Syracuse Basketball: Tiana Mangakahia will undoubtedly shine in the pros

As the Syracuse basketball women’s team begins to wind down its 2020-21 regular season, with the Orange hosting Boston College on Thursday night, Tiana Mangakahia is also starting to wind down her unbelievable tenure on the Hill.

While the NCAA is allowing all winter-sport athletes to have an extra season of eligibility amid the novel coronavirus pandemic, it seems that the 5-foot-6 Mangakahia is planning to move on to the professional ranks.

Mangakahia, one of the premier guards in the Atlantic Coast Conference and throughout the country, told Mike Curtis of Syracuse.com that it’s “100 percent” she will depart Central New York after the current term.

“I want to go pro and I feel ready,” Mangakahia said to Curtis.

The ‘Cuse (11-6, 8-6) plays the Eagles on Thursday evening, and then the Orange is slated to wrap up its 2020-21 regular season on Sunday, Feb. 28, inside the Carrier Dome versus N.C. State, which is presently ranked No. 2 across the country in the Associated Press top-25 poll.

After these two league encounters, Syracuse basketball will head to the ACC Tournament, followed by March Madness, assuming that the Orange lands an invite to the Big Dance. The ‘Cuse seeks to prevail in its remaining regular-stanza contests to, hopefully, finish in the top four of the conference standings.

Syracuse basketball elite guard Tiana Mangakahia is looking forward to becoming a pro.

Mangakahia, a fifth-year player from Brisbane, Australia, battled Stage 2 breast cancer while missing the 2019-20 campaign. She is an inspiration to the entirety of Orange Nation, and we will miss her dearly when her ‘Cuse career is over.

Per Curtis’ article, in 2020-21 so far, Mangakahia is collecting 11.3 points and 7.7 assists per meeting, with her dimes per game leading the NCAA, according to its Web site.

Mangakahia, named to the All-ACC first squad on two occasions, told Syracuse.com that she wants to use the rest of this term to continue focusing on being a facilitator, while also showing that she is a scorer.

Understandably, she said to Curtis that it will be emotional for her this weekend as she suits up for the final instance at the Dome. Us, too, Tiana. Thank you for such a wonderful career in CNY. We love you and know that you will flourish at the next level.