John Raffel
Sports Scene
Scout Nelson and her brother are having successful athletic careers at Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart and the Fighting
Irish are reaping the rewards.
They are two of three triplets and are in their junior season of basketball
Scout was third last fall in the Division 4 state cross country meet for the state championship Irish team.
Damon Brown coaches Scout on the girls team. She’s been a two-time all-stater.
“She’s been a three-year starter for me at point guard,” Brown said. “She has been on state contending teams for
three years and is a pretty well-rounded athlete. She’s grown tremendously each year in her knowledge of the game
of basketball. She is probably averaging 13 points, six assists and five steals a game. She’s a very efficient point
guard for us. She does a lot of good things for us on both ends of the floor.
“She came as a starting freshman for us and hasn’t given up the job yet. She’s improved a lot from last year. Her
point totals are a little down but her assists and rebounding are up. She’s taken the approach of being a more well-
rounded player. She’s getting her teammates involved and making sure the team is successful and knowing she can
get her points in other ways.”
Nelson makes her mark in big games, Brown has observed.
“We played Grand Rapids West Catholic and she had 18 points, seven rebounds and nine steals,” Brown said.
“She’s a big-game player. When the game is big is when she shows up.”
Colten Nelson “is a heckuva player” for the boys team, Brown said. “He’s probably one of the best players in the
area as far as boys goes. He’s been leading the team in scoring the last two years. He can shoot the ball and run the
floor. They’re very athletic. They’re always competing with each other. The other triplet (Chase) doesn’t play
(basketball) but they always compete.
“Growing up, Sout played baseball she didn’t play softball. She played all the boys sports. That’s why she’s been so
tough.”
Chase Nelson does run cross country and was 31st at the 2017 state finals.
Brown see similarities in Scout’s and Chase’s basketball styles.
“They both have a strong basketball IQ,” Brown said. “They loved contact. They’re both very aggressive. They
both like to compete. They’re always challenging each other which is good for both teams. Scott, from a girls
standpoint doesn’t back down from anybody. She’s very aggressive and rather physical. She’s tall for a point guard,
5-8. They’re twins and very similar in how they approach and play the game.”
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