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(ARCHIVE PHOTO | THE GRAHAM LEADER) Rebecca McGregor is one of few seniors on this year’s Lady Blues roster and she’s shown the ability to be a leader both on and off the court. Her shooting ability and selflessness have helped her become a critical part of this team, and that was on display in the team’s recent games. -
(ARCHIVE PHOTO | THE GRAHAM LEADER) Brodie Martin may only be a sophomore, but he’s already a leader for this Steers varsity team. He’s worked on his game in every way and has grown into a versatile player that can make things happen anywhere on the court. Most recently, he showcased that versatility during Graham’s run in the Breckenridge tournament.
Football season came to a close last week for Graham and with it the end of fall sports for the 2024-2025 school year.
Now is the time for full focus on winter sports as basketball teams have finished a solid portion of their season and soccer teams are gearing up for theirs. Basketball tournaments have been at the forefront lately, and the Steers and Lady Blues recently had strong showings in theirs.
Rebecca McGregor of the Lady Blues and Brodie Martin of the Steers have been named Athletes of the Week for their performances in their recent tournaments and games.
Rebecca McGregor, Lady Blues basketball
McGregor is one of three seniors on this year’s Lady Blues varsity team and has been on the squad since her sophomore year.
For a team that’s welcomed in a new head coach this year, McGregor has been key in providing leadership on the court and setting the example for her fellow teammates.
“She's a great leader. She's always trying to help out our younger teammates, so she sees that they're struggling somewhere, and she'll be there to support them and talk them through it in practice,” head coach Baylee Thompson said. “She's such a great example. She's always going all out game speed.”
Over four games in Graham’s recent run in the Haskell tournament, McGregor was one of the top scorers for the team. She finished with a total of 26 points over the course of the weekend then put up 8 points in the team’s recent win over Windthorst.
One aspect of McGregor's game that sticks out is that she can score from just about anywhere on the court and has proven the ability to do so. Her shooting is a threat to opposing defenses, and she can knock down deep shots while also helping her teammates find open looks of their own.
“She has a beautiful shot, and I’d just like to see her take even more open looks,” Thompson said. “But she's such a team player. She's always trying to look for a better option. We always look to get in the lane, but if she's wide open I trust her to take that shot.”
The energy McGregor brings to the floor is something that also inspires teammates. When one person is playing with a lot of effort, that trickles down to other players.
“(Teammates) see her getting after it, so that makes them feel comfortable and confident that they can get after their player too,” Thompson said.”
Brodie Martin, Steers basketball
Martin is only a sophomore but he’s already stepped up as a leader in his second year on the varsity team.
Playing on varsity as a freshman is an accomplishment in any sport, and with a year of play and experience under his belt Martin has already taken things to another level.
From the conclusion of last season to this one, he’s spent hours in the gym working on his game and it’s already paid off in many of Graham’s games this season.
“He put in hundreds of hours throughout the summer…working on his game,” head coach Kyle Wood said. “I've seen him develop as kind of a leader on the court a little bit, talking people through stuff, and coaching up other kids and practicing on the court. He's developing into having a great basketball mind.”
Throughout the early portion of the season, Martin has showcased an ability to play, score and defend all over the court. He’s able to drive into the lane for shots at the rim, but he can also step out from behind the arc for a 3-pointer.
His positional versatility has paid dividends early on for this team, especially during their recent run in the Breckenridge tournament last week, where he scored 47 points over five games and was one of the top rebounders for the team.
“He's physical. He does a good job getting to the rim. He obviously gives some second chance opportunities off of rebounding,” Wood said. “But then he's also a kid that you have complete confidence in stepping out, shooting the three, handling the ball.”
There’s still plenty of season left to play, but the early results from Martin have been promising.
“He's confident with the ball in his hands. Defensively, he can talk through the rotations, he sees the rotations,” Wood said. “But I would just say overall, the biggest step that I've noticed just in my time with him is that he is a much more confident player.”
