Stockton Adds Shakira Harding to Incoming Class
Apr 17, 2015 | Women's Basketball
NEW ORLEANS -- The incoming class for Tulane women's basketball just got a little bigger with the addition of junior college transfer Shakira Harding, who will have two years of eligibility remaining. It will mark a homecoming of sorts for Harding, as the soon to be junior grew up in Houma, Louisiana, where she attended Vandebilt Catholic High School.
The 5'7" guard spent the last two seasons at Hutchinson Community College in Kansas, where Harding and the Blue Dragons compiled a 71-2 combined record, with their two losses occurring at the NJCAA Division-I National Championship game both years. In fact, Harding's sophomore class was just the third group in school history to reach 70 wins in their first two seasons.
In her sophomore campaign, Harding played 29 games, averaging 7.4 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 2.6 assists with a 1.78 assist-to-turnover ratio. In addition, Harding shot an impressive 45.7 percent from the field and 38.7 percent from beyond the arc and recorded career highs in points (18), assists (8) and steals (3). Furthermore, in the Blue Demons' post-season run, Harding's production increased, bumping her scoring average to 10.3 per game over the seven games to the championship.
"Shakira has played at a high level and had great success the past two years at Hutchinson Community College," Tulane head coach Lisa Stockton said. "She is a very savvy point guard who will bring valuable experience and maturity to next year's squad."
At Vandebilt Catholic High School, Harding was a 1,000 point career scorer, averaging 8.2 per game. Finally, Harding was All-District all four years, while also earning MVP All-Region and All-State distinction in her junior and senior years.
