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Tyrell Mara
- Thread starter canzag
- Start date
I don't know about the developmental team, but this came out today:
http://www.goviks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?temp_site=NO&DB_OEM_ID=19300&ATCLID=1498514
Viking Profile: Tyrell Mara
PSU Forward Tyrell Mara describes the 2007-2008 basketball season as a “learning year. There were a lot of ups and downs.”
Winning the Big Sky Championship (BSC) and PSU’s first trip ever to the NCAA Tournament obviously were among the highs. A staph infection in his elbow which cost him his starting position and kept him out of a number of games was the low.
But it says something about Mara when he says that going to the NCAA tournament and winning the BSC championship were only part of the high. “It really was the people. It was how hard we all worked—players and coaches. It was the people who made it happen and it was an amazing experience,” says the 6’6” junior from British Columbia.
He credits those same people with helping him handle his injury and adjusting to a new role on the talented and deep squad. “The injury definitely was a struggle. But you learn from those low points and I’ve learned to really find the positives, to overcome them and grow as an individual,” Mara said.
Mara’s coaches and teammates helped him concentrate on making a contribution rather than getting down because of the situation. “I know injuries are part of the game, but that was hard. My teammates helped me work though all that. To be able to say that I was part of this program this year was really special,” he says.
Head Basketball Coach Ken Bone credits Mara with doing a great job in recovering from his infection and staying in shape. “He was having a very good fall before the injury. I think he scored 16 or 18 points in the first game of the year. He was playing well then this happened. He bounced back as quickly as he could. He was a quality player for us and handled the mid-season change in his role with a great deal of maturity.”
Overcoming the injury challenge also helped with what Mara sees as his biggest improvement this year. “It was my confidence. My biggest improvement this year was my confidence. I was able to overcome that injury and come back strongly. I was really happy with my shooting. I found I could be bumped and still shoot and make it.”
Bone seconded that as being Mara’s biggest on-court improvement from the previous campaign. “There was a lot of improvement from last year. The biggest was probably his shooting. He was making shots.”
Academically, Mara says this has been his most interesting year to date. As a junior in Business Management, “courses are more interesting and easier. At the junior and senior level people are all there for the same reason. I enjoyed my classes this year.”
As to the elbow and next year...”the arm is 100 percent. We have such good balance on this team that my main personal goals are to go out and be the hardest worker on the floor and to be a source of leadership, whether I play two minutes or 30 minutes each game.”
This is one in a series of articles that will run on GoViks.com throughout the summer. The athletes featured are those who earned endowed or named athletics scholarships at Portland State during the 2007-08 year. Tyrell Mara is the recipient of the Vitalis S. Udoka Scholarship presented to a PSU basketball player with a GPA above 3.0.
http://www.goviks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?temp_site=NO&DB_OEM_ID=19300&ATCLID=1498514
Viking Profile: Tyrell Mara
PSU Forward Tyrell Mara describes the 2007-2008 basketball season as a “learning year. There were a lot of ups and downs.”
Winning the Big Sky Championship (BSC) and PSU’s first trip ever to the NCAA Tournament obviously were among the highs. A staph infection in his elbow which cost him his starting position and kept him out of a number of games was the low.
But it says something about Mara when he says that going to the NCAA tournament and winning the BSC championship were only part of the high. “It really was the people. It was how hard we all worked—players and coaches. It was the people who made it happen and it was an amazing experience,” says the 6’6” junior from British Columbia.
He credits those same people with helping him handle his injury and adjusting to a new role on the talented and deep squad. “The injury definitely was a struggle. But you learn from those low points and I’ve learned to really find the positives, to overcome them and grow as an individual,” Mara said.
Mara’s coaches and teammates helped him concentrate on making a contribution rather than getting down because of the situation. “I know injuries are part of the game, but that was hard. My teammates helped me work though all that. To be able to say that I was part of this program this year was really special,” he says.
Head Basketball Coach Ken Bone credits Mara with doing a great job in recovering from his infection and staying in shape. “He was having a very good fall before the injury. I think he scored 16 or 18 points in the first game of the year. He was playing well then this happened. He bounced back as quickly as he could. He was a quality player for us and handled the mid-season change in his role with a great deal of maturity.”
Overcoming the injury challenge also helped with what Mara sees as his biggest improvement this year. “It was my confidence. My biggest improvement this year was my confidence. I was able to overcome that injury and come back strongly. I was really happy with my shooting. I found I could be bumped and still shoot and make it.”
Bone seconded that as being Mara’s biggest on-court improvement from the previous campaign. “There was a lot of improvement from last year. The biggest was probably his shooting. He was making shots.”
Academically, Mara says this has been his most interesting year to date. As a junior in Business Management, “courses are more interesting and easier. At the junior and senior level people are all there for the same reason. I enjoyed my classes this year.”
As to the elbow and next year...”the arm is 100 percent. We have such good balance on this team that my main personal goals are to go out and be the hardest worker on the floor and to be a source of leadership, whether I play two minutes or 30 minutes each game.”
This is one in a series of articles that will run on GoViks.com throughout the summer. The athletes featured are those who earned endowed or named athletics scholarships at Portland State during the 2007-08 year. Tyrell Mara is the recipient of the Vitalis S. Udoka Scholarship presented to a PSU basketball player with a GPA above 3.0.
Mara Competes With Canadian National University Team
http://www.goviks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?temp_site=NO&DB_OEM_ID=19300&ATCLID=1590520
Portland State junior forward Tyrell Mara, from White Rock, British Columbia, was one of 11 Canadian nationals chosen to play this summer for the Canadian National University Team.
