Seton Keough forward Asya Bussie proved in Duncanville, Texas, that even the highly-recruited junior has her flaws.
Bussie was running down the court during the team?s last game at the Sandra Meadows Classic against a team from Texas on Dec. 29, when she fell. No one was within several feet of her and Bussie didn?t trip over anything ? she just fell.
When the 6-foot-3 Bussie stood up, she couldn?t help but crack a smile and laugh ? neither could her teammates. Though her teammates joke about her spill, Bussie said it felt like the team bonded even tighter and has been playing better since she hit the deck.
“It?s embarrassing,” Bussie said with a laugh. “But I guess it?s out now. For the rest of the tournament our team was laughing the whole time.”
And that was the point of the trip.
“We always try to find that Christmas tournament that will take us into the second half of the season,” Seton Keough coach Jackie Boswell said. “We got to bond with each other, eat with each other. We talked about not being successful down there in terms of wins, but in terms of being a better team.”
If there was any doubt the Gators (15-2) are the top-ranked team in the Baltimore area, they put those concerns to rest by thrashing then-top ranked St. Frances, 62-40, on Monday night. Bussie, who averages 15 points and 11 rebounds per game, was her typical dominant self against the Panthers, scoring 15 points to go with 12 rebounds.
“She has to be one of the most unselfish kids I have ever coached,” Boswell said. “She will do whatever you say and is willing to get better and learn the game. You can?t teach what she has emotionally and the type of kid she is.”
The Gators know, however, that despite the win over St. Frances, they have lots of games remaining. St. Frances (11-2, 6-1) ended Seton Keough?s season last year with a 58-57 victoryin the semifinals of the IAAM A Conference Tournament.
But there was something extra special at St. Frances gymnasium Monday night. Midway through the second quarter, an awkward looking jump shot by Bussie hit every part of the rim before falling through. But to her, it couldn?t have been more beautiful. At the next stoppage of play, the game was halted to present Bussie with roses, balloons and hugs for scoring the 1,000th point of her career.
“I had just found out last game that I was close to 1,000 points,” Bussie said. “I feel really accomplished for myself because I never though that I would come out and be a dominant player.”
