The multitalented Tierra Hodges of the Furman Paladins
GREENVILLE, S.C. — Long gone are the days where athletes are expected by coaches to be dominant in one aspect of the sport. Of course, those type of players still exist but only amongst a minority in an ocean where everyone around them is multidimensional. It鈥檚 not enough for scouts, at the college level, to be excited about a player who can just score or whose only real asset is rebounding or passing or defending. The athlete needs to be able to do multiple things well. In the case of Lady Paladins star Tierra Hodges, she has developed an assortment of skills that are worthy of great praise.
The 5-foot-9 guard is in her fifth year with the Furman Lady Paladins and is enjoying a productive season. She鈥檚 played and started in all of the games where she鈥檚 averaging the most minutes on the court at 33.2 per game. During her game time, she鈥檚 averaging a double double. Hodges is the only one on the team to do so as she has an average of 15.0 points and 11.0 rebounds per game. Those familiar with basketball might be stunned as to how a 5-foot-9 guard is getting so many rebounds but it just so happens that Hodges鈥� experience makes her adept at being in the right place and leaping at the right time.
Not only has she managed to grab 70 defensive boards, but she has 40 offensive rebounds. That鈥檚 40 second chance points for her team. It鈥檚 almost unheard of in the pros that a guard can get that many, let alone in college. Hodges clearly knows where to position herself when the ball is in the air and wants to be the one that is difference between winning and losing. It鈥檚 that type of leadership that is innate and only summoned in high pressure situations.
It鈥檚 the type of game that has earned her multiple awards. Last year, she was named to the All-Southern Conference team by the coaches. The year before that, she earned similar accolades when she was named to the first team All-Southern Conference by the media and coaches. She also earned a spot in the Southern Conference academic honor roll. Needless to say, Hodges embraces the term 鈥渟tudent athlete鈥� to its fullest definition.
Overall, she鈥檚 an incredible athlete who knows when to shoot, when to pass and where to be when the ball is in mid-air. Hodges has that rare ability of a player who can lead without wanting the spotlight. She might be the leading scorer on the team, but it鈥檚 just by an average 1.7 points. Hodges wants to be a dominating force in multiple aspects of the game. It鈥檚 a quality that won鈥檛 go unnoticed from scouts hired by professional teams.
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