Brock Netter, Editor
Southern Ohio Sports Authority is presented by OhioHealth.
SEAMAN — Coming into the season, North Adams was faced with the tall task of replacing four senior starters that compiled 82 wins, three league titles, two district crowns and a regional final appearance during their four-year careers.
However, Tenzlee Burns has made that transition a bit easier.
The Green Devils found a diamond in the rough in in the freshman and she’s wasted no time making a splash.
The energetic guard is averaging 17.8 points per night so far, and recently dropped a career-best 24 points in a victory over Minford, this past Monday.
Needless to say, she’s a name area basketball fans are going to become incredibly familiar with.
We caught up with the freshman standout to discuss her adjustment to the varsity speed, her love for basketball, playing for legendary coach Rob Davis, and much more.
Question: You’ve made quite the splash on the basketball scene already. Through seven games, what’s your varsity experience been like so far?
Burns: It’s been a real eye-opener. I’m seeing the game from a whole new perspective and realizing how much more I could work on. But I’m excited about the journey and determined to make the most of it.
Q: What drew you to the game growing up and what do you love about it?
TB: What drew me to the game was me growing up watching my cousin, Bransyn Copas. He showed me how to work hard and be the best I can be. What I love about the game would be just the friendships I make from it, having a good community that always supports me, my family support system, and coaches that have pushed me in the past.
Q: What’s been a couple of the biggest adjustments you’ve had to make going from the middle school level, straight to the varsity level?
TB: My biggest adjustment would be the physicality, the strength and experience some of the girls have at the varsity level. Also, playing with some new teammates and adjusting to a new coach, alongside new expectations of what is expected of you.
Q: How impactful have the upperclassmen been and how has their leadership helped you all get caught up at the varsity level?
CREDIT: Brock Netter/SOSA
TB: The girls have all been really great. They’ve never treated me or any of the other new players like underclassmen. I’ve been able to form a really good bond with Emma [Pistole]. I love playing with her. I feel the two of us read each other well. She’s very encouraging, as is everyone else.
Q: What’s it been like playing for Coach Davis and how has he pushed you, day-by-day, to be better?
TB: Coach Davis has pushed me a lot in the short amount of time playing for him. I feel his exceptions for me are high and he trusts me to have the role of the point guard position. He tells me what I am doing wrong so it can help better myself, but mostly my team. Coach Davis has been great. I don’t mind taking criticism when needed if I know it will help benefit the team and myself. Just give him hustle and grit. He will always be there for any one of us. This is more than just basketball. We are family in the highs, but even in the lows, too.
Q: As it stands, you guys are 6-1 on the season with a lot of new pieces, yourself included. What’s been key to the hot start as you guys continue to build chemistry with one another?
TB: Unfortunately, we are a young team. We have no seniors. So to our advantage, our chemistry will hopefully continue to grow in the aspect of learning each other’s moves and being able to read one another better. I feel our defense and intensity that Jada Harrison and I bring to the top of the key starts our offense. With our bigs working inside and out, outside shooters knocking down shots, things will go smooth as long as we keep our turnovers to a minimum, which we need to work on.
Q: What are your goals for the season and how do you guys reach them?
TB: My goals for this season would be to win the Gold Ball, and to make a good tournament run. Practices need to be fundamentally sound. I know for myself that reaching big goals takes hard work and dedication. Sometimes, working on your days off are just as important as practice days, and the team as a whole needs to take full advantage of that and not settle to just being good. We want to be great. I have always told myself, as much as I know I am doing when no one is watching, there is always someone working harder and has the same goals as I do.
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