Freshman McDonald key offensive leader

by Chance Plett
Sports editor

Point guard, commonly referred to as the 'one' position, is not an easy position to play, but perhaps no point guard in the Jayhawk Conference has been as adept at directing an offense this season as Seward County freshman sensation Devry McDonald.

Almost every possession in basketball begins with a point guard bringing the ball up the floor and setting the offense in motion. A point guard can single-handedly control the tempo of a game as they either lead fast breaks or meticulously run through various offensive sets.

Spearheaded by McDonald, a native of nearby Beaver, Okla., the Lady Saints' high-octane offense moves up and down the court with ease, averaging more than 80 points per game. It takes many qualities to build the perfect point guard, but chief among them is team leadership and solid ball handling. Lady Saints head coach Jim Littell said that he sees both of these attributes in McDonald's game.

"She's very talented, makes great decisions, and doesn't turn the ball over," Littell said.

To say McDonald makes great decisions and precise passes is an understatement at the very least. McDonald averages a team-high 4.7 assists. Through 27 games this season, McDonald has committed just 57 turnovers, an average of two per game, despite also playing a team high 28.7 minutes per game.

What makes McDonald so valuable to the Lady Saints, however, is her ability to fill every column on the stat sheet. McDonald is at the same time both a slashing, scoring point guard and a ball control, tempo-setting leader.

McDonald averages 12 points per game, good for second on the team. Most amazing is the unheard of efficiency with which she scores. McDonald shoots better than 50 percent from the field, including a team-best 44 percent from three-point range. McDonald is just as consistent at the foul line where she makes 71 percent of her free throw attempts.

Littell said that having a point guard who can slash, score and draw fouls is very valuable.

"A great aspect of her game is that she is a scoring point guard," Littell said. "When you have a point guard that scores, it gives your team another dimension."

McDonald's ability to create for herself and her teammates was never more evident than during the second half of Seward County's 86-77 victory over No. 8 Colby County Feb. 11.

With just over 10 minutes to play in the game, SCCC was facing an 11-point deficit. Down 50-39, the Lady Saints were in great danger of being the team everyone would remember as the one which failed to maintain Seward's home-court win streak, a streak that currently stands at 134 games.

It was at this point that McDonald took over the game by driving the lane, drawing fouls and sinking free throws. McDonald went to the free throw line 18 times in the second half alone on her way to a 20-point game. As a team, SCCC attempted just nine free throws in the entire first half.

McDonald said that the plan for her to take over the game was one Littell discussed at halftime.

"Coach told me I needed to step up," McDonald said. "I had opportunities to drive and create some scoring chances, so I did. As a point guard, it's my job to get everyone going, get them fired up."

Littell said Colby's defensive strategy played right into Seward's hand.

"When an opponent forces your to penetrate, that is what you have to do," Littell said. "Devry is the best on our team at penetrating and creating shots for us. She was able to do that."

After the 85-77 overtime victory, McDonald's stat line read: 20 points, six assists, six rebounds, one steal, and just two turnovers. None of those numbers were her most impressive of the night, though, because McDonald also played the game's full 45 minutes. She played all 40 minutes of regulation and the full five in overtime, throughout it all, picking up just a single personal foul.

"My first feeling after the Colby game was simply relief," McDonald said. "After that we were all just so excited. I was glad we were able to win."

McDonald said it wasn't until the following day that the wear and tear of playing 45 minutes took a toll on her body.

McDonald has been winning almost since the first day she bounced a ball or laced up her shoes. In addition to playing for the very successful Beaver High School team, McDonald played on a summer AAU basketball team out of Oklahoma City that finished second in the nation in back-to-back years.

McDonald's desire to win played a major role in her decision to attend Seward County, and she said that when it was all added up, SCCC was the perfect fit for her.

"The coaches are one of the main reasons I came here," McDonald said. "Also, Seward County is very close to home, and of course, the winning tradition helped make the decision easy, too."

As for a decision about her playing future, McDonald said she is sure of only one thing, and that is that she will be a Lady Saint next year.

"The atmosphere here is amazing," McDonald said. "I love playing in the Green House."

It's obvious Littell enjoys having McDonald play in the Green House, too. Littell said McDonald keeps the Lady Saints unified.

"Devry has had a great year for us," Littell said. "She is really the glue that holds us together."