Figure skating past pays off for Central Magnet basketball 1,000-point scorer Olivia Hart

Basketball wasn't Olivia Hart's first true love.

But the Central Magnet senior gained valuable skills from her first sport that have translated to the basketball court.

"I figure skated for about five years (ages 7-12)," said Hart, who is one of the top players in the area and has the Lady Tigers off to a 13-4 start. "That was my sport before basketball. I was a competitive figure skater. I did play both (at the time), but I had to focus on figure skating."

Central Magnet coach Alan Bush sees the benefits of Hart's former skill.

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"Figure skating might have paid off for her," Bush said. "She has great feet, hands and coordination. She runs the floor really well. She moves well to get around defenders.

"I wouldn't want to guard her."

Hart was a good figure skater, admitting she would place in the top three in most events in which she competed.

But, at 5-foot-11 and having recently signed with DePauw University (Greencastle, Indiana), it appears Hart made the right choice when picking which sport to focus on as she got older.

Hart is a four-year starter for Central Magnet, earning second-team all-area honors last season.

The post player has stepped up her game this season, averaging 17.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.2 assists while shooting 58% from two-point range. She surpassed 1,000 points for her career early in the season.

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"She's a unique player in a lot of different ways," said Bush. "She's one of the hardest workers I've ever coached. People talk about motors ... she has an unbelievable motor. She can guard any position and play any position, and that gives us a lot of options on the court.

"She's probably the most athletic girl I've ever coached."

Hart has teamed with junior teammate Addison Melton to form a 1-2 punch that has helped the Lady Tigers go from nine wins in 2019-20 to 24-7 and a Class AA sectional appearance a year ago.

"I think AAU and travel ball have had a big impact," said Hart. "I played in front of a lot of college coaches the past few summers, and it was really in full swing this past summer. This was the year to get recruited.

"I'm playing at a faster pace and level."

While Hart is the go-to post player for Central Magnet, she expects to play a little more away from the basket in college.

"I love playing the guard position, and I'm developing (guard) skills," said Hart, who has improved her shooting from 3-point range and in the mid-range area.

"They'll have her at a stretch-four," Bush said. "(DePauw) has a heck of a program, one of the best Division III programs in the nation."

Hart thinks her Lady Tigers are primed to make the next step if things fall into place this season. Central Magnet beefed up its non-district schedule (including games vs. Coffee County, York and Lawrence County) more this season in preparation for a tough postseason.

"The biggest part of it is team chemistry," Hart said. "All the girls have an impact on the team, whether they get on the floor or not. If all of us collectively think that way, we can reach that goal."

This article originally appeared on Murfreesboro Daily News Journal: Central Magnet basketball's Olivia Hart was once a figure skater