With the 2011 recruiting season just months from its early signing period, St. Thomas Aquinas (Overland Park, Kan.) guard
Dashawn Harden and Oklahoma coach Sherri Coale each realized they had something to offer the other.
Harden was looking for a tradition rich program that could hone her skills and offer her a quality education. Coale, on the other hand, needed a pass-happy guard with the ability to break down a defense.
Oklahoma recruit Dashawn Harden.
Photo by Dean Backes
Coale offered the 5-foot-9-inch guard a scholarship and Harden sealed the deal with her signature on a letter of intent in November, 2010.
"I like her ability to pass the ball," Coale said of Harden last week. "She has great vision. It's been a number of years since we've had a great passer at the guard position. We've had great passers here recently, just not at the guard position."
The 14-year Sooner coach became aware of Harden's abilities through the scouting of her coaching staff. Once she saw Harden's talents for herself, Coale set out to sign her.
"I really liked her work ethic and her versatility," Coale recalled. "Her skill set is amazing. She really fits into our system and what we like to do. I think she has the ability to be a special college basketball player. She has no glaring weaknesses and she is able to do a number of things. DaShawn has a chance to be incredible."
According to Harden, her recruitment started early with an offer from Arkansas during the summer before her seventh grade season. Eventually, Harden committed to Kansas before changing her mind and giving the final nod to the Sooners. After conferring with her mother, Rita, Harden decided Oklahoma was a better fit for her athletically and academically.
"The coaches are very good at Oklahoma and I know I'll get a good education," Harden said of her new basketball home. "They have an academic center for athletes only and the coaches are honest with you. They don't sugar coat things. They are very straightforward and I like people like that."
Softball was the first sport Harden attempted to tackle, but eventually basketball won her over. The preseason Class 5A first team all-state guard has been ruling the basketball court since the third grade.
One of Harden's fonder basketball memories takes her back to an Oklahoma tournament in which she and her seventh grade teammates dismantled and upended the Wichita Blazers, a team consisting of present day Wichita Heights players. The Falcons are considered by many to be the cream of the crop in Kansas Class 6A this season.
"Everybody was afraid of them," recalled Harden. "Not me though. I'm really, really competitive. If somebody tells me something can't be done, I set out to prove them wrong. I'd really like to play them again. We want to play them. We're always talking about different teams we want to play, and they are on top of that list. Wichita Heights and (defending 6A champion) Olathe South."
The Saints won't get that opportunity this postseason. But they will get the shot to improve on last season's Class 5A runner-up finish. St. Thomas Aquinas fell to Andover Central 44-36 in the title game a year ago.
It's a contest Harden would like to have back after foul trouble benched her early.
"I think you need to stick with what got you there," Harden offered after being asked if there was anything she learned in last season's championship game that she could carry over to this postseason. "And I need to do a better job of reading the ref(eree)s. I got into foul trouble early, even after coach told me that if I picked up my second foul in the first half he'd make me sit the rest of the half.
"Playing in the championship was pretty cool though. It was a good feeling. I really can't explain it. I was nervous and excited all at the same time."
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