Prospect Spotlight: Emma Bulman (2021)
One of the unsung heroes to Gilbert’s basketball success is someone that hasn’t been talked about a lot on a statewide scale but is definitely deserving. Junior Emma Bulman is scoring 12.6 points a game this year and is shooting the ball at a 52.1 percent clip. The 5’11 wing has elevated her game this season after a stellar AAU season running with All Iowa Attack. One of the most improved areas within her game is her ability to shoot the ball from the outside. Last season she averaged 11.6 points a game but shot the ball at a 26 percent rate from the outside. Bulman is scoring the ball more this season and she’s doing it much more efficiently.
It is evident that Bulman has been working on her shot all year long and that is something that she has expressed to me. Gilbert is a totally different team when Bulman is playing at a high level, as evidenced by their team performance this season thus far. She has improved in almost every single area of her game this season and she is starting to see the fruits of her labor.
“I have spent a lot of time on my 3-point shot,” Bulman said. ” I have also been working on my inside game/post moves and finishing through contact. My coaches have been pushing me to become the most well-rounded player and scorer I can be and be able to take advantage of any mismatches. I have been working to create a complete game offensively and defensively so I am able to help my team in any way I can. Off the court, I have been putting in a lot of time in the weight room and watching film. This has definitely carried into my game on the court and helped me improve.”
The biggest improvement that Bulman thinks she has made is that of a leader. That is something that you don’t see show up on the box score but it is a trait that college coaches and high school coaches look for in players.
“I think I’ve improved the most as a leader,” Bulman said. “I’ve learned a lot from camps and books about being a leader and a great teammate. It’s allowed me to take on a bigger role for our team this year, in being a calming presence on the floor.”
Bulman is our thirteenth ranked player in the 2021 class but with her performance, this year and the potential that she has continued to show I wouldn’t be surprised to see her crack into the top 10 in the coming months. She has shown the consistency that college coaches are looking for and as mentioned before, her outside shooting has gotten much better.
Gilbert is a very balanced team with the ability to beat anyone in the state and Bulman thinks that if they continue to play at a high level they will be able to make a deep postseason run. I agree with her as Gilbert is showing as much balance as anyone in the state has shown thus far this year. I won’t be surprised to see them at the Well in March and Bulman and her leadership will be a big part of that.
“Our goal as a team is to work our hardest every day and make the most of every opportunity our team is afforded,” Bulman said. “We don’t get ahead of ourselves, and just put all our focus into the next game and take everything one day at a time. We stay in the moment and enjoy every step of our journey. I believe that if we continue this through the rest of the season, as we already have, it could lead us deep into the postseason.”