MORGANTOWN – Most freshmen on any team in high school basketball would be satisfied with simply finding a spot somewhere among the varsity roster, hoping to earn the slightest glimpse of playing time throughout the season.
Sydney Deusenberry has been the exception to that for the Morgantown girls’ basketball team so far this season.
The 5-foot-9 freshman has not only found playing time for the Mohigans, but she has started every game so far, impacting the game in multiple ways for head coach John Fowkes and his club.
“Honestly, coming into this season, I just wanted to do the right things and find my role on the team,” she said. “Moving from middle school to playing in the highest class for high school basketball was a big jump. The talent and competition level is high every night, and if you don’t match that effort, you’ll get left behind pretty quickly. I felt a little nervous at the beginning of the season just trying to get to know everyone and learn how to play together, but that went away quickly.”
When you look at the statistics for the Mohigans, you won’t find Deusenberry’s name at the top of the list in most offensive categories. But with teammates like Kayli Kellogg, Sadaya Jones, and Tatum DeVries, she doesn’t need to typically worry about putting points on the board.
Instead, you can find Sydney’s name among the hustle stats and numbers that may not appear on the stat sheet. Touting a 6-foot-2 wingspan, she helps MHS be more disruptive on defense and rebound more efficiently on both ends.
“Coming into the season, I mainly focused on finding my place on defense,” she said. “Getting quicker on my feet was something I worked on in the offseason. I also knew rebounding would be something I would be asked to do, so I’ve worked hard to get stronger and be more successful boxing out.”
With nine games under her belt now, Sydney says she’s learned that her greatest successes come when she plays to her strengths.
“Letting the game come to me has helped me,” she said. “I tended to be a little timid at the beginning of the year, and I’ve tried to come out of my shell a bit and be more loose on the court. Coach Fowkes helps with that. He always brings the energy and picks us up when we are down or keeps us energized when we play well.”
Her head coach says that Sydney’s value to the team is likely far greater than she perceives.
“We must remind her that she isn’t a secondary option on offense,” Fowkes said. “Rather, when she is open, she should score the ball. She makes significant contributions to our team, exceling in rebounding, leading the team in deflections, and playing a crucial role at the top of our press. She’s shown a greater willingness to score in recent practices as opposed to the beginning of the season while becoming more vocal and engaging. In the coaches eyes, Sydney isn’t a freshman. When I saw her play in June, there was never a doubt about her being a varsity player given her abilities.”
Growing up in Morgantown, Sydney says she watched the MHS girls play and was excited to join the program.
“I’ve come to games before and knew how good the program was,” she said. “It’s already been a fun season with my teammates and coaches. Being a freshman and playing a role on the team is special to me.”
