Centerville’s Shannon O’Malley, right, steals the ball form Bon Homme’s Sierra Mesman during their matchup in the Tri-Valley Conference girls’ basketball Classic on Jan. 30.
Shannon O’Malley has had no shortage of basketball heroes. Of course, with three older siblings having surpassed 1,000 career points, she didn’t have to look far for inspiration.
But the Centerville sophomore sensation has already carved out her own identity on the court. Two weeks ago, the 5-foot-7 guard surpassed 1,000 points herself. Kieran O’Malley, Shannon’s older sister, is the No. 5 all-time scorer in South Dakota, with 2,599 points.
Shannon could very well surpass that mark by the time she’s done suiting up for the Tornadoes.
“That girl lives breathes, eats, sleeps basketball,” said Coach Kendra “Her family does the same. She pushes herself to be the best that she can be.”
This season, Shannon’s best has led to multiple 30-plus point outpourings. On Jan. 28 against Viborg-Hurley, O’Malley posted 35 points and followed it two days later with 30 points against Bon Homme.
“You name it, she’s got it,” Hotchkiss said. “She’s a great shooter, she can throw it up from anywhere and make it. Shes’s a great ball-handler — one of our go-to’s. … She’s just an all-around player.”
On the season, O’Malley is averaging a tick over 24 points a game. The Tornadoes play in a deep conference with the likes of Viborg-Hurley, Gayville-Volin and Irene-Wakonda, but Hotchkiss said the team is confident.
“I think when we are in our sweet spot — working together and playing together — it’s hard to beat that,” Hotchkiss said.
Of course, it helps if you’ve got a premier scorer who wants to take the important shot.
“I would definitely Shannon is one of our leaders on the court,” Hotckiss said. “She just steps up, and we rely on her for a lot of situations — and two points down and five seconds left in the game, she wants that ball in her hands.”
Shannon O’Malley | Centerville
- Sophomore
- 5-foot-7 guard
- Eclipsed 1,000 career points
- Averaging 24 points a game
