Eastern Michigan Athletics
Photo by: Aaron Sprecher/USA Basketball Photos
Tavelyn James Checks in on Professional Career
1/20/2014 5:10:00 PM | Women's Basketball
The former women’s basketball star talks about her international experience
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) — Former Eastern Michigan University women's basketball player Tavelyn James (2008-12) recently took some time out of her professional career at Athlete Celje in Celje, Slovenia to catch up with the EMU Department of Athletics and talk about her transition to the international scene and how her experience at EMU helped with preparation for living abroad.
James went down in EMU laurels as the most prolific scorer in the history of the women's basketball program. She was the first player to score over 500 points in three consecutive seasons, culminating in a program-high 2,470 points in her four-year career. The total broke a mark which had stood for 29 years, as Laurie Byrd previously held the distinction of all-time leading scorer with 1,899 points in 1982. The local product out of Mumford High School in Detroit, Mich. boasts numerous program records, including the top three spots for points scored in a single season (761 from 2011-12, 642 from 2010-11, and 641 from 2009-10); the top five spots for points scored in a single game, her highest total being 42 points against Northeastern, Nov. 11, 2011; and most three-pointers scored in a single contest, as she drained 10 triples versus Kent State, Feb. 11, 2012.
A three-time All-Mid-American Conference First Team honoree, James's success extends to the conference level, as her career total points scored ranks second all-time in the conference. For her performance during her senior season in which she averaged 23.8 ppg, James was named the 2012 MAC Player of the Year and is the only Eagle to have earned the distinction. In her final season donning the Green and White, she was also named a WBCA Honorable Mention All-American and an Associated Press Honorable Mention All-American. As a star on the court and in the classroom, James was the recipient of the 2012 Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award, which is presented annually by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame to an outstanding 5-foot-8 and under athlete who excels both athletically and academically.
The former Eagle guard was not new to the international game when she started her professional career, as she was the first student-athlete from the MAC to compete in the Pan Am Games before the start of her senior campaign, Oct. 21-25, 2011, in Guadalajara, Mexico. Upon leaving Ypsilanti, James first played for Elitzur Holon in Israel for half a season.
"The experience in Israel was awesome as far as the country," explained James. "The team was okay, but when you're losing nothing is really fun... unfortunately I was let go by the organization and was only able to play half a season. I was really excited to meet and play against a lot of WNBA players even on my team such as Alexis Hornbuckle and Kerri Gardin. But I would say the best part about being in Israel was that I was able to meet my boyfriend, who was also playing in Israel at the time."
Since transferring to Athlete Celje, James has already gained success by being named the Athlete of the Month for the Adriatic League. "Being recognized was amazing. Just to see that I can take my talent overseas, and to receive such honors like this has shown me that I have improved my basketball abilities. It just makes me more determined to get to where I should be."
Slovenia has been a much better fit for the former Eagle, as James explained. "I ended up in Celje because I did some research on the team, and its organization has a good reputation of winning and sending players to the highest level of basketball overseas, such as Euroleague. Also, this team plays in the Adriatic League (Medunarodna Ženska Regionalna Košarkaška Liga), which is a really well-known league with good teams and competition. There is one other American on the team from Syracuse. Her name is Carmen Tyson-Thomas."
James and Tyson-Thomas are two of the team's leading scorers as the duo has accounted for 40 percent of the squad's total points. James leads all players on the team with 163 points on the season so far, and boasts a 45 percent efficiency from the field and an 85 percent success rate from the free throw line. She is also the club's most utilized player, as she has clocked in a team-high 281 minutes this season.
When not playing basketball, James has had some time to pick up some of the Slovenian way of life, but still pines for a taste of home. "I've picked up on some of the language, especially when it comes to basketball. I can't speak it too well besides the basics, but the majority of the time I can understand at least some of what they are saying. I'm not really one for adapting to overseas food or culture because it's just too different from America. I usually cook all the time, but I also have Slovenian friends who show me everything. What I miss most about being so far from home is my family, American restaurants, and just being able to relax in my own bed."
Despite having left the community at Eastern Michigan, James still keeps the Eagles close to her heart. "My experience at EMU has helped prepare me for overseas because I've seen and understood more why education is so important. All the tough stuff former Head Coach AnnMarie Gilbert put us through,I can actually say I'm thankful for it now because I have experienced situations overseas that have been a lot worse than in college. So I thank EMU for the basketball and academic opportunities it gave me."
