Using her wingspan: Freshman has Stillman Valley basketball back on the rise

STILLMAN VALLEY — There were plenty of question marks headed into this season for the Stillman Valley girls basketball team, but none more glaring than how they would handle the loss of all of that senior leadership from last year?

"So far, so good," junior forward Maddy McCammond said. "It helps when you have a freshman stepping up like that."

McCammond was talking about first-year Cardinals' point guard Taylor Davidson, who is leading Stillman Valley in points (12.4) and assists (3.7) per game. She is second in steals (2.2) and third in rebounds (4.3).

"I'm just trying to stay confident, and humble at the same time," Davidson said. "And help this team win."

Got young fast

McCammond began last season as the other starter alongside four four-year starting seniors – that is, until standout point guard Georgia Ballard was lost to a foot injury early in the year. The Cardinals were still undefeated late in the shortened season until they suffered three conference losses in the final two weeks.

And with no postseason, there was no chance to bounce back.

They're bouncing back now.

"With all those seniors we lost last year, we just didn't really know what we'd have coming in this year," Stillman Valley head coach Bobby Mellon said. "We knew we'd be young, but talented. They've definitely already surpassed our expectations, though."

Surprisingly strong start

The Cardinals kicked off the season with a 40-8 win over Forreston, and knocked off Lanark Eastland – the defending Class 1A state champs – 37-32 on Nov. 22.

A pair of back-to-back defeats, however, had Stillman Valley at 6-4 headed into last Thursday night's contest against Stockton, having dropped a game to Rochelle on Monday by a 43-39 count before rebounding to pound North Boone 60-17 on Tuesday.

Davidson, the 5-foot-8 forward with a wider than usual wingspan, had just two points in the loss to the Hubs. But she turned it around and drained three 3-pointers and scored 18 points while also leading the Cardinals' defense that stymied North Boone all night Tuesday.

"She's still a freshman, and it always takes some time," Mellon said. "But she's one of those coaches' dreams. She loves to work hard and she can't get enough basketball. She's just a threat from anywhere on the court, too."

Now have to grow up fast

Led by McCammond, who drained three 3s and scored 11 points in the loss to Rochelle earlier this week, Stillman Valley has not been just a one-girl show. With one senior, two juniors and a sophomore starting next to the freshman – and another freshman guard coming in off the bench – it's a young team, but they are getting better in a hurry.

Mya Janssen, the team's sophomore post player, leads the squad with 8.5 rebounds per game, and junior guard Jenna Shelburne leads the team in steals (2.3). Freshman Brooke Jordal, usually first off the bench, is second in rebounding at 6.8 per game.

"I've been surprised with how quickly we've come together and how well we've done so far," McCammond said. "We still have a long way to go and a lot of work to do, but we're getting better and better at a fast pace, and we're still pretty young. It's fun to think about."

Saturday the Cardinals will head to Elgin St. Edward, then they have a nine-day break before hosting Aurora Rosary on Dec. 20. The next day they get back into Big Northern Conference play at Lutheran.

They will break in the new year with some key BNC matchups. They will face the two teams that played for the conference title in the shortened season last year back to back, heading to Winnebago on Jan. 22 before hosting Byron on Jan. 25. The postseason will tip off in mid-February.

Jay Taft: jtaft@rrstar.com; @JayTaft

This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: IHSA basketball: Freshman Taylor Davidson has Stillman Valley back