By Joanna Chadwick
Every year there are students who move into and out of Derby because their parents are part of the military and McConnell Air Force Base is just up the road
That also means rosters can change frequently due to military movement – sometimes a special player moves on and other times, a special player like junior Macayla Askew moves in.
And, boy, is Askew special.
“Mac moves gracefully on the court, much like a gazelle,” coach Bryan Chadwick said. “Her long strides and arm reach create challenging matchups for defenders on offense, while her athleticism enables her to guard any position on defense.
In Game 1 at McPherson, Askew scored 25 points to lead the Panthers, a team that had seven seniors. Askew continued to cause defenses problems due to her leaping ability, how she can just go get a bucket and score from anywhere, how she finds the basketball on rebounds.
“She has a knack for finding ways to score, whether from inside the paint or beyond the three-point line,” Chadwick said. “And she consistently makes things happen on the court.”
Then, in the Class 6A semifinals in March, she scored 35 points and the state was on notice that Askew was a player we all need to be watching.
“The state game truly put her on the map,” Chadwick said. “Her first game didn’t go well; she was too caught up in her own thoughts. After a few discussions about how to perform at a high level, she focused on playing within our offense and made everyone take notice of her abilities.”
