Author: Ryan Whalen
Occidental women’s basketball guard Ashton Reid (senior) has established herself as the team’s jack of all trades over the first six games of the season. Despite the squad’s slow start (0-6 overall, 0-0 SCAIC), Reid has continued to produce, ranking third on the team in points per game (6.6) and second in steals (1.4) per game. However, Reid is the first to say that stats are not everything.
“I do a lot of things that do not show up on the stat sheet, which is what I pride myself on,” Reid said. “To me, stats do not really matter because I like to win, even if I am sitting on the bench but we are winning, that is what I love.”
Along with her on-court contributions, Reid brings experience and a wealth of basketball knowledge accrued over 14 years of play. Reid has been lacing up on the hardwood since the second grade, playing for both school and club teams.
In addition to Reid’s experience at the collegiate level, her attitude and mindset on the court and in the locker room have helped develop the team’s chemistry.
“I think Ash brings experience, skill, humor and the right attitude to our team,” guard Stefanie Young (senior) said. “She knows when to be serious and when to relax and have some fun.”
Reid, Young and forward Eda Graham (senior), are the only upperclassmen on a team that consists of nine first-years and four sophomores. With so many new faces, the unit has spent a majority of the preseason sorting out the most effective lineups before the start of conference play.
“We are a really young team, and with a new system in place, there are always going to be a few bumps along the way,” head coach Anahit Aladzhanyan said. “However, once Ashton and the rest of the seniors get settled in, they will help spark things on both ends of the court.”
Reid’s desire to win ultimately led her to develop a rigorous work ethic, putting in consistent time at the gym and making improvements both offensively and defensively.
It appears this hard work has paid off. Reid has continually improved in nearly every statistical category for the past three seasons and established herself as a regular within the Occidental lineup at the beginning of last season. Between her sophomore and junior seasons, Reid went from 7.4 minutes of play per game to 22.2, while also grabbing 2.5 more rebounds and scoring 8.5 more points per game.
“In addition to improving her strength and ball handling, Ash has really developed as a shooter, becoming more and more consistent at the three-point line and mid-range jumpers,” Young said.
In the classroom, Reid has divided her academic schedule to pursue a major in psychology and a minor in kinesiology. Her favorite class, Sport in American Society, shows how even in school, Reid maintains her connection to sports. And after graduating this upcoming spring, Reid plans on attending graduate school and eventually working her athletic background into a sports psychology career.
“Sports are something that I have always enjoyed, so the idea that I could combine what I love with a career path definitely helped me decide what I wanted to do,” Reid said.
When Reid is not balancing team obligations and schoolwork, she enjoys going to the movies and spending time with her family. However, even in her free time she still levitates toward the court, playing pickup games, working on drills in the gym or watching her twin brother play basketball for Eastern Washington University. Reid can also be found on the sideline or at the scorer’s table during various sporting events, as she works for games management in her spare time.
In terms of expectations for her senior season, Reid has aligned herself with the team goal of being competitive within the SCIAC conference. Simply put, she wants to win.
The team will attempt to capture their first victory of the season against Lewis & Clark College this Friday at 6 p.m. in Rush Gymnasium.
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