Post by Trojan Warrior on Mar 11, 2014 3:58:09 GMT -6
TROY - One is loud, boisterous and energetic. The other is quiet, methodical and measured.
Those personality differences magnify themselves on the court, too. The coach – the loud one – likes to play up-tempo, while the quiet player prefers to run plays and get teammates involved.
Despite the differences, Troy women’s head basketball coach Chanda Rigby and the player, Joanna Harden, have managed to be a tremendous fit for each other. As the Trojans prepare for Wednesday’s Sun Belt Conference Tournament opener against Arkansas-Little Rock, Harden is sixth in the nation in points per game (25.7) and Troy has 12 wins – the most in four seasons.
Maybe you can call them a Trojan version of “The Odd Couple.”
“ It’s definitely a great story about how opposites attract,” Rigby said.
The two crossed paths well before either arrived at Troy. Rigby, then the coach at Pensacola State Junior College, knew about Harden’s stellar high school career at Blanche Ely High in Pompano Beach, Fla.
Harden ended up playing basketball at Northwest Florida State College, which is in the same conference as Pensacola State.
Rigby, despite Harden’s different style of play, was impressed with what she saw in the 5-foot-7 guard.
“ I like to push things up-tempo, and she was a very different type of player,” Rigby said. “She was a very difficult player to stop.”
Rigby’s up-tempo style was very successful as she guided the Pirates to two National Junior College Athletic Association Final Four appearances. When Troy had an opening for a coach, she was hired for the job.
But the first call after her hiring wasn’t to her husband, Ed. It was an attempt to reach Harden to recruit her to be a Trojan, too.
“ The next day was signing day, and I really believed in her,” Rigby said.
Rigby’s call was well-received. As it turns out, not only was Rigby impressed with Harden, but Harden was impressed with Rigby.
“ I just knew I wanted to play for her. I knew my team could never beat her,” Harden said. “I had a couple of other offers, but Troy stood out. I decided to come to Troy.” (Full Article)
iconTroy3
Those personality differences magnify themselves on the court, too. The coach – the loud one – likes to play up-tempo, while the quiet player prefers to run plays and get teammates involved.
Despite the differences, Troy women’s head basketball coach Chanda Rigby and the player, Joanna Harden, have managed to be a tremendous fit for each other. As the Trojans prepare for Wednesday’s Sun Belt Conference Tournament opener against Arkansas-Little Rock, Harden is sixth in the nation in points per game (25.7) and Troy has 12 wins – the most in four seasons.
Maybe you can call them a Trojan version of “The Odd Couple.”
“ It’s definitely a great story about how opposites attract,” Rigby said.
The two crossed paths well before either arrived at Troy. Rigby, then the coach at Pensacola State Junior College, knew about Harden’s stellar high school career at Blanche Ely High in Pompano Beach, Fla.
Harden ended up playing basketball at Northwest Florida State College, which is in the same conference as Pensacola State.
Rigby, despite Harden’s different style of play, was impressed with what she saw in the 5-foot-7 guard.
“ I like to push things up-tempo, and she was a very different type of player,” Rigby said. “She was a very difficult player to stop.”
Rigby’s up-tempo style was very successful as she guided the Pirates to two National Junior College Athletic Association Final Four appearances. When Troy had an opening for a coach, she was hired for the job.
But the first call after her hiring wasn’t to her husband, Ed. It was an attempt to reach Harden to recruit her to be a Trojan, too.
“ The next day was signing day, and I really believed in her,” Rigby said.
Rigby’s call was well-received. As it turns out, not only was Rigby impressed with Harden, but Harden was impressed with Rigby.
“ I just knew I wanted to play for her. I knew my team could never beat her,” Harden said. “I had a couple of other offers, but Troy stood out. I decided to come to Troy.” (Full Article)
iconTroy3