T-Money in the Bank

Amy Paterson / photo editor Freshman guard Tamra Young vies for a rebound during Tuesday's practice. Young has scored double-digit points in all but one of her 14 games this season.

For the second consecutive year, the JMU women’s basketball team has called a freshman its leading scorer. During the 2003-’04 campaign, that banner draped the shoulders of Lesley Dickinson, who averaged 15.4 points a game.

So far in 2004 — and now 2005 — the leading scorer’s mantle once again belongs to a freshman in the form of Tamera Young.

The 6-foot 1-inch forward from Wilmington, N.C., that they call T-Money, is averaging 14.8 points a game, which is good enough for the team’s lead in that category.

"I didn’t expect to be the leading scorer," Young said. "I didn’t expect the playing time either. I never thought I would get as much playing time as I do now."

Playing time is something Young has gotten plenty of. She is averaging 32.3 minutes a contest, second-most on the squad behind Dickinson, who is logging an average of 34.5 every time out.

"Working with her in the summer and the preseason, everyone here knew she was talented and knew she would contribute immediately," senior center Krystal Brooks said. "I felt like she would be a big impact player in the CAA and on the team."

In those minutes, Young has set her early career highs fairly high. She scored 21 points in a game twice, first against Charleston Southern University Dec. 16 and then against Cornell University Jan. 4.

During the Cavalier Classic Dec. 28 and 29, Young posted her first double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds, along with four steals and three blocks against American University.

Also in those minutes, Young has posted double-digit point figures in every game but one — a streak of 12-straight games from her first Nov. 23 against Virginia Tech in the Convocation Center. Over that stretch (which ended Jan. 14 against George Mason University) she averaged 15.8 points a game.

"I expected [college basketball] to be harder than it is," Young said. "I never thought I would be scoring as much as I do. I thought other teams would be able to guard me better than what they do.

"Before I got here, I was nervous. In high school, there are only one or two good players, but in college, everyone is good. In high school, they will double-team you, but in college it’s more one-on-one."

Man-to-man defense is a characteristic of collegiate hoops that seems to work in the forward’s favor – given her status as a player who fancies driving the lane.

"She’s a penetrator," senior center Krystal Brooks said. "She’s a slasher. That’s all just part of her game."

Before Young took her "game" to JMU, she could’ve taken it to a few other places. Her final five schools included fellow Colonial Athletic Association schools Old Dominion University and the University of North Carolina-Wilmington. Others courting Young’s services were East Carolina University of Conference-USA and Wake Forest University of the Atlantic Coast Conference.

"I took one visit to ECU and didn’t like it," Young said. "I came here and I really liked the school, the atmosphere and felt comfortable with the coaches. Then I signed here because I didn’t want to miss my opportunity and they only had a few spots left."

While making the decision on her basketball future, she was doing so from Laney High School – a high school that claims a basketball player as an alumnus, that a few people may have heard of.

His name? Some guy named Michael Jordan.

T-Money and the Dukes continue their season tonight, when they travel to challenge the Pride of Hofstra University. Game time is 7 p.m.