FRANKLIN FURNACE – It didn’t happen when she wanted, but it happened just the same.

Thursday, December 13, 2001

FRANKLIN FURNACE – It didn’t happen when she wanted, but it happened just the same. Green Lady Bobcats senior guard Megan Tackett signed a letter-of-intent Tuesday to play basketball for the University of Rio Grande.

"I was wanting to sign before the season started. I had to wait for my ACT scores to get back. When they got back I signed and now I can concentrate on just playing," Tackett said.

And play she does.

Green coach Melissa Knapp said Tackett plays almost non-stop throughout the year.

"She works at it. All she and her sister do is play ball. They never take a break. I think her work ethic separates her from everyone else," Knapp said.

"She’s a great leader and she does a great job. And she works extremely hard in the classroom and works at Ponderosa on Sundays. She’s just a hard worker and she’s earned every accomplishment she has. She gives out 100 percent every day in practice."

Work ethic is something that doesn’t scare Tackett. Playing in the summer at Rio Grande helped get her the look from coach David Smalley that she has hopped would happen.

"I attended a Rio Grande camp my freshman year and then last year and I was the Most Valuable Player both years," Tackett said. "I hope to play a lot at Rio Grande. I’m not sure I’ll go in there and start, but that will be one of my goals. It’s hard to do, but with a good work ethic, I’m sure anything is possible."

Tackett is closing in on 1,000 career points with a 938 total. She averaged 18.6 points last season and is improving on that this season with a 24.0 average including games of 32 and 30 points.

Tackett averaged 6.1 assists, and 6.3 steals last season as she served as team co-captain while earning first team All-Southern Conference, second team Associated Press all-district, and honorable mention All-Ohio.

She has similar numbers this year with 8.0 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 43 percent field goal shooting and 40 percent from 3-point range. She has made 68 percent of her foul shots.

Besides Rio Grande, Tackett looked at Mount Vernon, Otterbein, and Shawnee State. Tackett, who played for the Rio Grande Rebels AAU team last summer, had nothing but good things to say about Rio Grande.

"I really liked the school and the campus. And I like the way the girls play. It’s the way I like to play: fast-paced and up and down the floor. And I like the coach David Smalley," Tackett said.

"They’ll probably use me as a one or two guard. I like playing both. It doesn’t matter. I play them both and I don’t have a preference."