During a preseason meeting in early September 2024, Saniyah King entered Ty Grace’s office in Burr Gymnasium to discuss her goals for the season. The Howard University freshman guard told her coach she wanted to be a starter, win rookie of the year and the conference championship.
“Most freshmen don’t know what they want, and she already had her mind made up about how she wanted this year to look for her, and I respect that because most people are unsure,” Grace said. “She didn’t know what her role was going to be, but she knew she wanted to have a role.”
With the starting point guard earning the 2025 Mid-Eastern Rookie of the Year Award Tuesday, only one goal remained unachieved. King begins her quest for the MEAC title Wednesday when the Lady Bison face Delaware State University in a first-round matchup at Scope Arena in Norfolk, Virginia.
Howard has appeared in the past four MEAC title games, losing the previous two to Norfolk State. King, who averaged 12 points and a MEAC-leading 4.7 assists during the regular season, believes she’s the missing piece the Bison needs to reclaim the MEAC title.
“I think this year is different because they have me,” King told The Washington Informer. “A majority of my team are seniors, so them having that pain of losing the last few years and really wanting it bad and then me coming in new, I’m not used to losing or going to the championship game and it not going our way every time.”
However, she’s confident she and her teammates have what it takes to be victorious.
“But the passion and work ethic I bring despite never feeling that [pain of losing] and plain out never wanting to know what it feels like to lose,”
King continued, “mixed with their grit and desire to win so badly, is going to pull it out this year for us.”
Guard Destiny Howell led Howard to the MEAC championship game all four of her undergraduate years, hoisting the conference title in 2022.
Howell knows the pain of losing, having come up short three of the past four years. However, what King’s presence on the court provides reminds Howell of the 2022 championship-winning team.
“Her fast pace and joy in which she plays basketball,” Howell continued, ”she can affect the game in different ways. Her energy is felt on the court, and it brings a certain momentum to the way we want to play. Aside from her passing ability, she can also go get a bucket. I think she does a good job balancing the two.”
King reminded herself during inefficient shooting performances that there were multiple ways to contribute to a game. She said she matured this season in encouraging herself and refusing to settle during rough games. Because of her mental growth, she called her first year a great learning experience.
For King, growth doesn’t occur without her coach. The 18-year-old said Grace taught her how to carry herself as a young woman.
The coach celebrated King for embracing the starting point guard position as a freshman.
“It’s hard, especially being put into a starting position as a point guard; it’s not a common thing. I’ve never really seen her get nervous. She plays with a lot of confidence,” Grace explained. “She has maintained confidence throughout the whole year. If she ever has a bad game, it’s not because of that.”
Grace said she pushes King because she believes her potential is limitless. She said King is the first in the gym and the last out, doing extra workouts of her own volition.
“Being great is hard. People think being great is easy because they see what comes after work,” the coach told The Informer. “They think, ‘Oh, she got 12 MEAC Rookie of the Week awards; it’s just easy for her.’ No, it’s not easy. She puts in the work with her inner self, basketball talents and her school work.”
Working to Inspire
King isn’t only focused on her greatness. Eleven of King’s relatives attended Howard before her. However, she is the first student-athlete of the bunch and said it would be special to add to her family’s legacy at the Mecca with a championship, calling it “icing on the cake.”
She also said she wants to give her four younger brothers an example of what strong faith and work ethic can produce by winning the MEAC.
The student-athlete used her Christian faith as a vehicle for encouragement to her teammates throughout the season by sharing the spiritual lessons she learned through the Bible and different books.
After a few of her teammates revealed their trials, a group consisting of the freshman star, guard Tyanna Walker, and forwards Amirah Allen, Sa’lah Hemingway, and Zennia Thomas decided to gather before games. The six read a devotional, shared encouragement, and closed their time with prayer. King said they plan to do the same routine before Wednesday’s matchup.
“Just the strength of holding hands and praying together, we all felt that through our whole bodies and our mind, and that’s been changing our chemistry around,” King said. “Coming together like that ignites a whole new side of our team and strengthens us. It’s like we are fighting for more than just a championship now.”
King hopes to win the MEAC title to send a message bigger than herself.
“My purpose is to lift others through basketball,” King said. “When I’m out here hooping and I’m working as hard as I possibly can, it’s bigger than, ‘I’m going to win my game tonight.’ It’s for my purpose. I have to win so that people can see what happens when you work hard, give thanks to God, understand where you are, and give to others. It’s everything.”
I love the fact that Saniyah set and achieved those lofty goals of becoming a starter and winning rookie/freshman of the year. Even more impressive is that she believes she’s the missing piece for a team that has been on the cusp of a championship in previous years. Saniyah’s confidence is phenomenal.