Harlem’s Mya Davidson Commits to Lindenwood, Comforted By Mother’s Wisdom
During the college commitment process, Harlem senior Mya Davidson’s mother gave her the comforting advice she needed to make a decision.
“She really emphasized, the college you choose has to feel like a home away from home,” Davidson said. “And that’s what Lindenwood was for me when I first set foot on campus, it … really felt like home.”
A skilled player on the NIC-10 runner-up Huskies a season ago, Davidson learned that lesson and others from her mother during her recruitment. Mya’s mother, Lauren, played at the University of Indianapolis — a fellow Great Lakes Valley Conference member with Lindenwood.
“I was talking to a few D-I’s, a few D-II’s,” Davidson said. “I’ve always had interest since starting freshman year (AAU and travel), and I’ve been in constant communication with them but not really offers and visits.”
Davidson got her offer from Lindenwood on July 13 and received one from McKendree as well. Davidson said her mom’s love of basketball was passed down to her early on, and she knew from the time she started playing the game that she wanted to play in college. Now, Davidson has a game that her future coaches love.
“They really don’t want to change much about me,” Davidson said. “They say I’m really versatile and they just want to enhance what I already have.”
Davidson, a 6-3 wing, scored a team-leading 13.2 points per game as a junior. She added 5.8 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 2.0 steals, 1.1 blocks per game, shooting 50% from the floor on 10.6 shots per game. She was named to the NIC-10 all-conference first team.
“Mya is so versatile in both her offense and defensive expertise,” Harlem coach Beth Meyer said. “She can score and defend both inside and out — and she is confident in doing so.”
This summer with Midwest Wildcats, a Rockford AAU travel squad, she worked on improving her perimeter game — she shot just 18 three-pointers as a junior, though she made 6. She said she feels comfortable taking smaller girls to the basket and handling the ball on the perimeter with bigger post defenders on her, knowing she can beat them off the dribble.
“I don’t consider myself much of anything because I can do most of it, but I guess I consider myself more of a wing,” Davidson said.
Meyer noted Davidson’s footwork and how she is ‘smooth’ in attacking the hoop from anywhere on the floor. That contributes to her ability to finish inside with finesse.
“As she transitions to the next level, I think she will be a long guard who plays primarily from the perimeter,” Meyer said. “We want to do everything we can to help her develop there.”
For Harlem, critical contributors Myah Udell and Julie Bailey will be back at guard as seniors, as well as junior guard Keyara Bailey.
With Grace Vyborney, Davidson’s cousin to the fold as a rising junior, the Huskies are hoping to make a run at defending NIC-10 champs Hononegah.
“I feel like with our team, everyone should not be afraid to be a leader, and that’s something coach Meyer hounds in,” Davidson said. “Everyone should be able to talk, your voice matters. We want to be a really good team and talk a lot more.”
Illinois natives on the 2020-21 Lindenwood roster:
- Senior Hennessey Handy (Joliet native ad Plainfield Central graduate)
- Senior Julia Ruzevich (Orland Park native, Marist graduate)
- Senior Kate Ruzevich (Orland Park native, Marist graduate)
- Junior Blair Borrowman (New Canton native, Western-Payson graduate)
- Freshman Kendra Lee (Arlington Heights native, Buffalo Grove graduate)