As Leilani
McIntosh gains maturity, so does the Xavier Prep basketball team.
It seems
that most everything about the junior point guard’s game has picked up, and it
is showing in the Gators’ record. They are 8-3 entering the (Mesa) Red Mountain
invitational tournament that begins on Thursday (Dec. 28) and runs through
Saturday (Dec. 30).
Xavier will
play two games on the first day, against St. Joseph (Lakewood, Calif.) at 2:30
p.m. and Vail Cienega at 5:30. The Gators also will face Mesa Skyline on Friday
at 3:30 p.m. and host Red Mountain on Saturday at 5:30 p.m.
Opponents
know that the 5-foot-6 McIntosh will be bringing the ball down the floor most
of the time, but she has improved in other aspects such as defense, rebounding
and shooting.
“Some days,
your shot is not falling but you can make up for it in a lot of other ways,’’
she said.
McIntosh is
averaging 11.4 points per game, second on the team behind senior forward
Montana Oltrogge’s 19.2. McIntosh also averages six assists and 3.9 rebounds.
And Xavier has pressured opponents relentlessly on defense, with an average of
23.4 steals for the team. McIntosh is at the top of those charts with an
average of 7.4.
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Xavier point guard Leilani McIntosh looks forward to a big second half of the basketball season. (Xavier photo).
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“When you
steal the ball like that, it can help the offense get going, too,’’ she said.
Xavier
struggled a bit in the early going, finishing 2-3 in the (Gilbert) Highland
tournament, but has won six in a row since.
“If you are
going to have that happen, it’s better that you do it early than late,’’
McIntosh said. “We’re meshing together now. Everything is flowing together
slowly. We are getting there.’’
She first
had the basketball in her hands on a regular basis at around the age of 6. She
played on a youth team with Oltrogge and another future Xavier teammate, Paris
Moore.
As she got
older and a decision approached about which high school to attend, Oltrogge
offered McIntosh a suggestion.
“She knew
that I was looking around for a school and she just said, “If you’re
interested, come on over and take the (entrance) test.’ I got in and so did
Paris and it has been great,’’ McIntosh said.
The tougher
opponents “make you better, and you need to build off of that pressure,’’ she
said.
Some of her
biggest improvement has come at reading defenses and setting up her teammates
with passes.
“When you make
a nice pass, I think it helps to hype the team up,’’ McIntosh said. “I think
what also helps me is that I have pretty good peripheral vision. The vision
also helps on defense. You want to pressure the other team, be destructive on
defense.’’
Although she
won’t be a senior until next year, McIntosh is beginning to draw attention from
colleges. The two most notable are Cal State-Fullerton and San Diego State.
“But I’m
waiting (to make a commitment). It’s still early,’’ she said.
McIntosh
leans on the experience of and advice from Xavier coach Jennifer Gillom, who
has excelled at every level, college, Olympics and professional.
“She tells
me that, “There might be a few coaches coming to see you,’ ’’ McIntosh said.
“Having her
as a coach is great. She doesn’t take anything (from players or others), tries
to teach good discipline. She stands up for herself and we know she will stand
up for us. You can’t argue with an Olympian. You are listening to a legend. She
is really smart, too.’’
McIntosh
also has an interesting first name. Leilani is not something you hear every
day, especially in the desert. It conjures up a scene somewhere on a tropical
island. In this case, the last part has some truth to it.
“I was the
first (born) and my mom wasn’t sure what to name me. So it was basically my
aunt who decided. We have some family in Hawaii and have gone over there a few
times, so that is where it came from,’’ said McIntosh, who also goes by the
simpler, shorter version of “Lei.’’