Scott Keyes
Sports Scene
Goodrich’s Taylor Gleason is showing her versatility this season for the Martians, last season’s Class B state champions.
Because of a slew of injuries plaguing the Goodrich team this season, head coach Jason Gray has been forced to play Gleason at all five positions on the court, and his star player has attained new heights this season.
Gleason, who is headed to the University of Illinois in the fall, was supposed to team with fellow backcourt mate Aketra Sevillian and sophomore Tania Davis to form one of the deepest, not to mention one of the most talented, teams in the state this season.
However Sevillian, a Penn State University commit, tore her ACL in a scrimmage before the start of the season and forced Gray’s hand before the start of the year.
With Sevillian gone for the year, coupled with the graduation of Frankie Joubran, Morgan Addy, and Destiny Stephens from last year’s 28-0 team, the Martians were left searching for able bodies to help with the untimely injuries.
Gray was hoping that Sevillian’s younger sister, Alexis, a freshman, would come in and contribute right away. She did that, until she broke her knee cap in three places. No time table is set for her return.
Those were the two biggest injuries, but even with those and a few other setbacks along the way, the team still has managed a 12-1 record as of press time.
“It has been rough around here with the injury bug, but this team has fought through adversity,” Gray said. “Losing KeKe has been rough, but she remains a true spirit to the team and the girls have rallied around her. Let me just say in KeKe’s absence, Taylor has picked up the slack and has been tremendous.”
Averaging nearly 19 points, five assists, and three steals a game this season, Gleason has put her team on her back and is determined to get the Martians back to the Breslin Center for the third straight season.
Winning it all last season was extra special, but Gleason said that with everything the team has gone through this season, making it all the way to the state final would be just icing on the cake.
“KeKe and I fed off one another over the past few seasons, and not seeing her out there has been a little weird, but she is still at every game cheering us on and supporting the team just like if she was on the court. Her knee injury was devastating to say the least, but KeKe will bounce back and be ready to play in college.”
Sevillian had committed to Penn State prior to the start of last season, in which she averaged 13.5 points per game in what were usually limited minutes due to Goodrich being far ahead in most its games. Her college decision never wavered over the past two seasons.
“When I hurt my knee, my Penn State coach traveled to Michigan to check up on me and gave me a lot of encouragement to help me get through the injury. Once I can start rehabbing my knee, I will continue only to get better. I’m excited and honored to have an opportunity to play at Penn State.”
In spite of everything, Sevillan is still smiling. “It’s unfortunate, but it’s only going to make me stronger, and I’ve just got to do my best to still be a leader. I’m still around, and I’m still going to be pushing and rooting for these girls the rest of the year.”
Gleason was initially committed to the University of Michigan, but a coaching change in Ann Arbor caused her to revisit her options.
“With the coaching changes that happened at Michigan, I didn’t really know the new coaches that well,” Gleason said. “They wanted to see me play in person first and I didn’t want to wait around too long. One of the assistant coaches [Tianna Kirkland] who recruited me at Michigan is now at Illinois, so that’s how they got to know me. I just felt really comfortable there.”
Last year, Gleason averaged just over 10 points and four assists per game and was also one of the Martians’ top defenders and rebounders. Gleason and Sevillian were both first-team All-State selections as juniors.
Gleason has shown she can carry the team this season, along with Davis at point guard.
After losing its only game of the season to Twinsburg, Ohio, 62-48 during the Motor City Round Ball Classic, the Martians ran off seven consecutive wins prior to their Class B showdown with Freeland February 2.
During that stretch of games, Gleason averaged close to 24 points a contest, including a 33-point effort against Lake Fenton and a 24-point, 16 rebound night against Mt. Morris.
But the defining moment of the Goodrich season thus far was its 58-57 win over Class A foe East Lansing, a day before the Twinsburg loss. Jessica Ashby hit a 3-pointer from the corner at the buzzer to give Goodrich the win.
In that win, Gleason scored 18 points. She passed the 1,000-point mark for her career early in the third quarter.
“That win was a big one for us,” Gleason said. “Freeland is going to be tough and everyone has circled that game since the season started. I have never played against Freeland and Tori [Jankoska.] It should be a great game.”
Goodrich and Freeland won’t face each other again this season unless both teams make it all the way to the Class B state finals. It’s not too far-fetched to say that it could happen, with Jankoska and Gleason leading their respective teams.