Nobody knew who it was at first. At every Marshall football game the school mascot would stalk the stands like a maniac, entertaining children and helping the cheerleaders excite the crowd.
Only when the music started over the stadium loudspeaker did everyone learn the true identity of the person inside the half-lion, half-eagle Griffin costume.
“Let’s just say I have some unique dance moves,” said Marshall senior Maya Al-Shingieti. “I tried to keep it a secret. But that pretty much gave it away.”
Al-Shingieti may not be much of a dancer. But she’s put together some pretty sweet moves on the basketball court. In less than five years the 6-foot-1 center has gone from never playing the sport on an organized level to earning a Division I scholarship to New Jersey Tech.
Al-Shingieti is helping Marshall stay in the mix for a Liberty District title. The Statesmen (8-3, 5-1 district) have a showdown at home tonight with first-place Madison (11-2, 6-0).
“We’re going to be a little nervous because it’s such a big game,” Al-Shingieti said. “But our whole plan this year was to do some damage in our district and then go on past that.”
That’s exactly what Marshall did last season, posting a 22-6 record, winning the district tournament title for the first time in 23 years and advancing to Patriot Center for the Northern Region Final Four. Guard Amanda Brown was a huge part of that squad and her graduation left a void.
Enter Al-Shingieti, the born entertainer who has morphed from a shy, gangly freshman into a senior fond of belting out Disney songs from the back of the team bus on road trips and keeping her teammates loose at all costs. She helps senior forwardKT Mesich and senior guard Nicole Harrison, who were both captains last season as well. Don’t mistake that big personality for a lack of focus, however. Al-Shingieti averages 11.8 points and 8.5 rebounds per game and is a formidable post presence for Marshall.
“Maya used to be more timid on the court, a little awkward, and now she’s strong and powerful,” said Mesich. “We always tell her to play like a freight train. She almost always does.”
My, oh, Maya
» Maya Al-Shingieti got a first-hand view of the Final Four run put together last spring by George Mason’s men’s basketball team. Older brother, Hasan, is a team manager for the Patriots.
» Al-Shingieti is a practicing Muslim and tries as much as possible to keep any exposed skin covered. She wears a pair of tights under her basketball shorts.
» She didn’t pick up basketball until eighth grade. Instead, Al-Shingieti was active in karate as a kid and nationally ranked in her age group.
