H-S Athlete of the Week: Kendra Tharp, West Greene
NAME: Kendra Tharp
SCHOOL: West Greene
GRADE: Senior
SPORT: Basketball
THARP’S WEEK: Two games after scoring her 1,000th career point on Jan. 9 at Avella, Tharp tossed in 15 points in a 62-9 win over Mapletown on Jan. 19 that improved West Greene’s Section 2-A record to 6-3. The Lady Pioneers fell to Cameron in a non-section game, 40-36, on Friday despite 21 points and 14 rebounds from Tharp. It was the ninth double-double of the season for Tharp, the 17-year-old daughter of Cory and Natasha Tharp of Wind Ridge, and upped her career rebound total to 901 as she attempts to become the first Lady Pioneer to reach 1,000 in both points and rebounds. Craig Weaver for West Greene’s boys team is the only player to hit that double-1,000 milestone. It would be quite an accomplishment for a 5-foot-6 player.
SPRINGING INTO ACTION: Tharp is a three-sport athlete who also plays volleyball and softball and is a cheerleader as well. According to head coach Ben Brudnock, Tharp’s unique jumping ability helps her in all of her athletic endeavors “Kendra is, by far, the best ‘in the air’ female athlete I’ve ever coached,” Brudnock said. “In volleyball, she’s above the net as an outside hitter. In softball, she’ll climb the ladder and snag a line drive that everyone thinks is headed for the gap. In basketball, she’s off the ground to grab a rebound before most players even think to jump. It’s pure instinct and she makes it look easy no matter what season it is.”
BASKETBALL IS TOPS: Brudnock has excelled in all three sports but basketball is No. 1 for her. “I definitely like basketball the best,” she said. “I’ve played it since I was in fourth grade and it’s always been my favorite. It’s just such a good feeling to step out on the court, it just makes me forget everything else. Softball is next. It’s starting to grow on me the more I play it. But I’ve always loved basketball.” Tharp improved through the years on the hardwood. “I was alright at first but I couldn’t really dribble that well until about middle school. Right about then I kind of realized I’m pretty good at this. When I was in seventh grade I got to play up and started on the eighth-grade team.” She ended up being a four-year varsity starter.
AN ALL-TIME GREAT: Brudnock ranks Tharp amongst the best Lady Pioneers basketball players in school history. “We’ve had a lot of outstanding girls’ basketball players at West Greene through the years, and Kendra will rightfully be in that conversation,” Brudnock said. “Plus, she’s earned everything the hard way. Most of her points have been fought for in the lane and the fact that she’s 5-foot-6 and approaching 1,000 rebounds is beyond impressive. She’s a special athlete that’s for sure.”
TEAM GOALS: West Greene has reached the WPIAL playoffs nine years in a row, reaching the quarterfinals in each of those seasons, and has won at least one playoff game eight times. Tharp wants to keep that streak alive and maybe add something to it. “I want us to keep that going, win a playoff game and then we’ve never won a state playoff game so that’s a goal I want for us, get to the states and win,” Tharp said.
COACHING GUIDANCE: Tharp has qualified for the WPIAL playoffs in both basketball and softball every year of her high school career, and she’s appreciative of her coaches, Brudnock and Bill Simms in softball. “They both helped a lot,” Tharp said. “They always have something to critique and tell you. Sometimes I might not want to listen to what they’re saying but I still always take it in and then I find it’s useful. It’s corrective criticism and it’s helped me improve a lot over the years.”
MOST MEMORABLE: Tharp puts the game in which she scored her 1,000th point against Mapletown and a competitive playoff loss to Geibel Catholic last year at the top of her list as far as being most memorable. “The 1,000th point is definitely one,” Tharp said. “But the game that stands out the most was last year when we played Geibel in the playoffs. There were so many people there that there weren’t enough seats for everybody and it was so loud and so energetic and so much fun. We don’t get to play a lot of games where there’s a full gym.” Tharp poured in a game-high 31 points but West Greene fell to the section champion Lady Gators, 60-48.
TEAM LEADER: Tharp is the Lady Pioneers’ team captain, an honor she’s earned, according to Brudnock. “She’s definitely a leader by example. With her, it’s a combination of hustle and fearlessness. When she gets a rebound over a much taller player and then beats the guards down floor on the break, it rubs off on her teammates.”
ODDS AND ENDS: Tharp is interested in extending her basketball career. “I’m considering playing basketball in college,” she said. “I’m still looking into colleges.” … Tharp is involved in Future Farmers of America and received a Keystone degree during a Pennsylvania Farm Show in Harrisburg. … Tharp loves joining clubs. “Me and a couple of my friends join as many as possible,” Tharp said. “I’m part of our prom committee. I’m in floral design which is one of my favorite things. We make flower arrangements and do Valentine’s Day sales. We were supposed to do a floral competition but it got snowed out so we did one virtually at school and Facebook voted for it.” … Tharp has one older sister, Marissa, 18, and two younger brothers, Layden, 14, and Kolstyn, 10. Kendra and Marissa were teammates in volleyball, basketball and softball last season.
Compiled by Rob Burchianti