Girls Prep of the Week: Paige Scullin, FBA basketball

For Paige Scullin, it's not about the number of points she scores or by how much the First Baptist Academy girls basketball team wins, it's about how much she can grow.

Last week Scullin led the Lions to an undefeated four-game stretch. For her performance, she is this week’s Girls Prep of the Week.

Scullin started out the week knocking down 25 points and grabbing 10 rebounds against Moore Haven on Tuesday. She then added eight points and six points in two 30-point plus wins against Everglades City on Thursday and Friday. On Saturday night, she added another 13 points in the Lions’ big district win over Evangelical Christian.

Standing 6-foot-2, Scullin’s size and athleticism gives her the edge to dominate games on both sides of the ball and allows her to shoot over defenders and run the floor to score in transition.

“She is determined to do whatever it takes to help her team be successful,” First Baptist coach Jennifer Lines said.  “Paige is the type of player who makes coaching easy: she's always working hard, being unselfish, and is fun to be around.”

But for Scullin, this season is more about breaking out of her shell than accolades.

On the court, she has aspirations to be a leader, taking guidance from her older brother, Grant, an entrepreneur.

“If you’re not growing you’re dying — that’s what he always tells me,” Sculliln said. “I used to be the quiet girl in the corner, but I’ve grown a lot. I try to be the best leader that I can be, he’s really pushed me to go out and get what I want and step out of my comfort zone and be a leader.”

The newfound philosophy that the junior adopted this summer has transitioned on the court for the Lions.

Now, after averaging a team-high 12 points a game 13 games into the season, First Baptist (12-1) remains undefeated in its now eight-school district, taking its only loss of the season to non-district foe, Golden Gate.

“Toward the end of sophomore year, I think she started to realize her potential and made the commitment to work on both the physical and mental parts of the game,” Lines said. “Each game she exhibits more confidence and improved scoring and rebounding stats.”

Scullin and the Lions will look to continue their success this season against district foe Marco Island Academy on Tuesday at 5 p.m.

OTHERS CONSIDERED

Malaya Melancon, First Baptist soccer – Scored five goals against Moore Haven to give her 33 in 14 games this season

Carlin Palmer, Golden Gate basketball – Scored 44 points in two games last week, including her 1,000th career point

Zoey Spitzer, Gulf Coast soccer – Tallied five goals and two assists in two wins for the undefeated Sharks last week

Coaches may submit nominations for preps of the week by sending an email to sports@naplesnews.com. The deadline is 6 p.m. Sundays.