Rose is a thorn in opponents’ sides

Kyra Rose goes to hoop against EB earlier this season. photo by Carl Strobel, http://www.rocklandHSphotos.com

Kayla Meech
Veritas Staff

If you attended a girl’s varsity basketball game this season, you noticed #3, the team’s starting point guard. Fifteen years old and a freshman, Kyra Rose is not only the girls’ basketball team’s point guard, but she has also been the team’s leading scorer in almost every game this year.

Playing since she was in the second grade, Kyra shows potential to be a dominant point guard and player, just as her head coach Diana Mitchell was when she played for the Lady Dogs from 1997-2000.

Responding to comparisons to her coach, Kyra said, “I find it a huge compliment because she was and is a great player.” Coincidentally, Coach Mitchell’s first year with the team she gets to coach a freshman who has just as many expectations as she did herself as a freshman.

Coach Mitchell said, “Coaching Kyra is a true pleasure. Simply, it’s fun. You can see the love of the game that she has every time she’s on the court.” In response to the suggestions of Kyra being just like her, Coach Mitchell says, “I would be honored if I could take Kyra as far as I went.” Coach Mitchell’s team won the Division III State Championship in 2000 and played at Boston Garden.

It’s clear to Mrs. Lannin-Cotton, former girls head coach, that the rookie point guard has what it takes. “Kyra’s calm demeanor is what stands out to me. She performs instinctively and does not get rattled under pressure.” She adds, “She’s given the team a huge boost and is instrumental in their making it to the postseason this year.”

The freshman says she’s been really enjoying playing on a high school varsity level basketball team. In fact, she said that one thing that she’s experienced in her life that has really positively impacted her is “being able to play on varsity basketball.”

Kyra also plays volleyball for RHS but she hopes to play college basketball. When asked what her favorite part of the game is, the athlete said, “Defense, and the energy of the crowd.”

Fan of the Lady Dogs, senior Alex Mejia, says when he attends the games and watches the freshman play “it’s obvious that she’s a team player. She passes the ball well but also knows when the time is right to take charge. She’s not scared to take the lead while on the court. Just by watching her play you’d never know she was a freshman because of the knowledge of the game she shows.”

There’s one person in her life that she looks up to the most. It is “my dad,” she said sweetly.

She also enjoys school. She says, “For the most part I enjoy school and my favorite subjects are math and history.”

Over vacation, Kyra Rose was selected to the South Shore League All-Star team, quite an accomplishment for the freshman.

Freshman Kyra Rose against Monomoy in the girls last home game. photo courtesy of Kelley Reale

Fans can see her and the Lady Dogs in the first round of the tournament this week on Tuesday night at East Bridgewater.