Christy making her mark
STAMFORD — She can succeed with creativity. She blossoms with speed. She can thrive with smarts. She can prosper on exacting technique.
At any moment, Alonna Christy can be a magician on the basketball court.
The 5-foot-5 senior guard has enthralled King School girls basketball fans for four seasons.
And Christy’s Vikings’ legacy will be etched forever on the wall of the King gym.
Christy has used all her talents to become the seventh King School girls basketball player to join the Vikings’ 1,000 career-point club.
Former St. John’s basketball standout Briana Brown stands alone as King’s only 2,000 career-point scorer, amassing 2,203 points before graduating in 2010.
Natalie Wind (1,000th point: Dec. 18, 2015), Tatiana Brown (1,000th point: Jan. 8, 2013), Domonique Carter-Stanley (1,000th point: Jan. 19, 2013), Keri DeMar (1000th point: Feb. 16, 2006) and Ashley Gray (1,000 point: in 2003) were joined by Christy back on December 7 against Harvey School.
“It took a while to sink in. Now that I’ve had some time to think about it, it feels very special,” Christy said. “To be one of only seven girls with 1,000 points, shows that I’ve made my mark here at King. It’s a very hard goal to achieve.”
After scoring a gamehigh 30 points in last Tuesday’s 65-45 loss to Hamden Hall, Christy now has 1,107 points in her King girls basketball career.
Every Fairchester Athletic Association and nonleague contest, Christy battles among the giants on the court.
She is King’s point guard and scoring guard all rolled into one. She is the ballhandler breaking the opposition’s press. She is the general that gets King into its halfcourt offense against the enemy of the 30-second shot clock. She is often the rebounder, especially on long caroms off missed 3-pointers.
She is the leading scorer for King (1-5 overall) despite having the giant target on her back.
In four years, she’s gone from the precocious freshman to the senior sage and voice of experience.
“My freshman year felt like it crawled along. Now my time at King feels like a blink of the eye,” Christy said. “I wondered my first day of practice as a freshman if I’d fit in. Now I’m the seasoned veteran helping the other youngsters fit in. I like being accountable and imparting my experience.”
Being a leader. Embracing point-guard duties. Christy’s versatility will be her calling card as she pursues playing women’s college basketball.
That process is ongoing with no definite decision yet. So each game this season is a digital showcase for Christy
Every trip downcourt is a chance for Christy to reach deep into her bag of talents. The biggest key is she plays fearlessly.
She can drive down an open sliver in the lane. She can pull up quickly for a stepback mid-range jumper. She can rise up quickly for an open 3-pointer against a defender playing back to stop drive penetration.
She does not shy away from contact, so she draws fouls. The free-throw line is Christy’s oasis of peace. No obstacles, plenty of time and clear sightlines to the hoop.
Christy was 12 of 12 from the line before just missing her 13th free throw with 21 seconds left last Tuesday against Hamden Hall.
“During the summer, I’d practice basketball three hours almost every morning,” Christy said. “I’d come back later in the afternoon to weight train, get stronger. I worked on all my skills.”
Alonna watched her older sister Aliyah play basketball at King and eventually become a walkon at the University of New Haven. Alonna watched Aliyah fight thru multiple ACL injuries.
That’s when basketball became precious to her.
“In basketball underdogs can always come back. There is always the opportunity for your team to win,” Alonna Christy said. “The key is you have to work hard enough. I’ve always had the collective support of my whole family behind me.”
Christy was fortunate to be coached in her early years at King by former Harding High School, Boston College and 11-year NBA standout John Bagley.
“Coach Bagley taught me how to shoot and how to dribble. To have a former NBA player coach you is a blessing,” Christy said. “He knows so much about the game of basketball. He can impart all the tools and the knowledge necessary to help you become a very good basketball player.”
King’s first-year coach Greg Fleming is very happy to have Christy on his side.
“She is the brains of the operation at both ends of the court. She is the extension of the coach out there,” Fleming said. “She leads by example. And she talks to all the other players with great leadership. I had to play my senior year for a new coach so I know how she feels. To her credit, she has bought into being the foundation of what King girls basketball can become over time. She’s receptive to coaching. We’re trying to expand her mid-range game.”
In the meantime, Christy will continue to do her best to seize the opportunity and seize the moment.
“It would be easy to wish that I was taller,” Christy said. “But I know I have talents other players don’t. I just have to use everything I’ve got to my advantage.”