LYNN — Classical girls basketball forward Tyarah Horton doesn’t do a lot of the scoring for the Rams. The bulk of Classical’s points come from a combination of other players, so Horton focuses on mastering a different art: “the little things.” And when the “little things” are taken care of, the door opens for big things to come.
“Tyarah’s our glue player,” Rams coach Tom Sawyer said. “Every team needs a player that does the little things, takes charges, is in the right position on defense and is the player that knocks in the open shots. She does the little things that sometimes only coaches notice. She does that for us and she’s the unsung hero of our team.”
While scoring tends to be the stat that draws the most attention, rebounds and defense are just as important. And given that Classical has a handful of reliable sources for scoring points, Horton’s defensive and rebounding skills become even more crucial.
“Every team needs players like Tyarah,” Sawyer said. “Players who are willing to put her body on the line and take a charge. Players who are willing to rebound and get extra possessions for her basketball team. That’s exactly what she does for us.
“Her basketball IQ is her number one skill,” Sawyer added. “She’s smart. Defensively, she positions herself correctly. Offensively, she knows what we expect. Her IQ is probably her best asset and it’s a tremendous help to our team.”
Horton, a four-year varsity player, is in her second season as a member of Classical’s starting five. Thus far, the Rams are off to an ideal start after winning their first four games of the year before falling to a tough St. Mary’s team in the championship game of the Boverini Tournament. Since then, they’ve won six in a row for a 10-1 mark and clinched a state tournament bid Wednesday after beating rival English.
“We’ve been working hard, but we can always work harder,” Horton said. “We need to play harder because we’re going to play really good teams on our schedule. We’ve faced some good teams but there are always tougher teams that we’ll play against. We just have to work hard every game and bring a lot of intensity.”
Aside from a strong work ethic, the Rams also benefit from having experience on their side. Four of Classical’s five starters are seniors, with two more seniors on the bench. Having been together on the varsity squad since they were freshmen, the chemistry, leadership and communication it takes to win have developed for the group.
“I think we have a strong bench but the senior leadership is a big part of our team,” Horton said. “All our seniors have been on varsity since we were freshmen. We all know the expectations, and what’s right and what’s wrong. We teach that to the underclassmen and when they come off the bench, they know what to do.”
Prior to the start of the season, Horton wanted to work on her post game and develop a reliable shot in the paint. Although she recognizes that she isn’t Classical’s top scoring option, the ability to knock home an open basket only makes the Rams a better, more well-rounded team.
“I wanted to improve on working in the post,” Horton said. “In the past, when I got the ball in the post I’d get nervous, and the first thing I’d think about is looking to pass the ball. This year, I feel that I should look to score more when I have the ball down low.
“The best thing I do is play good defense,” Horton added. “I know when to help and who to defend. I’m always there to help with defense. Rebounding and boxing out are two other areas I’ve worked hard to get good at, they’re really important.”
When it’s all said and done for Horton on the court, she’ll miss the bonds and friendships she has built with her teammates over the past four seasons.
“I’m going to miss the players the most,” Horton said. “I feel that playing is fun but I’ve learned so much about these girls and we’ve developed a great bond. Especially the seniors, we’ve bonded so well together.”
Before Horton can reflect on her high school basketball memories, Classical still has plenty to play for this winter. The Rams are a top contender in the Northeastern Conference and are working towards a deep run in the state tournament.
“(Opposing) teams can definitely expect a hard-working team out of us,” Horton said. “A lot of teams underestimate us but we’re a really strong team this year. We get better after every practice.”
Horton and the Rams are in action tonight (7) when they host Revere in a battle of NEC powerhouses.