Composed of players in college or within two years of completing their college playing time, the squad will represent Canada in the world games next summer. This was a developmental summer where the team held two to three practices daily for two weeks in June and finished by playing their counterpart team from Italy, which they defeated twice by 18 and 10 points.
It was both an exhilarating and humbling experience for Mara, who contributed a modest six points and 11 rebounds in the two games off the bench. But as one of three new players to the group, he was satisfied that he could fit in.
“This was probably the most inspiring thing I’ve ever experienced. First, there’s a lot of pride in being able to represent my country and a lot of pride playing with the best players in Canada,” Maura said.
And since the university team also practices with Canada’s senior team that includes NBA players and coaches, it also was a bit humbling. How did he find the style of play to which he was exposed this summer? In a word: “fast”.
“It was really fast playing with guys on that level. They’re very athletic. There’s a lot of size,” he said. Playing with such NBA players as the Philadelphia 76ers Sam Dalembert...”well, it was just an experience being on the floor with those guys.” The quality of play reminded him a little of the team’s opening round against Kansas in last year’s NCAA tournament.
“I asked myself how I fit in. Well, I’m not as athletic as some of the NBA players. There’s real athleticism and size there. But, I’m comfortable that I can score in that company,” he said.
Mara’s goal was “to be the hardest worker on the floor and to get to know the players and the coaches. I felt good about my progress. I left with a lot of new relationships, guys I’ll be playing with next summer. It was a great experience.”
That experience will help him at PSU, too, he believes, pointing to the difference it made with former PSU center Scott Morrison. “I could see the difference playing for the Canadian university team made in Scott. When he came back, he had a lot more confidence in himself and on the floor.”
Just being exposed to different high caliber players and coaches “expands my game a bit. And overall, I’m even more motivated that I was before. Now I have two goals, two things to train for.”
http://www.goviks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?temp_site=NO&DB_OEM_ID=19300&ATCLID=1590520
Portland State junior forward Tyrell Mara, from White Rock, British Columbia, was one of 11 Canadian nationals chosen to play this summer for the Canadian National University Team.
Composed of players in college or within two years of completing their college playing time, the squad will represent Canada in the world games next summer. This was a developmental summer where the team held two to three practices daily for two weeks in June and finished by playing their counterpart team from Italy, which they defeated twice by 18 and 10 points.
It was both an exhilarating and humbling experience for Mara, who contributed a modest six points and 11 rebounds in the two games off the bench. But as one of three new players to the group, he was satisfied that he could fit in.
“This was probably the most inspiring thing I’ve ever experienced. First, there’s a lot of pride in being able to represent my country and a lot of pride playing with the best players in Canada,” Maura said.
And since the university team also practices with Canada’s senior team that includes NBA players and coaches, it also was a bit humbling. How did he find the style of play to which he was exposed this summer? In a word: “fast”.
“It was really fast playing with guys on that level. They’re very athletic. There’s a lot of size,” he said. Playing with such NBA players as the Philadelphia 76ers Sam Dalembert...”well, it was just an experience being on the floor with those guys.” The quality of play reminded him a little of the team’s opening round against Kansas in last year’s NCAA tournament.
“I asked myself how I fit in. Well, I’m not as athletic as some of the NBA players. There’s real athleticism and size there. But, I’m comfortable that I can score in that company,” he said.
Mara’s goal was “to be the hardest worker on the floor and to get to know the players and the coaches. I felt good about my progress. I left with a lot of new relationships, guys I’ll be playing with next summer. It was a great experience.”
That experience will help him at PSU, too, he believes, pointing to the difference it made with former PSU center Scott Morrison. “I could see the difference playing for the Canadian university team made in Scott. When he came back, he had a lot more confidence in himself and on the floor.”
Just being exposed to different high caliber players and coaches “expands my game a bit. And overall, I’m even more motivated that I was before. Now I have two goals, two things to train for.”
Good stuff.
It was tough to watch Mara struggle with that injury last year. I know minutes will be tough, but I hope to see him as a key role player this year.
It was tough to watch Mara struggle with that injury last year. I know minutes will be tough, but I hope to see him as a key role player this year.
PSU's Mara hopes to play Friday vs. Xavier
http://www.oregonlive.com/vikings/index.ssf/2009/03/psus_mara_hopes_to_play_friday.html
http://www.oregonlive.com/vikings/index.ssf/2009/03/psus_mara_hopes_to_play_friday.html
ManOfVision
Active member
I don't know where I've been but I didn't even realize he was injured.
ManOfVision said:I don't know where I've been but I didn't even realize he was injured.
Same. I'm sure he'll try to play, he'll have all summer to recover, hopefully he'll be healthy enough to be effective.
Positive potential
Tyrell Mara grades out well in the classroom, on the court and life
http://www.dailyvanguard.com/positive-potential-1.1756026
Tyrell Mara grades out well in the classroom, on the court and life
http://www.dailyvanguard.com/positive-potential-1.1756026
Hoops star travels back to future
Tyrell Mara returns to Canada to play for Trinity Western
http://www2.canada.com/surreynow/news/sports/story.html?id=a1a66e55-09a1-4aab-b812-25623f138a48
Tyrell Mara returns to Canada to play for Trinity Western
http://www2.canada.com/surreynow/news/sports/story.html?id=a1a66e55-09a1-4aab-b812-25623f138a48
