The relentless energy and frenetic pace that senior guard Arie Garcia-Evans plays with for Waubonsie Valley has been on display during all four of her varsity seasons.
It’s something the Warriors always can rely on.
This winter, however, the difference for Garcia-Evans has been how she has also developed into a reliable shooter from 3-point range — making her a three-level scoring threat.
“I would say a lot of it came from AAU,” Garcia-Evans said. “I tried to shoot a lot more out of my comfort zone, longer shots. I’m a shorter guard, so I need that shot.”
So far, the 5-foot-5 Garcia-Evans is third on the team for red-hot Waubonsie (15-0) with 32 conversions on 3-pointers. She’s shooting at 46% (32 of 70) from beyond the arc.
That has not only opened up her game further but provides more opportunities for all-state senior guard Danyella Mporokoso and junior guard Maya Pereda, the team’s leading 3-point shooters.
“She’s been a little bit more consistent with her shot,” Waubonsie coach Brett Love said of Garcia-Evans. “She’s continuing to be aggressive and rebounding. Her ball-handling has gotten better.
“In order for her to play at the next level, she has to be a knockdown shooter. That’s something we need here, too. It’s something we push and emphasize, not only in practice but in games.”
Mporokoso has somehow found another gear this season as well, averaging 27.7 points. A big part of her uptick in production is the improved offensive versatility from Garcia-Evans.
“I can kick the ball out and always trust that she’s going to hit her shots,” Mporokoso said. “It’s really nice. When I looked at our percentages, I was super happy. That’s so crazy.
“We know the impact she has on the team, but the stats show it, too.”
Garcia-Evans also sees the difference her outside shooting has had in her game.
Her numbers have improved across the board. She’s averaging 12.0 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.3 steals, all ranking second on the team. She’s averaging a team-best 6.0 assists.
“It’s definitely helped because, if I’m not getting the drives I want, I can get a shot,” Garcia-Evans said. “The lane becomes more open. It makes me more of a three-dimensional player.
“It just makes it easier for me.”
The shooting improvement has been gradual through the years before she really started to kick it into high gear for this season.
“It was a long time coming,” Garcia-Evans said. “Ever since freshman year, it was all about focus. I have to lock in. I’ve been more focused on it than ever. It’s shocking me a little bit, too.”
It also will help in her quest to find a college home. Garcia-Evans spends a lot of time working social media to get her highlights and information out there.
“It’s always been me and my mom,” Garcia-Evans said. “She’s always helped me with that. I’ve been talking to coaches and trying to narrow down where I want to go.
“I don’t get frustrated about it. I just play my game and it will come to me.”
The pinnacle of her success came in the Warriors’ 72-47 win on Dec. 13 at reigning Class 4A state champion Kenwood. She made five straight 3-pointers at one point in that game.
“That’s impressive,” Love said. “That was a game we wanted. It was personal for us. We went there and took care of business.”
Garcia-Evans confirmed that win showed where the Warriors are at in terms of their goal of winning a state title.
“That game was a statement for us,” she said. “We were all locked in.”
It has been one of many things Garcia-Evans and the Warriors have checked off their list.
“We always set goals at the beginning of the season,” she said. “To see them happen is awesome. We want to go undefeated and win state.”
Paul Johnson is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.
