At times Thursday in Career's 60-52 overtime win over Hillhouse, Panthers freshman Alyssa Alston's shot selection was questionable and she made some poor decisions defensively before fouling out.
But Alston, a 5-foot-5 point guard, also showed flashes of why she may be the state's top player in three years.
Alston finished with 11 points Thursday (she's averaging 11 ppg this season). She didn't play scared and didn't seem to have any nerves like some freshmen would in a game of that magnitude.
Instead she embraced the big stage. She seems to carry the swagger and confidence that many great players have.
Alston pumped her chest at the Floyd Little Athletic Center crowd after hitting a deep 3-pointer, and wowed them with her speed and quick spin moves to the basket.
With the game tied at 48 in the closing seconds of regulation, in whose hands did coach Kevin Walton have the ball?
Alston. She took the last shot (her drive to the basket was off the mark).
"There's a lot of pressure on that young girl," Walton said. "I think she's handled it well. She's struggled, but she did enough to keep us in the game tonight. You can see her talent. Once she gets comfortable, you're going to see a lot more from her."
A lot can happen in the next three years. And there are other impressive freshmen like Capital Prep's Dejane James and Kiah Gillespie. But it's hard to bet against Alston and her potential.