Despite her youth, sophomore guard Samaria Gonzalez has been nothing short of phenomenal for the girls varsity basketball team. Even though Gonzalez was a key contributor to the team last year, she has been forced to take on a bigger role this year due to the season-ending injury to senior guard Co-captain Olivia Stevens who is committed to Ithaca College. In this new role, Gonzalez has flourished and proven to be someone that her teammates and coaches can count on.
This season, Gonzalez has been running the KO offense as the lead point guard at maximum efficiency. Not only is she the leading scorer for the team, but she has also been sharing the wealth with her elite ball distribution while also being a rock on the defensive end. Gonzalez has been averaging 2.6 deflections, 2.3 steals, 2.7 assists, along with 13.5 points per game.
Gonzalez had significant minutes as a freshman which gave her coaches and teammates confidence that she would be able to fill the gap that the injured Stevens left. Assistant Head Coach Judy Bailey spoke about Gonzalez and how well she has fit into the role of starting point guard. “Not only is she our leading scorer, but she’s also one of two players who we will ask to guard the best player on the opposing team,” she said. “She does everything, contributing on both ends of the court.”
It was unanimously agreed upon by Coach Bailey, senior Co-captain Aashni Patel, and Gonzalez herself that her best game of the season came in the home opener against Williston Northampton School. The Wyverns were victorious in that game, winning with a score of 60-49 where Gonzalez shined. Gonzalez added 25 points, two assists, and two steals. Patel talked about how well of an all-around game Gonzalez played. “On top of the amount of points she scored, she shared the ball really well, played some great defense, ran the floor well, and forced some turnovers,” Patel said.
Patel gave her input on what Gonzalez’s production means to the team as a whole. “She’s a great offensive player, but she’s also a powerhouse on defense,” Patel said. She went on to mention how she’s seen Gonzalez grow as a player over the past two years. “She’s gotten more aggressive, which comes from an increase in confidence,” she said. “She has fewer turnovers, and she has emerged as a leader on the team despite being a sophomore.”
When it comes to who has helped Gonzalez on her journey to become one of the most important players on the team, Gonzalez was quick to mention Stevens. Being a senior and someone who plays the same position as Gonzalez, Steven’s guidance has proven to be invaluable for her progression as a player. “Stevens being there and telling me certain things that I should do has really helped a lot,” Gonzalez said.
Even though it is early, Gonzalez is certainly excited to explore her options of possibly playing collegiate basketball in the future. For the rest of this season, she is looking forward to building more chemistry with her teammates and winning more games to possibly make a playoff push. We wish her and the rest of the girls varsity basketball team luck for the season ahead.
