Sophomore guard Mikala Amegasse recognizes that her main contribution comes on the defensive end for Hampshire. She doesn’t normally get to fill up the scoring column.
It also makes perfect sense for the Whip-Purs, who have a starting lineup filled with a bevy of veteran scorers in Avery Cartee, Ashley Herzing, Whitney Thompson and Chloe Van Horn.
When Amegasse does get going offensively, though, it makes her team even more dangerous.
“If I can step up and do something on offense, it contributes to what we can achieve,” Amegasse said. “People know Ashley and Whitney are shooters. They know Avery is a threat. They know Chloe can go downhill.
“I’m just trying to do whatever I can and fill in the empty spaces.”
Amegasse was in the middle of Hampshire’s comeback in the fourth quarter Wednesday night.
She hit a 3-pointer early in the fourth to give the Whip-Purs their first lead since early in the third, then calmly hit a pair of free throws as they pulled away for a 58-50 Fox Valley Conference win.
Herzing scored a game-high 16 points for Hampshire (19-11, 12-3). Amegasse added 14 points and Cartee and Thompson each had nine.
Emma Payton led Burlington Central (13-14, 9-8) with 12 points and 14 rebounds. Audrey LaFleur scored 12 points, followed by Emersyn Fry with 11 and Kenzie Andersen with 10.
Just last week, Hampshire coach Eric Samuelson talked to his players. He went around the room asking what each felt they brought to the team. Amegasse was one of the first to speak up.
“She’s only a sophomore and she stepped up and said, ‘I have to stop turning the ball over and I need to take smarter shots,’” Samuelson said. “She hit some huge threes, but they were step-in threes. They were in the flow of the offense.
“As far as taking care of the basketball, I though she did a great job with that.”
The Rockets led 46-41 going into the fourth, but Thompson and Amegasse opened the quarter by hitting 3-pointers to give the Whip-Purs a 47-46 lead.
After a free throw forced a tie, Thompson hit another three and Hampshire never trailed again. It also started a 15-1 spurt that put the game away.
Amegasse shot 4 of 8 from the field and 4 of 4 from the free-throw line. She finished with four steals and three rebounds.
“I’m willing to do what I can in any way I can,” Amegasse said. “However I can help my team, I want to do that. I feel like it’s a process and I’m continually getting better.
“I hope that I’ve grown this season. I guess that shows a little bit.”
The Rockets, meanwhile, produced a 9-0 run early in the first quarter and held the lead for the majority of the game until Thompson’s 3-pointer in the fourth.
“It helps when you’re knocking down outside shots,” Burlington Central coach Mike Carani said. “That gives you quite a few different options.”
After Hampshire finally wrestled the lead away in the fourth, though, things changed.
“We were chasing and trying to do things that took us out of what we were doing the first three quarters,” Carani said. “We’re starting to put it together for almost a complete game.
“If we can go a full four quarters, there’s no reason we can’t compete with this level of team.”
Amegasse hitting her stride, however, is a big development for Hampshire. She credited her veteran teammates for helping bring her along.
“It’s really inspiring,” Amegasse said. “They have a great work ethic. They’re great leaders. I want to be like them one day. I’m going to miss them next year, but they’ve given me amazing things.”
Paul Johnson is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.
