Purdue recruit leads team in all star game

By Keith Thomas
Summer Editor

After scoring a team-high 21 points for the Indiana Girls all-star basketball team in defeating Kentucky, 89-82 Saturday, Purdue recruit Shalicia Hurns has proven herself to the state's best girls basketball players.

Hurns, from Broad Ripple High School, led her Indiana teammates to victory at Conseco Fieldhouse to complete the sweep of the Kentucky all-stars. One week ago, Hurns and her teammates beat Kentucky 90-84 in the first match-up at the Frankfort Civic Center in Frankfort, Ky.

In the first game Hurns also led the team in points with 17.

Hurns' impact on the high school all-star classics was evident to head coach Connie Garrett, who has no doubt fans at the games only saw a sample of what Hurns is capable of.

"Shalicia has no idea how valuable she is yet, she's just beginning to tap her resources," said Garrett. "I really believe that."

Hurns, who said she enjoys pumping her fists in the air to get the crowd into the game, scored 15 points in the final nine minutes with the game close, despite being in foul trouble.

The clutch performance by Hurns prompted positive comments from Indiana's Miss Basketball Sara Nord of Jefersonville.

"She can do it all," said Nord, who added the Indiana team would not have been able to sweep without the 6-4 Hurns.

Now that all the questions about her ability to dominate a game featuring the state's best basketball players, Hurns has to prove herself to her soon-to-be Boilermaker teammates.

"I've got to get stronger," said Hurns, who added 11 rebounds. "I've got to get mentally ready, because going into college you're stepping into a bigger level."

Hurns, who said she will begin working out at Mackey Arena sometime next month, knows that excelling at the college level — at a Big Ten school — is not going to be easy.

Although making the transition to a Big Ten basketball program is no simple task, Hurns said she was impressed with the passion Purdue has for its women's basketball program.

"When I went on my (recruiting) visit, I felt like everybody was dedicated to the program," said Hurns.

Once Hurns arrives, she said she has some plans to follow — plans that if she works hard enough, she feels are realistic.

"I don't want to sit on the bench," said Hurns. "I plan on being on the court, but I'm going in there with an open mind."

Hurns said the pair of all-star games has helped her prepare for Boilermaker basketball.

"I think playing here at this series has been big and it has kind of opened my eyes to know that I got to do a little bit more and get a little more ready to go into next year," said Hurns.

As for her future teammates and playing some summer pick-up games with them, Hurns said she needs to hit the weights.

"They're hard on me," "I've got to pump up."