ago at Grossmont High School, had been practicing with the team but was hampered by pain from a lower back strain and sciatica. A doctor had advised her to consider redshirting, but Adams said she eventually decided to leave the team.

“My initial response was I was going to play through it,” Adams said. “(The doctor) was giving me anti-inflammatory medication. But over the next couple of weeks, I decided I could no longer stand the pain.”

Adams said the injury began as mild back pain toward the end of her senior season in high school, but that it had gotten progressively worse. A doctor told her that with rest and therapy, she might be able to play next year, but Adams decided against redshirting.

“I basically have chosen not to redshirt because to redshirt a year would set me back,” she said. “I don’t want to come back and try to play after a year off.”

Adams averaged 24 points and eight assists a game last season as at Granite Hills High. As a junior at Grossmont, she averaged 38.3 points, leading the state. She set a national record for three-pointers in a season with 100, and also set a national record for free throws in a game, making 28 of 32.

Adams said she plans to remain in school at Irvine.

Irvine (5-22 last season) has won only six games over the past two seasons. Colleen Matsuhara, preparing for her first season as the team’s coach, said Adams will be missed.

“Especially her outside shooting,” Matsuhara said. “That’s her forte. We’re still trying to find some more of that.”