Highland sophomore Savannah Ballard isn’t always looking to put the ball in someone else’s hands anymore.
That’s just one of the ways the 5-foot-5 guard’s game has evolved since she was given the reins of Highland’s offense over the summer.
“I was looking to pass more to everyone else, for them to take the shots,” Ballard said. “I still do that, but I know when to take my own shots now.”
Ballard found plenty of her own shots over the weekend, helping Highland win its second sectional title in three seasons.
Ballard scored 12 points during the Trojans’ 70-57 win against Bishop Noll in the Class 3A Griffith Sectional semifinals on Friday and then added seven key points during their 45-36 win against East Chicago Central in the championship game one day later.
“We couldn’t have won without her on Friday night,” Highland coach Eric Kundich said. “She played a huge first half for us.”
The Trojans (14-10), who will play Culver Academies (20-5) in the Winamac Regional on Saturday, were led by junior guard Jordan Steele’s 24 points against East Chicago Central. As often happens, the Cardinals’ defense was largely focused on Steele, who is one of the top scorers in the state.
That can give Ballard opportunities for open looks at the basket, and she ignited a brief 5-0 run in the fourth quarter as Highland held off East Chicago Central’s second-half comeback.
“Jordan was getting face-guarded every time down the floor, so Savannah made a few buckets, and they were big buckets,” Kundich said.
Steele expressed confidence in Ballard’s decision-making as a point guard.
“I’m just trying to get open because Savannah will make that pass to me, and when she pushes the ball, that’s very good for us,” Steele said.
Ballard wasn’t quite so confident when Kundich, who is in his first season at Highland after 15 years at East Chicago, told her that she would be the team’s point guard.
“I was a little worried at first because I went a whole year without playing point guard,” Ballard said. “But I’d played point guard every year before that, so I just had to get back into it.”
Ballard said she leaned heavily on her family for support. That included her parents, Kevin and Allencia, and her older sister Sanai, a 2023 Highland graduate who’s averaging 8.3 points for Mount Mary this season. Their support helped Ballard navigate some early growing pains.
Kundich said Ballard’s postseason performances indicate how far she has come.
“She just needed to feel it on the floor,” Kundich said. “She’s a great kid who loves the game of basketball, and she wants to learn. She’s taking care of the basketball a little better now — not turning it over as much, making smarter passes — and she’s looking to knock down some shots too. She’s making the game simpler.”
One teammate who isn’t surprised by Ballard’s progress is freshman guard Addyson Figueroa. Ballard and Figueroa were teammates for several seasons before they reunited on the varsity team.
“I’ve seen it before,” Figueroa said. “Every team I’ve played on with her, she’s always been the point guard. So I’ve always had confidence in her.”
Ballard feels confident too.
“I’ve gotten a lot stronger this year,” she said. “But I just have to keep working hard, keep pushing myself.”
Dave Melton is a freelance reporter.
