Hard work and increased confidence yielding positive results for Temple’s Tiarra East

Watching the 5’10 Temple University senior guard, sporting white calf compression sleeves pulled up to her knees, enthusiastically dash back on defense while high-fiving her teammates and coaches on the bench along the way, no one would’ve ever known she struggled with her confidence early in her career.

East then flexed and sprinted to the sidelines as the Owls applied the finishing flourishes on their 76-62 Big 5 Classic championship victory over Villanova at Finneran Pavilion last Friday. It was a special moment for East, who scored 11 of her game-high 26 points over the final five minutes against the Wildcats; she was named the first Mel Greenberg MVP of the Big 5 Classic, an award given to the most outstanding player in the game.

East’s effort and energy were strong enough that if it were living, the iconic 37-foot tall bronze statue of William Penn that overlooks the city of Brotherly Love from atop City Hall would’ve tipped his cap in her honor as she drove past the landmark on her way back to Temple’s campus on Broad Street.

As she watched East play with poise, passion, and purpose, Temple’s third-year head coach Diane Richardson was thrilled that everybody got to see what she already knew about the affable Louisville native.

“I was just like a proud mom,” an excited Richardson shared postgame with The Next. “This is how she can play basketball, and she showed it tonight for herself and her team. She knew her team needed her, and she stepped up in a big way. … She is always in the gym. She probably puts up 1,000 shots a day. She’s worked hard for this moment, and sometimes we have to kick her out of the gym.”

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Villanova head coach Denise Dillon probably wished she could’ve evicted East from their facility — especially during the second half when she scored 17 points on 6-of-11 shooting. According to CBB Analytics, East enjoyed her best single-game effective field goal percentage (61.1%) this season against the Wildcats.

“She knows the game and plays the game at a different level,” Dillon said, admiring East’s effort. “When she’s locked in, she’s a tough matchup. I felt she dictated what she wanted tonight. She was smart off the dribble when she was getting rid of the ball, getting into the paint, and her spots on a post-up, and she took advantage. … We tried to throw a couple of different people at her, but she was ready to go tonight. She’s playing some really good basketball and showed her best today.”

East has been a point-producing machine for the Owls over the last three years, thriving under Richardson.

After scoring 97 points over 27 games as a freshman under former head coach Tonya Cardoza, East enters Sunday’s home game against No. 15 West Virginia needing 22 points to reach 1,000 for her career. East was named to the postseason second team after leading Temple in scoring last season and helping the Owls to a share of the American Athletic Conference regular season championship.

East had an opportunity to enter the transfer portal when Temple changed coaches three years ago. In an era of instant gratification, East’s rise as one of the best guards in the country cuts against the grain, achieving it the old-fashioned way through belief and hard work.

“I wanted to stay because I feel like my freshman year, I didn’t get my feet wet enough to enter the transfer portal,” East said. “I didn’t know anybody that would be at different schools, like coaches or anything. I just stuck with the new staff, and they believed in me. I believed in them that it would get me to where I want to be.”

East’s potent cocktail of confidence, patience and motivation has been toxic for Temple opponents this season. She felt slighted being named to the All-AAC Preseason Second Team, which is why she plays with a disposition to dominate. She shows teams no mercy while depositing a variety of shots garnished with feathery touches.

When Richardson took the Temple job after leading Towson University to consecutive postseason appearances, including an NCAA trip in 2018, and saw East play for the first time on film, she immediately recognized her potential. Richardson smiled when she watched East slice through defenses with precision and grace.

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“I’ve coached many players that have gone to the next level,” Richardson said. “I noticed she wasn’t being used as she could have been and lacked confidence. I wanted her to be able to shoot the ball on the perimeter. She’s worked hard, and now we see the end of that of us instilling confidence in her.”

Temple’s leading scorer is third in the American Athletic Conference (16.6), sixth in field goal percentage (39.7%) and 10th in free-throw percentage (67.6%). East is also durable as she leads the American in average minutes per game (34.2). She has scored at least 20 or more points three times this season, including a career-high tying 28 points in a four-point come-from-behind victory over VCU on Nov. 15.

East is one of five players, along with 5’8 graduate guard Tarriyonna Gary (9.1 points per game), 6’1 graduate forward Anissa Rivera (9.3), 5’5 sophomore guard Tristen Taylor (8.1) and 5’6 sophomore guard Kaylah Turner (8.1) all averaging at least eight points per game for the balanced Owls (5-3 overall).

East is also more than a scorer. She’s a willing passer, as evidenced by her four games of at least three or more assists. According to Her Hoop Stats, East’s assist percentage has increased to 20.4% this year from 10.2% last year. East’s usage rate of 29.1 is among the top 200 nationally this season, up from 16.0 as a freshman.

East, who led Temple in scoring last season, has five double-digit games this season. She averaged 13.3 points per game as a junior and 12.0 points as a sophomore. The diligence and dedication to getting better is yielding positive results early for East.

“I wanted to widen my game more,” East said. “So, this summer, I worked on coming off screens, reading the screens, pulling up and shooting jump shots off the screen and hitting the 3 consistently. Being able to shoot the 3 ball off the screen and being ready to shoot the 3 at any time of the game.”

A three-level scorer, East has attempted 60 percent of her shots this season (74-of-122) at the rim or in the paint, which is about the same percentage as last season. The most significant difference is she is getting to the basket with more frequency this season, as 36.5% of her shots have been at the rim compared to 27.4% last season according to CBB Analytics. East has attempted 27.2% of her shots from mid-range, up from her 23.9% last year, even though her shooting percentage is slightly lower from a year ago.

East’s increased responsibilities this season have also included being one of the Owls’ leaders. With a younger team, East has embraced her evolving role. She is more vocal and sets examples to guide her young team, like remaining calm when picking up two fouls in the first quarter against Villanova. Last year, she started developing this leadership style, being coached to speak up more during game situations.

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Watching East consistently perform at a high level, no one would ever know she was a late bloomer to the sport. She became serious about the game during her sophomore year in high school. Wherever her older brother Sean went, East followed. It started with light shooting in the driveway, then watching his games and ultimately deciding to train.

When teaching her younger sister the game, Sean emphasized the nuances and details, like understanding when to get in a flow, what reads to make and how to read defenders’ body language. Even after games, her older brother always had some feedback to help East enhance her game.

The basketball world is grateful for East’s gifts.

“When I was younger, I didn’t play basketball,” a smiling East said as she shared the memory. “I would always just watch him play, which made me want to play. Then, when I really got serious about basketball, he started taking me through it, helping me train and work out with him. During COVID, it was really when we got together and worked outside in the driveway until he went back to college.”

Now, East couldn’t imagine her life without the sport.

While the advertising major plans to play professionally, East also has interests beyond the court. Proving that style and sportsmanship coexist simultaneously, her flair for fashion — especially shoe shopping — makes a statement, blending bold streetwear with high-end sophistication. East expands the playbook on how athletes express themselves.

For somebody who once struggled with confidence on the court, she’s savored the opportunity to help Temple make history. With East continuing to perform consistently, Temple is poised to create more memories this season.

“I was in the gym after practice every day this week, and (the coaches) were like ‘T, why are you not shooting the 3?,” East said. “You need to shoot it, you can really shoot it. I believed in myself, they believed in me. … I just thank Coach Rich and the entire staff for helping me with my confidence. I appreciate them for that.”