Tierra Jackson didn’t take long to make her presence felt.

Jackson, a freshman, scored six points in the first three minutes of the Syracuse women’s basketball team’s 83-71 victory over Team Concept last night at Manley Field House.

Jackson finished her debut with eight points, nine rebounds and four steals. She showed the poise of veteran while competing against a pair of super-sized, WNBA post players.

‘I was comfortable,’ Jackson said. ‘I was excited as anything. I was just ready to go out and play.’

SU head coach Marianna Freeman was pleased with her prized recruit.

‘Tierra Jackson showed that she can be a good player in this league,’ Freeman said. ‘I kind of threw her out there. It was sink or swim, and she swam.’

The 6-foot Jackson braved some stormy waters. For much of the contest, she played center and guarded the 6-foot-3, 218-pound Alisa Burras of the WNBA’s Portland Fire.

At times, the slender Jackson was outmuscled by Burras. But that was inevitable. Jackson could hide behind a sapling, while a California redwood may not conceal Burras.

‘In high school, I was basically as big as it got,’ Jackson said. ‘Playing here, playing against big people, it’s good experience. I’m learning how to play them and how I can use my quickness against them.’

‘She played well,’ Burras said of her younger and slighter counterpart. ‘I think they got a good player out of her. As the time comes and she grows, she’s going to be an excellent player.’

While Jackson may still be maturing as a player, SU point guard Julie McBride appears to be further along in the process. The junior led the Orangewomen in scoring last season with 14.9 points per game, and this impressive exhibition performance suggests she may eclipse those totals this year.

On a floor of professionals, McBride was the best player. She scored a game-high 23 points on 6-of-14 shooting, including 3 of 8 on three-pointers. McBride also collected a game-high 11 assists.

Even more impressive than her gaudy statistics was her leadership. The junior has acclimated to her role as co-captain (along with junior Shannon Perry). She looked natural huddling her teammates and calming them at key moments.

‘I’m a little bit more vocal,’ McBride said. ‘This year, as a point (guard) and the veteran, I have to be more vocal, and I have to be the one to bring the team together.’

McBride did just that to stop Team Concept’s final run. In the second half, the Orangewomen improved their halftime cushion, from 51-34 to 60-37, with 15:20 left.

But then the offense stagnated and the lead melted away. With 7:49 left, Team Concept pulled to 66-55 and began to wear down the Orangewomen inside, so Freeman called a timeout.

‘When I called the timeout, I got very excited with them about letting the game get away,’ Freeman said. ‘We were walking back, and we just can’t do those things. I’m looking for both (McBride and Perry) to show our young players how to get through the tough times.’

After the timeout, Rochelle Coleman — who finished with 21 points — drained two of her game-high four three-pointers, and Syracuse regained control of the contest. The Orangewomen led, 74-61, with 5:44 to play.

Team Concept’s final charge was thwarted, and it would get no closer than seven points.

‘This was a great dress rehearsal for us,’ Freeman said. ‘It was nice to have good competition. When you have a team with WNBA players on it, it speaks to how well you can perform. We’ve got a very long way to go, but we can feel good about ourselves with this win.’

Published on November 7, 2002 at 12:00 pm