Metea Valley’s Payton Giannone looks like a point guard from central casting.
Her fluid athleticism, crisp passing and ability to make good decisions under pressure are all hallmarks of a veteran leader, which makes what she is doing this season all the more impressive considering she’s only a freshman.
“The kid is pretty incredible,” Metea Valley coach Nate Gehrt said. “She’s got a lot of moxie to her, and for a freshman she’s pretty heady, and she’s so super coachable.
“She’s just overall a great kid in general, and then you add the athleticism to it — she can shoot the ball, she drives well, she makes good decisions in the lane for the most part.”
Giannone is averaging a team-high 8.5 points to go with 2.2 assists, 2.0 rebounds and 1.5 steals for the Mustangs (5-16), who are attempting to emerge from a years-long funk during which they have won just 21 games in four seasons.
Giannone’s efforts are beginning to pay dividends. Through Wednesday, the Mustangs had equaled their victory total from last season and have been especially competitive lately. They held a second-half lead in each of their past four losses, all against teams with winning records.
“They’ve all handled (the pressure) pretty well, and they’ve started to see themselves grow competitively, but (Giannone) in particular handles everything well,” Gehrt said. “She’s just way mature for her age, wise beyond her years, so she’s a nice building piece.”
But Giannone, who also plays volleyball and soccer, said she wasn’t always so composed under pressure.
“I used to not enjoy the pressure because it would get to me,” she said. “But I think I’ve grown, especially this season, being able to handle it and kind of just knowing that I need to buckle down.
“I know what I need to do so that I don’t make mistakes in those situations. These types of high-intensity situations happen so often that I get used to it.”
The Mustangs faced another such situation against visiting Glenbard East on Tuesday. The Rams jumped out to a 9-0 lead, but Giannone came up with back-to-back steals, both of which she converted into layups.
Metea Valley gradually clawed back and took its first lead, 25-24, in the third quarter. The Mustangs led by as many as four points in the fourth quarter and took their last lead, 36-34, when Giannone scored on a drive with 3:50 remaining. The Rams then scored the last seven points to eke out a 41-36 win.
The loss to Glenbard East (14-11) did nothing to faze Giannone, who finished with 10 points, a game-high seven steals, four rebounds and two assists. Senior forward Sreehitha Duggirala, a four-year varsity player, has been impressed with Giannone’s play.
“It’s really hard as a freshman coming on a varsity team,” Duggirala said. “I know from experience.
“She’s constantly showing leadership on the court offensively and defensively, so it’s great to see such a young girl step up these past few games, and the fact that she’s excelling in three sports is amazing to watch.”
Giannone, who was a setter on Metea Valley’s freshman volleyball team and plays midfielder in soccer, said she gets her athleticism from her mother Tonya, who was a center on Missouri State’s 1992 Final Four team and was inducted into the university’s Athletics Hall of Fame in 2007.
But Giannone’s high school basketball education comes from her coaches and teammates.
“I was super excited to come on this team, especially with a lot of upperclassmen,” she said. “I was so excited to learn from them and kind of grow in the environment because I know a lot of them have a lot of knowledge and they can pass it down and help me grow, especially as a freshman.”
Duggirala said Giannone’s enthusiasm and positivity have helped the Mustangs tremendously. They are turning games that would have been blowout losses a year ago into competitive contests and occasional victories.
“I think it’s super contagious, the way she handles herself,” Duggirala said. “Even if it’s a mistake or a turnover, I feel like her mentality is just pick herself back up without anyone having to tell her.
“That is huge for a freshman like herself. It helps the team out a lot.”
Matt Le Cren is a freelance reporter.
