SHS Player-a-Day Countdown: Aly Lish
(Photo by KYLE CAJERO) Sandpoint junior Aly Lish looks to make an entry pass around a Timberlake defender during a Nov. 29 game.
Believe it or not, the 4A IEL Regional Tournament is around the corner.
In preparation for the Bulldogs’ biggest games of the year, the Bee will highlight one (or two) Sandpoint girls basketball players every issue in the first-ever SHS Basketball Player-a-Day series
The countdown continues with junior guard Aly Lish.
With the score tied at 31-all and with leading scorer Dawson Driggs on the bench, the Bulldogs needed a team-wide effort in order to steal an overtime win from St. Maries.
This was easier said than done. Both teams struggled shooting on Jan. 15. Foul trouble disrupted everyone’s rhythm; it was only fitting that junior guard Aly Lish’s best play of the night came on a missed free throw.
Teammate Hattie Larson’s second of two free-throws clanked off the back iron, setting up what should have been a ho-hum rebound for St. Maries senior forward Kaci Haeg. But as Haeg pulled down the basketball, Lish slid alongside her from the opposite end of the key, grabbed the basketball and forced a jump ball.
The possession arrow pointed in Sandpoint’s favor. The Bulldogs had another shot at taking the lead as the two-minute overtime dwindled away.
How does one put that sequence in the newspaper’s points-only scoreline? Can a smart basketball play be put into numbers?
Admittedly, this would be a lot easier if Idaho high school basketball had advanced analytics like defensive efficiecy, plus-minus, defelctions and a modicum of the data that higher levels of basketball have at their disposal.
Perhaps this is a good thing, because throwing a bunch of statistics and jargon on a page to describe how Aly Lish plays would be a disservice.
More often than not, Lish is always in the right place at the right time. Her positioning under the basket is dextrous. Her passes — albiet risky at times — are well-intentioned, smart reads to her teammates.
Although none of these things get into the box-score at the end of the day, those who know basketball know how important Lish’s presence has been. These contributions aren’t the most glamorous, but someone has to do them.
Game of note: vs. St. Maries
In Will Love’s words: “Aly has been a great addition to Sandpoint High. She is a versatile player who you never have to worry about when it comes to effort. She’s a great teammate who keeps getting better as a basketball player.”