Makayla Andrews Emerging As Next Shore Conference Girls Basketball Star By Pat Ralph

 For sophomore forward Makayla Andrews, that means being a great scorer. As a second-year starter for the Scarlet Fliers, Andrews is averaging 20.5 points per game and becoming one of the next girls basketball stars in the Shore Conference.  

 As a freshman, Andrews averaged only seven points per game on a veteran Neptune squad. According to Brown, Andrews’ break-out moment as a freshman was when she scored 14 points in the state group semifinals to help Neptune defeat Allentown, 69-61. It was then that Brown knew Andrews was ready to take the reins of the program. Because Andrews would be the only returning starter, Brown says that Andrews knew the responsibility to lead the team would fall on her. “We lost six seniors and she was going to be the only returning starter so she had to be the leader for us this year,” Brown said. 

 While Andrews’ offensive explosion this year can be pointed directly to an increased opportunity to score and have the ball in her hands, Brown says that Andrews’ preparation and work in the off-season was the key to helping her lead the Scarlet Fliers to a 13-11 record. Along with her points per game average jump, Andrews has also become a more efficient scorer this season. Last year, Andrews connected on a third of her field goal attempts. This season, that number is up to 43 percent. Andrews has scored in double figures in every game this season for Neptune, including a career-high 40-point performance in a 59-53 win over Manalapan on Jan. 9.  

 But Andrews is not just a great scorer; she is a great rebounder too. In her freshman year, she averaged seven rebounds per game. This season, Andrews is grabbing 12 rebounds per game and has posted 17 double-doubles. 

 What may be most impressive about Andrews is her ability to score in the paint, draw contact, and get to the free-throw line. After shooting 33 percent on two-point field goals last season, Andrews is now shooting 44 percent from inside the perimeter. In Neptune’s 46-39 victory over Long Branch on Feb. 21, 20 of Andrews’ 24 points came from inside the perimeter. Over a third of her points this season have come at the free-throw line. This all comes at a time in the sport when players and teams are taking less 2-pointers and shooting more 3-pointers. 

 “Her toughness and ability to score around the basket are so impressive,” Brown said. “She’s a physical player and a great rebounder.” 

 Going forward into her junior year next season, Brown says that Andrews needs to work on her mid-range and 3-point shooting. This year, Andrews is shooting only 26 percent from three. Developing that aspect of her game will make her a more effective offensive player, Brown says. 

 “It’s going to make it harder to defend her,” Brown said. “If she works on those things, she’s only going to get better.” 

 That is a pretty scary reality for Shore Conference teams tasked with trying to slow down Makayla Andrews next season.