SUE LASHLEY: THE IMPROVEMENT CURVE IS REAL — AND THE FUTURE IS BIG
I’m a big believer in watching a player’s improvement curve. It’s always the measuring stick. I want to know if a player gets better over the years. I want to know if she can take a weakness and turn it into a strength.
What I don’t care about is the hype. I’ve been around this game too long to fall for that. I want to see the work, the development, and the results.
Sue Lashley of Red Bank Catholic is a perfect example of why I watch improvement, not hype.
Sue entered last season considered one of the better incoming players in the Shore Conference. She didn’t see a lot of playing time as a freshman, and plenty of people had excuses. She was playing behind seniors. She needed to wait her turn.
I’m not a big excuse guy. You’re either good enough to contribute or you’re not. Over the years, plenty of freshmen have broken into senior-driven teams and made an impact.
But Sue did have her moments. There was the big steal and basket in a Christmas tournament. Then came the biggest game of the year, when RBC coach Joe Montano trusted her to come off the bench against SJV and knock down some important free throws.
Looking back, those moments may have offered a glimpse of what Sue could become.
That future is looking a whole lot brighter these days.
Sue Lashley has been one of the most improved players I’ve watched this fall. She has taken weaknesses and turned them into legitimate strengths.
Coming into the fall, she was an inconsistent three-point shooter. Today, she looks like a completely different player from beyond the arc. Her shot selection has improved, her mechanics look better, and if you leave her open, she can make you pay.
Then there’s her ability to attack the basket. Sue has always had the explosiveness, but now she’s finishing. She’s learning to play off two feet, making better decisions, and using her athleticism more effectively. When she gets fouled, she walks to the free-throw line with the confidence of someone who expects to make both.
The improvement has been spectacular.
And that’s before we get to the parts of her game that should have college coaches paying attention.
Sue is the best rebounder in traffic in the Shore Conference. This not up for debate, it is a fact! That’s not a small accomplishment. She also has the versatility to play all five positions, from point guard to center.
But here’s what makes her especially rare: she has the potential to guard all five positions, too.
Find me another player in New Jersey who can legitimately do that, regardless of class. That kind of versatility is a coach’s dream.
I believe Sue Lashley has the tools to become an elite two-way player at the next level. Her athleticism has already caught people’s attention, but there’s more to her game now than many may realize.
The improved shooting. The better shot selection. The growth in her decision-making. The reduction in turnovers. These are the details that separate a good athlete from a complete basketball player.
And I believe some college coaches have yet to see the full picture. Sue played for the Philly Rise 9th grade team last summer. She was not one of the featured players. Sometimes kids believe a name or brand name gives them validation vs performance. Sue did not get to be crowned this past summer. It was a good lesson for her. These days she is playing like she deserves a crown. These days Sue is not taking a backseat to anyone. Rather than hype, she is getting it done week after week. If you were to ask me who is the MVP of the HOOP GROUP FALL LEAGUE. My vote goes to SUE LASHLEY!
When the high school season begins, coaches will have an opportunity to see just how much Sue has developed. As I have told coaches she is maturing. She is evolving and more than anything else she is emerging in a major way. SUE is stepping into the light. Not because she is supposed to be good. Not because someone said she is good. She is in the light because she is good and working towards greatness.
Of course, improvement is never a finished product.
Will Sue continue to work? Will she watch film and learn from her mistakes? Will she develop the daily habits that separate good players from great ones? Will she become the kind of teammate who brings everyone into the tent and makes the people around her better?
Only Sue, her coaches, and her trainers know those answers.
But I do know this: the opportunity for greatness is there because the tools are already in her bag.
Now it’s about continuing to develop them, one day at a time.
I believe Sue Lashley has a tremendous future ahead of her. I expect her to be a Division I prospect, and I believe her continued development could make her a special two-way player.
Remember, I don’t buy hype. I buy improvement.
And right now, Sue Lashley is giving me plenty of reasons to believe.
TRUTH STARTS HERE.
