SVC Ursuline thrashes Harding, 71-40

Freshman Tyra Grant scored 15 points to help keep the Irish unbeaten.
By BRIAN RICHESSON
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
WARREN -- Tyra Grant doesn't want to be regarded as a freshman. Just a basketball player.
"I feel like I'm part of the team. I feel like I'm just like everybody else," Grant said. "It doesn't matter what grade you're in, as long as you can play basketball just as well as anybody else out there."
Well said from the 5-foot-10 Grant, who scored 14 of her 15 points in the second quarter, as Ursuline defeated Warren Harding 71-40 in a Steel Valley Conference game Thursday at Harding High.
Drawing attention
Grant, a Youngstown native, has given the defending district champion Irish (4-0, 2-0 SVC) another scoring threat this season.
In her first varsity game, Grant scored 18 points against Rayen.
"I was nervous, but you can't play nervous," said Grant, who focuses herself by listening to music, including artists Ludacris, Nelly and Master P.
Since her varsity debut, Grant has added 12 points against Austintown Fitch and 11 against Magnificat for a 14-point average.
"Coming into high school, you never know how they're going to react," said Ursuline coach Sean Durkin, whose team also benefits from another freshman, 5-8 Vanessa Dickson. "They've done awfully well."
Instead of reliving her brightest moments and singling out her best game, Grant speaks in terms of her team, noting its comeback win over Magnificat.
"Even though we didn't have a good first quarter, we didn't give up. It took a lot of heart to keep going and not give up," Grant said of her team's 54-51 victory last weekend. "For the team in general, and not just for me, it was an all-around good game."
Versatility
Thursday against the Raiders (0-6, 0-1), Grant showed her ability to score in transition, drive to the basket and set up for a jumper as Ursuline extended its lead to 30 points in the second quarter.
"If I need to hit a shot for my team, then I'm going to take it," she said.
Grant admitted she was unaware of her 14-point second quarter against the Raiders.
"I really don't think about scoring," Grant said. "I just think about helping my teammates out -- by passing the ball, taking it through an open lane, not fouling out."
There's more. Durkin especially likes Grant's tenacity on the boards. She pulled down five against Harding.
"I'm happy, more than anything, with the way she rebounds the ball. She goes and gets it," Durkin said. "We've always struggled in the past rebounding the ball, and that's an added dimension."
Getting along
Grant has added to a talented team that includes returning players Courtney Davidson, Christina Cook and Amber Miller.
"All of my teammates are my friends. That's how I treat them," Grant said.
Davidson, who scored a game-high 17 points against Harding, is the reigning Division III district player of the year. The 5-5 guard is dazzling with her outside touch, no-look passes and slashing drives.
So what's it like for Grant to play alongside her?
"It's interesting," Grant said. "You can never relax. You don't know if she's going to throw a behind-the-back pass, pass over her head, fake like she's shooting and dish it off. You always need to be on your toes with Courtney."
Sharina Freeman led Harding with 15 points, while Desirae Jenkins added 10. Cierra Bennett scored 12 points for Ursuline.
richesson@vindy.com