Junior forward Terai Sadler brings a new culture and her basketball skills to the Sugar Bears.

Born and raised in New Plymouth, New Zealand, UCA Sugar Bears’ junior forward Terai Sadler is a health education major.

She attended an all-girls high school there before moving to America for college in 2011. Sadler spent two years at Crowder College in Neosho, Mo. before transferring to UCA.

She said her move to UCA was not as difficult as some might think.

“I think the transition for me was a little easier because I’m very independent and always wanted to move out of my house as soon as I could,” Sadler said.

In New Zealand, Sadler lived about two minutes from the beach, so, “coming to Missouri then to Arkansas was a lot different than it is at home.”

Leaving family back in New Zealand, Sadler still travels back when she can.

“Obviously everything is a lot different in America than New Zealand. There aren’t very many similarities,” she said. “People always ask me what the biggest difference is and I can never think of what to say because everything is different.”

Sadler said that the only chance she gets to go home is over summer break.

Her parents came to visit her when she was a freshman, and Sadler said they are very supportive of both her studies and her athletics.

“[Going back home over summer break] is nice but also rough, because when I get home it’s winter, so I end up going from winter in America to winter in New Zealand,” she said. “I don’t think it gets as cold back home as it does here, and we don’t get snow outside.”

As a UCA women’s basketball team member, Sadler said she has found a place to belong thousands of miles away from her hometown.

Sadler said she feels blessed to be on a team with the other Sugar Bears.

“[My coaches and teammates] all make me feel at home and we all get along like one big family,” she said. “On top of all that, we are having a successful season so far so there’s not much more I could ask for.”

Sadler said the team is looking to have a memorable season.

“Obviously it’s hard work but it’s all worth it,” Sadler said, “I think myself, my team and my coaches are all expecting to have a very successful season this year.”

Senior guard Micah Rice, one of Terai’s teammates, said she loves having Terai on the team.

“Having [Terai] on the team is great,” Rice said. “She shoots a high percentage for us from the field, plays good defense and has made some hustle plays for us this year. We can share experiences and compare lifestyles.”

Rice said because of Sadler’s different culture, she is different than what the team is used to, but she’s adapted well.

Rice also said Sadler makes her laugh and is always supportive of the team.

The Sugar Bears are first in the Southland Conference at 7-2 and 13-7 overall.

Both Sadler and Rice said their goal is to win conference and go to the NCAA tournament in March.

Basketball in New Zealand is different than the U.S. format.

Sadler said that in New Zealand, many of the game rules are different, but they the changes are minor, such as a “24-second shot clock compared to a 30-second shot clock, and the three-point line is further out.”

Sadler also said basketball in America is far more popular than it is in New Zealand.

“A lot of New Zealanders come to America to study and continue playing basketball because there is no basketball league for women after high school in New Zealand,” Sadler said. “That is my main reason for my coming to America – so I could continue playing and improving at basketball while studying at the same time.”

Although Sadler hasn’t taken enough shots to be considered the team leader, she ranks third on the team in field goal percentage with 58.2 percent.

At Crowder College, Sadler was selected to the National Junior Collegiate Athletic Association Division I First Team All-American in 2012-13.

She averaged 18.6 points, nine rebounds, 2.4 assists and two steals, while shooting 57.2 percent from the field and 85.4 percent from the free throw line.

She scored in double figures in 32 games last season, had 15 games with 20 or more points and a pair of 30-point games.

She also recorded 17 double-doubles.

This season she has averaged 7.6 points, 3.2 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 0.4 steals per game in 23 minutes of action per game.

Her season-high point total came Nov. 30 against Austin Peay and Dec. 16 against Southern Mississippi, where she scored 16 points in both games.

She helped lead Crowder College to a 29-6 record and a No. 14 national ranking and appearance in the NJCAA Division I tournament.

Over her two seasons with the team, Crowder had a 52-15 overall record.

She hasn’t shot much this season, attempting a little more than four shots per game.

She also ranks third on the team with a 78.9 percent free throw percentage.

Sadler has attempted one three-pointer on the season against Alcorn State University and made the shot. She was two for three overall during the game.