The George Washington girls basketball team has leaned on junior post-player Shi Banks a lot this season, but on Monday night the Patriots showed they are much more than just a one-player team.
GW received plenty of contributions from other members of its team in taking a 56-33 win against Cabell Midland on Monday at George Washington High School.
Sydney Mallory received her first start of the season and made it count, scoring 12 points in the first half. The freshman added seven rebounds and three assists. Banks finished with five points and two rebounds for the Patriots (5-4).
Dee McMillan came off the bench to score 14 points on seven of eight shooting. Jess Lowen tallied seven points, dished out seven assists, and collected three steals. Elishia Davis added seven rebounds and four steals.
"Shi gets a lot of attention and is often double and triple-teamed," GW coach Jamie LaMaster said. "These kids are taking advantage of that. You may see Shi's numbers come down a little bit but you're going to see the other seven or eight kids' numbers go up."
Banks came into the game averaging 13 points and 12 rebounds. Against the Knights, though, Banks, along with McMillan, didn't start and sat out the entire first quarter for what LaMaster said were "team reasons."
Cabell Midland (4-4) took advantage, leading 14-10 after the first quarter. However, once Banks and McMillan returned to the lineup, things changed quickly for both teams.
GW eased out to a 22-18 halftime lead, and a 10-0 run to begin the third quarter pushed its lead to 17 entering the fourth quarter.
LaMaster was especially pleased in the performance of Mallory. The freshman scored six points in each of the first and second quarters on three baskets each. She hit six of her first eight shots.
"Sydney has been coming off the bench all year and starts tonight and knocks down 12 in the first half," LaMaster said. She can shoot the ball and is capable of doing good things. She got off to a good start, her confidence built, and that's great for her."
Mallory was happy to have received her first varsity start and glad to be able to help contribute so much to the team's easy win.
"It felt really good and I felt good about myself," Mallory said. "I was a little nervous, but only really in warmups. I feel like I have been doing better in practice and proved myself to the coaches."
Mallory is part of a youth movement for GW. The Patriots also start a sophomore in McMillan and a freshman in Katy Darnell. The top three players off the bench usually is Mallory, along with fellow freshman Morgan Hotsclaw, along with sophomore Torren Kalaskey.
"We have a lot of young kids that are starting to distinguish themselves, and starting to have success," LaMaster said. "I'm really excited about the future of this basketball program with so many young and talented players."
Lowen and Davis are the lone seniors, and LaMaster is happy to have them leading his young team.
"We are fortunate to have Jess," LaMaster said. "She is a four year senior and has been through a lot with me. What she doesn't have in size, she has in heart. She plays hard every night. Elishia puts up numbers all across the board.
"I just help them out however they can," Lowen said. "They have really proved themselves and are a big part of the team. I'm really proud of them. Shi opens things up for us and we all can score and contribute."