Looking forward to the future, James looks to recover from personal injury and aim for a higher league. "I am playing with a tear in my meniscus and patella, but my team has so much faith in me and I will receive an endoscopy at the end of the season. Everything isn't easy-going, but I keep a smile on my face and continue to do what I truly love because I could have given up at any moment," said James. "I can't tell you what the future holds for me. Everything is a mystery until it happens, but I can say at this rate that I'm going, and if I keep it up, my future should be very bright. I will be leaving Slovenia after this season waiting for my journey to the next club."
James went down in EMU laurels as the most prolific scorer in the history of the women's basketball program. She was the first player to score over 500 points in three consecutive seasons, culminating in a program-high 2,470 points in her four-year career. The total broke a mark which had stood for 29 years, as Laurie Byrd previously held the distinction of all-time leading scorer with 1,899 points in 1982. The local product out of Mumford High School in Detroit, Mich. boasts numerous program records, including the top three spots for points scored in a single season (761 from 2011-12, 642 from 2010-11, and 641 from 2009-10); the top five spots for points scored in a single game, her highest total being 42 points against Northeastern, Nov. 11, 2011; and most three-pointers scored in a single contest, as she drained 10 triples versus Kent State, Feb. 11, 2012.
A three-time All-Mid-American Conference First Team honoree, James's success extends to the conference level, as her career total points scored ranks second all-time in the conference. For her performance during her senior season in which she averaged 23.8 ppg, James was named the 2012 MAC Player of the Year and is the only Eagle to have earned the distinction. In her final season donning the Green and White, she was also named a WBCA Honorable Mention All-American and an Associated Press Honorable Mention All-American. As a star on the court and in the classroom, James was the recipient of the 2012 Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award, which is presented annually by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame to an outstanding 5-foot-8 and under athlete who excels both athletically and academically.
The former Eagle guard was not new to the international game when she started her professional career, as she was the first student-athlete from the MAC to compete in the Pan Am Games before the start of her senior campaign, Oct. 21-25, 2011, in Guadalajara, Mexico. Upon leaving Ypsilanti, James first played for Elitzur Holon in Israel for half a season.
"The experience in Israel was awesome as far as the country," explained James. "The team was okay, but when you're losing nothing is really fun... unfortunately I was let go by the organization and was only able to play half a season. I was really excited to meet and play against a lot of WNBA players even on my team such as Alexis Hornbuckle and Kerri Gardin. But I would say the best part about being in Israel was that I was able to meet my boyfriend, who was also playing in Israel at the time."
Since transferring to Athlete Celje, James has already gained success by being named the Athlete of the Month for the Adriatic League. "Being recognized was amazing. Just to see that I can take my talent overseas, and to receive such honors like this has shown me that I have improved my basketball abilities. It just makes me more determined to get to where I should be."
Slovenia has been a much better fit for the former Eagle, as James explained. "I ended up in Celje because I did some research on the team, and its organization has a good reputation of winning and sending players to the highest level of basketball overseas, such as Euroleague. Also, this team plays in the Adriatic League (Medunarodna Ženska Regionalna Košarkaška Liga), which is a really well-known league with good teams and competition. There is one other American on the team from Syracuse. Her name is Carmen Tyson-Thomas."
James and Tyson-Thomas are two of the team's leading scorers as the duo has accounted for 40 percent of the squad's total points. James leads all players on the team with 163 points on the season so far, and boasts a 45 percent efficiency from the field and an 85 percent success rate from the free throw line. She is also the club's most utilized player, as she has clocked in a team-high 281 minutes this season.
When not playing basketball, James has had some time to pick up some of the Slovenian way of life, but still pines for a taste of home. "I've picked up on some of the language, especially when it comes to basketball. I can't speak it too well besides the basics, but the majority of the time I can understand at least some of what they are saying. I'm not really one for adapting to overseas food or culture because it's just too different from America. I usually cook all the time, but I also have Slovenian friends who show me everything. What I miss most about being so far from home is my family, American restaurants, and just being able to relax in my own bed."
Despite having left the community at Eastern Michigan, James still keeps the Eagles close to her heart. "My experience at EMU has helped prepare me for overseas because I've seen and understood more why education is so important. All the tough stuff former Head Coach AnnMarie Gilbert put us through,I can actually say I'm thankful for it now because I have experienced situations overseas that have been a lot worse than in college. So I thank EMU for the basketball and academic opportunities it gave me."
Looking forward to the future, James looks to recover from personal injury and aim for a higher league. "I am playing with a tear in my meniscus and patella, but my team has so much faith in me and I will receive an endoscopy at the end of the season. Everything isn't easy-going, but I keep a smile on my face and continue to do what I truly love because I could have given up at any moment," said James. "I can't tell you what the future holds for me. Everything is a mystery until it happens, but I can say at this rate that I'm going, and if I keep it up, my future should be very bright. I will be leaving Slovenia after this season waiting for my journey to the next club."
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