 Oregon-Davis’ Aubrey Minix, second from left, is congratulated by teammates Caley Savoie (43); Kelsey Minix, second from left; and Sam Sims (21) after she broke the state career 3-point scoring record Thursday in Bi-County semifinal action against John Glenn at LaVille’s Dale E. Cox Gymnasium. Pilot photo/James Costello By Dee Grenert Sports Editor
LAKEVILLE — A few Oregon-Davis girls basketball players wiped away tears while celebrating Aubrey Minix’s state-record 320th career 3-pointer Thursday.
Not the record holder. She’s a ball player, not a bawl player.
“I’m a ball player,” she said, game ball cradled safely under her left arm. “Ball players don’t cry. That’s what my dad says.”
But considering her extremely rare shooting slump in the 6-plus quarters prior to eclipsing 2002 Miss Basketball Shanna Zolman’s state record, a misty-eyed moment or two might have been understandable.
Needing just two triples to tie during Tuesday’s first-round Bi-County game at Culver Community, Minix scuffled to a 1-of-9 finish. She misfired on seven straight offerings against John Glenn Thursday at LaVille, before hitting from high off the left wing with 4:42 left in the third quarter, courtesy of a feed from younger sister, Gabi Minix.
Just 30 seconds later, the same play yielded the same result, a state record and mini-celebration. She nailed two more over the next 1:33 in an old-fashioned in-game shooting clinic to boost her career total to 322.
“I was wondering where it was at before,” she said of ending her drought, with a smile.
She received hugs from teammates, her dad and head coach Terry Minix, mom and assistant coach Cheryl Minix, before heading to the crowd for more congratulations from her grandparents.
“Some of my teammates were crying, and I thought, ‘Why are you crying? If anyone should be crying it should be me,’” she said, laughing. “But that’s OK because I think it shows how much we love each other.”
On the bench, her dad harbored no doubts about the record-breaking stroke.
“After the first I think she felt a little more comfortable,” the proud father said. “The second one, I could tell by watching her form — and as many times as I’ve seen her shoot — that it was good. She had been dipping her hand, and we talked to her about that.”
Both said breaking a record the caliber of player and person as Zolman — now Shanna Crossley of the WNBA’s San Antonio Silver Stars — made the moment even sweeter.
“When you watch her you want to be like her,” Aubrey Minix said. “Being mentioned with her is a tremendous honor. It’s the whipped cream on the sundae. When you think about it after it’s happened, it’s even more precious.”
Her dad agreed.
“It’s pretty incredible,” Terry Minix said. “In my opinion Shanna Zolman is one of the two best players to ever play in this state. Stephanie White is the other, although you’ll probably have to throw in Skylar (Diggins) now.
“The thing about them is they are class people,” he added. “To be mentioned in the same breath as them is something she’s going to remember her whole life. It might not soak in right now.”
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