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“I don’t know how many times a day I tell some of our younger girls, ‘watch how she goes and rebounds’ or ‘watch how she does this,'” said West Plains girls basketball coach Scott Womack.
If you don’t know Ashton Judd you must never have played against her.
“I know other teams probably struggle trying to figure out who they want to put on her,” Womack said.
The 6-foot guard on West Plains’ roster averages 18 points and 11 rebounds a game.
“She can score from the peremiter, she can score from the inside. And like I said, if you don’t have a big one on her she’s going to get rebounds,” Womack said, “She’s a tough matchup all the way around and so I’m just glad she’s on our side.”
Ashton has waited for her time to make an impact, after an injury sidelined her most of her freshman year, and as a sophomore she was behind a starting lineup of All-Conference upperclassmen. But this year is different.
“This year we just have two older girls that start, so I knew I had to step up and be one of those leaders that we needed,” said Judd.
A leader for her team, making a difference on the floor.
“The rebound the other day in overtime, a freethrow rebound was probably the difference in the game. You don’t get those very often, but she fought for it and got it and went to the freethrow line and knocked down the freethrow we needed to win that game,” said Womack.
That game was the White Division Championship in the Pink and White Lady Classic. Ashton led the game with 26 points, and set a program record with 23 rebounds.
“I was pretty excited. I was a bit shocked, I didn’t think I could have that many rebounds,” Judd said.
As Ashton continues to improve, so does the team. And her goals for the year all involve group success over her own.
“We’re pretty young, but I think we’re the best we’ve ever been, and I think we can do big things if we keep playing like we are,” Judd said. “I’d like to see our team win districts and of course go to State, and hopefully have a shot at winning that.”
