For a couple of seasons, Mt. Pleasant girls basketball player Abbey Way has been impressing coaches and fans with her prolific offense and solid defense.
On Jan. 26, her hard work landed her on an exclusive list. The junior point guard scored her 1,000th career point, making her only the fourth Lady Vikings player to accomplish the feat.
"I wasn't really thinking about it," she said. "I didn't want it to bother me. I figured the points would come."
But Abbey Way admitted to a having few jitters as the milestone got closer, particularly just before the scheduled Jan. 25 game at Ringgold, in which she would need only seven points to reach the mark. To make the jitters worse, the game was postponed because of bad weather, making her wait an extra day.
"I was really nervous for the Ringgold game, because it was a big game and I was expecting to get my 1,000 points," she said.
Way did get her points, but the Lady Vikings lost the game. However, Mt. Pleasant is still in contention for a playoff spot, and coach Scott Giacobbi said Abbey Way has played a huge role in getting the team this far.
"All the superlatives you can say about a kid, you can apply to her," Giacobbi said. "She does make everything go offensively. As a payer, not only is she an individual standout, but she makes everyone on the team better. She'll put the defense in position to give other players opportunities just by her agility, her quickness, her sense of the game and her scoring mentality."
As if that weren't enough, the Lady Vikings also have another talented Way on the team -- Abbey's younger sister Shelby, a shooting guard who is starting as a freshman.
"It's a nice chemistry between the two. There's no sisterly rivalry there," Giacobbi said. "They don't bicker or anything like that. They're each other's best buddy on the floor. They're different players, but that's not to say Shelby is not as capable a player as Abbey is. This year, (Shelby) is a shooting guard for us. That's a spot she'll be working to maintain."
Shelby Way said she was a little worried about making the transition to a varsity program this year, but she has adjusted well, even though she has moved from her usual position of point guard.
"I was really nervous about it at the beginning of the season, because it's a huge step from junior high to starting varsity," she said. "But I've played other places, so I had experience."
Both sisters play AAU basketball, but for now, they are focused on helping Mt. Pleasant reach the postseason.
And Abbey Way wants her Lady Vikings teammates to know she appreciates them.
"I want to thank the team for my 1,000 points," she said. "I wouldn't have been able to do it if it weren't for my team."
