http://www.emyouthemagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/PakmodeWebLogo.pngBy Jason Idalski
jason.idalski@emyouthemagazine.com
Tavelyn James is used to being recruited.
As a star basketball player, she was recruited out of middle school. She went to Mackenzie High School until it closed after her junior year.
“It was sad because I really wanted to graduate from there, because I really liked that school,” James said.
High school coaches around Detroit tried to get James for her senior year; she chose Mumford.
And, of course, the college recruiting. Big schools like Michigan, and the Big East’s Providence and St. John’s. Smaller schools like Niagara. MAC schools like Bowling Green, Toledo and Central Michigan.
Why Eastern? Well, three people are largely responsible.
The first two are James’ current teammates DeJa Wills and Sydney Huntley-Rogers, who James met on her visit to EMU.
“They really made me come here,” James said. “And I actually thought I was going to play behind Sydney. But I still came.
“It actually turned out better than what I thought it would.”
The third person is James’ young niece, who was born during her recruitment and made going out of state less desirable.
“I didn’t want her not to know me,” James said. “I love my niece. I love her to death.”
James also liked the coaches, so she gave a verbal commitment. But then national power North Carolina (and Illinois) got involved. Any temptation to de-commit?
“No, because I felt like it didn’t matter if I went to a big Division I school or a small Division I school,” James said. “I just felt like I would be successful if I worked hard wherever I went.”
And she has worked hard. EMU’s coaching staff has seen to that.
“I came to Eastern and learned how to work this hard,” James said. “I worked hard (in high school), but not as hard as this. I didn’t think, coming out of high school, that college would be such a big transition for me.”
Head coach AnnMarie Gilbert, part of the reason James has put in so much work, speaks highly of her star player.
“Tavelyn James is just one of the best players in the world. Other than Kobe Bryant and LeBron James, I think,” Gilbert said after EMU’s win over Northern Illinois. “She had 30 against Toledo, who may be the best team so far in the MAC, and she has 29 against a pretty good Northern team. This kid is capable of averaging these numbers.”
James isn’t averaging that many points a game, but she’s not far off. Through the games of Jan. 21, James was 12th in the NCAA in scoring, averaging 21.3 ppg. Dawn Evans of James Madison is first at 26.9 ppg.
James says she doesn’t follow where she is on the scoring list, although she gets wind of it anyway.
“I actually didn’t pay attention to that, but my brother is so obsessed with me that every time something happens, he calls me and I’ll be like ‘no, I didn’t know that.’ ‘How you didn’t know?’ I’ll be like ‘because I don’t just look for that.’ I’m not that type of player, though, that’s cocky,” James said of her brother, a 22-year-old student at Western Michigan. “But he always calls me to remind me.”
James’ collegiate career has helped establish a sort of bond between the two.
“We really didn’t even get along when we were younger. At all,” James said. “We did a lot of fighting.”
James is close to her family and it impacted her choice of major, occupational therapy. According to the press release announcing that she was named MAC Scholar Athlete of the Week, she has a 3.37 GPA.
Her stepfather needs an occupational therapist, and James learns from her when she visits. James’ sister has multiple sclerosis.
James, the youngest of four siblings (one brother, two sisters) is the only one in the family with that last name; everybody else is named Edwards.
“I guess my mom wanted to name me after my dad,” James said. “At first I used to be mad, because I didn’t feel like I was in the family. But now I’m happy because I like James.
“You know how they say your name when you score? ‘Tavelyn Edwards.’ I don’t like that.”
All those who attend EMU women’s basketball games at the Convocation Center should prepare to hear PA announcer Marcus Jackson say “Tavelyn James!!” Because they’ll hear it. A lot.
Major: Occupational Therapy
Minor: None
Year: Sophomore
Favorite book: “Green Eggs and Ham”
Favorite music: Hip-Hop
Favorite movie: “Paid in Full”
Favorite thing to do in spare time: Hang out with friends and go out to eat.
Describe yourself in three words: cute, smart, and athletic
Where do you see yourself in 5 years? In five years I see myself graduated from college with a degree in occupational therapy and playing basketball in the WNBA.http://www.emyouthemagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/PakmodeWebLogo.png
