(Photo Credit: Jim Gehrz, Minnesota Star-Tribune)
By Cameron Hurst @CameronNHurst
For many young women across the nation, the opportunity to play Division I basketball is the greatest dream one could have.
St. Bonaventure freshman Sarah Hart just so happens to be able to live out that dream.
“It’s a dream come true,” said Hart, who started playing basketball in the second grade and began her quest to play college hoops in the fifth grade.
“You’ve worked forever for this moment, and to be here and to be able to play for the coaches and my teammates, it’s something special,” Hart said.
A Elgin, Minn. native, Hart was rated Minnesota’s 10th best women’s basketball player by NorthStar Girls Hoops for the Class of 2016. She left Plainview-Elgin-Millville High School as its all-time leading scorer and as a state champion, averaging 15.3 points, six rebounds and 5.3 assists. And, while the pace is a bit different, Hart believes that her game has been able to transfer seamlessly to the Division I level.
“It’s about the same,” Hart said. “One thing that’s really hard is the coaches want us to slow down and I’m not used to that, but otherwise it’s the same.”
And, as she prepares to play at the collegiate level, Hart has really enjoyed learning and working with head coach Jesse Fleming.
“He expects a lot out of you and that’s what you need,” said Hart, who has also enjoyed the camaraderie with her teammates.
“We all gel really well. I get along with them really well. When you’re a freshman, sometimes they don’t treat you the same cause you’re new and all, but they’ve been treating everybody the same and accepting one and another and it makes it easier.”
Fleming has been very impressed with Hart coming into the program as a freshman.
“Sarah Hart is a playmaker,” he said. “She’s a very good passer. She’s got a very high basketball IQ and she wants to be good. She’s in the gym all the time. We’re really excited with what we’ve seen out of her.”
Hart is just trying to make as much of an impact as she possibly can, while also getting better so as to make her Bonaventure career a success.
“I wanna do what I can do, working on my weaknesses and my strengths while helping the team out,” she said. “Whatever I can do to help them out, is what I need to do.”
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