Tamara Farquhar: Ready To Take Things To A Higher Level

Montreal, Quebec’s Tamara Farquhar (6’0″, G/F, St-Laurent, 2013) is poised to make a name for herself and really start to draw attention.

Farquhar and her St-Laurent Express are fresh off becoming back-to-back champions of the 14 team, Tournoi Express (Express Tournament) that her school hosts. It annually brings those that are among the best teams from around the Province of Quebec. And, by all indications, it appears that all systems are a go this season for Farquhar, who will be looking to assert her dominance on her competition.

Farquhar is a strong player that uses her length very well. Her height is almost deceiving especially coupled with her jumping ability and very long arms. She has so much potential that also comes with her rebounding and ability to block shots on the defensive end of the court. Put those things together with her speed and ball handling ability, and you start to get a better sense at just how good she is.

That is why, on the offensive end during games, you can usually find her on the perimeter, poised to take advantage of any opportunities that come her way.

“I think I have a good game outside when I attack, because I find it easier to attack the post players when they are on me,” said the attacking Wing that often draws mismatches. “I find I have a stronger dribble than other post players, that are big, because they’re slower than me at the top.”

This past summer, Farquhar’s dominance was near its peak during the Canadian Nationals, which tool place at Fredericton, New Brunswick in Early August. In her third summer representing the Team Quebec U15s, she excelled, averaging 15.6 points per game, 6.0 rebounds per game and 1.6 steals per game and was crowned the National Championship’s U15 MVP and guiding Team Quebec to their first national title in several years.

For now, she is doing all she can to stay sharp for the competition she knows that she will be facing down the road.

That also means a training regiment with the Express that includes weight training, plyometric workouts, cardio drills and scrimmaging with those that are older and more experienced to help her bring her game to the next level.

“I try play against people that are better than me, or even people that are older than me. That way I can learn from my mistakes. If I always play against players that are at a lower level,” she reasons, “then I won’t be any better.”

Having had her growth spurt early, Farquhar used to have a favorable height advantage. Now with other players catching up in size, that is not always the case. Fortunate for her, she has not stopped working on her ball-handling, which now allows this former Post player, to face the basketball and convert herself to an attacking Wing style of player.

“I realize that I am not as tall as the other players anymore. Because before I was always the tallest player on the court, but now the Posts are now like 6’2″, 6’3″, so I have to [continue to improve] in my outside play.”

The final piece of the puzzle, she is now realizing through her scrimmaging and game play as of late is her long distance shooting. This would give her the opportunity to be just as potent against her opponents.

“I try to take more jump shots than usual,” she says about the area of her game she is committed to improve upon. “And, I look to find the jump shots around the perimeter.”

Aside from preparing for the upcomming  Nike Tournament of Champions in Phoenix, AZ (December 20-22) and looking to repeat as Quebec High School provincial AA champions in Spring, Farquhar is also hoping to land a spot on the Canadian National Cadette team that will play in the summer of 2013, and hopes Express teammates and friends Maël Gilles and Van Leap Sry will be able to join her as well.

Afterwards, she is still not sure which pre-University route she will take. The traditional route sees Quebec high schoolers finish Grade 11, then enter a level of schooling called CÉGEP which usually lasts 2-3 years prior to entering into University. One of the routes that seems to be more of an option lately is one that Lachine, QC’s Nirra Fields has taken (Mater Dei 2012; UCLA) and the Caron-Gourdreau twins (Khaleann and Audrey-Ann) have also taken (IMG Academy 2014), which is the U.S. Prep school route.

“I don’t really have an idea of what I want to do exactly. I think that any opportunity that I get, I’ll look to see how far it will take me, and then I’ll make my decision after that.”

One of the goals she seems to have a bit more clarity on is that later on in life, she eventually wants to be a psychiatrist. She also, would like to play her University ball in the States.

“I think I’d like to go to the Sates to play in the NCAA, because I think that I’ll have more opportunity to make it in a higher level than if I stay here,” she says quite confidently with the overall goal of being the best she can. “It doesn’t matter how far it is. I think that if it’s for me, to get better and if its for me to get to a higher level then, I’d be willing to go as far as possible.”