Freshman guard Grace Harmon, now a starter, gets Marist going. The best part? ‘Some of that you can’t teach.’

Marist’s Grace Harmon is the type who gets a little fidgety when she sits around. The freshman guard wants to keep moving with the basketball, and the evidence of that showed up in her first varsity game when she didn’t start against Glenbrook South. Advertisement So, Harmon just she came off the bench to score 19 points in 20 minutes of playing time, and she has been a starter ever since for the RedHawks.

“My floater, driving to the middle, was working for me,” Harmon said. “My shot was falling.” Advertisement Spoken like a seasoned varsity player. It was also an eye opener for Marist coach Renee Chimino , who was delighted to have another offensive force as East Suburban Catholic Conference action unfolds.

“Grace isn’t used to being on the bench, so when I told her she was starting, she was amped up,” Chimino said. “She’s capitalizing on other teams’ mistakes. “To be able to make an impact as a freshman is great.” Marist’s Grace Harmon (11) drives into Mother McAuley's Grace Gambotz (10) during a nonconference game in Chicago on Wednesday, Dec.

13, 2023. (Vincent D. Johnson/Daily Southtown) And how. The 5 foot 5 Harmon is averaging a team best 9.2 points for Marist (5 16, 1 3). She’s made 13 3 pointers, including a pair against Glenbrook South. Harmon is one of two freshmen starters for Marist. The other is point guard Caroline Flynn . There are several reasons for Harmon’s effectiveness in her first varsity go round, according to Chimino.

For one, she plays AAU for the Illinois Defenders, giving her the opportunity to play older, tougher competition, which has translated well to Marist. “She does a lot of things well, the intangibles on defense and offense,” Chimino said. “Some of that you can’t teach.” Advertisement Harmon took up basketball in third grade, following in the footsteps of older sister Isabelle , a 2023 Marist graduate.

She didn’t ease into the game, starting to play AAU right away. After that, Harmon picked up volleyball and lacrosse, which also contributed to the toughness you see on the court. Another contributor to her success has been the fact that she looks up to former Marist star Sydney Affolte r, now a junior guard at Iowa.

“She just goes 150% the whole time and she earns her minutes,” Harmon said. St. Laurence's Kathleen Martin (12) looks toward the lane as Marist’s Grace Harmon (11) tries to contain her during a nonconference game in Burbank on Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2023. (Vincent D. Johnson/Daily Southtown) Sound familiar? Harmon also credits Chimino and Mark D’Apice , her club coach, for teaching her the finer points of playing her position and the game — never being satisfied, always earning minutes, always contributing.

With Flynn as a starter as well, that means there are two freshmen in the backcourt for Marist. That’s a load of responsibility for two young players merely months out of middle school. Advertisement That’s OK. They’re ready to take on a larger leadership role, something that will benefit the RedHawks for the next three seasons.

Daily Southtown Twice weekly News updates from the south suburbs delivered every Monday and Wednesday By submitting your email to receive this newsletter, you agree to our Subscriber Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy . > “I think every team needs a leader because if you don’t have anyone stepping up, everyone is going to be confused,” Harmon said, “You need a leader for a team to work out and win games, so I’ve just stepped up as a leader.” Marist's Grace Harmon (11) drives to the basket through Marian Catholic's defense during an East Suburban Catholic Conference game in Chicago Heights on Friday, Dec.

22, 2023. (John Smierciak/Daily Southtown) Flynn, who has three older sisters who went to Marist, takes the long view when it comes to starting and leadership. For example, she knows that an super tough schedule this season, which has included York, Lincoln Way Central and Loyola along with its ESCC games, is going to pay dividends.

“It’s getting us prepared for future years,” Flynn said. “We’ve been trying to battle with these teams.” As for Harmon, she has a whole high school varsity career ahead of her. But that doesn’t mean she doesn’t think a little about what’s beyond. Advertisement “I think I want to play in college when I’m older and continue my basketball career,” she said.

“But I’m not totally sure.” Gregg Voss is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown..