EVA MAZUR, Sophomore—Basketball

• SMAA All-Defensive team

It’s usually the top scorers that garner all the attention, but Mazur’s unrivaled defensive brilliance and intangibles earned the praise of her coach and helped McAuley post another strong record this winter.

Mazur grew up in South Portland and tried other sports, but basketball has long been her favorite and it didn’t take very long for her to make a mark as a freshman. She immediately played well beyond her years, forcing turnovers, grabbing rebounds and providing a spark for the state’s flagship girls’ program. Mazur led the league in steals (4.0 per game) and was ninth in assists (3.0) and made the SMAA All-Rookie team as the Lions reached the regional final.

Mazur started the 2015-16 season with just two points in a win over South Portland, but she had six steals, five rebounds and three assists. She had 12 points in a win at Noble, six points, eight steals, seven rebounds and three assists in a victory over Thornton Academy, produced a double-double (13 points and 10 rebounds) in a come-from-behind win at Cheverus, eight steals in a loss at South Portland, eight points, five steals, three assists and three rebounds in a win over Massabesic, seven points, 10 rebounds, eight steals and five assists in a victory at Deering and six points, seven boards and a pair of steals in a regular season-ending home win over Cheverus.

The Lions lost to South Portland in an overtime heartbreaker in the Class AA South semifinals, but Mazur had eight points, six rebounds and five steals.

For the season, Mazur again led the SMAA in steals (6.2 per contest), averaged nearly six rebounds per game, was second in the league with 3.8 assists per contest and made 80 percent of her free throws, tying for third in the league.

“It was a really exciting season,” Mazur said. “I was more confident as a sophomore. I love to steal the ball and make something happen. I’ve never really been an offensive player. I like to be out there and dive for loose balls. I give my all. I just like the competition and the atmosphere of playing at McAuley.”

Mazur also plays AAU ball with the Firecrackers program and hopes to play in college.

First, she’ll continue to turn heads for the Lions for two more seasons. Eva Mazur, McAuley’s Winter Athlete of the Year, has gone to show that basketball is much more than scoring. Stellar defense can make quite an impact as well.

Coach Billy Goodman comment: “Eva’s naturally an amazing player. She filled the stat sheet. We needed her on the floor. She gave me everything she’s got. She works hard. I’ve coached a lot of good defensive players and I have to say that she’s the best. I’ve never seen anyone steal the ball so many times in a row like she does. I’m lucky to coach her.”

Previous winners:

2014-15 Ana Neff-Jendrasko (swimming)

2013-14 Allie Clement (basketball)

2012-13 Allie Clement (basketball)

2011-12 Alexa Coulombe (basketball)

2010-11 Rebecca Knight (basketball)

2009-10 Alexa Coulombe (basketball)

2008-09 Kristen Desrosiers (swimming)

2007-08 Kristen Desrosiers (swimming)

2006-07 Abby Wentworth (basketball)

2005-06 Ashley Cimino (basketball)

2004-05 Tara Beaulieu (basketball)

2003-04 Katie Donnelly (track)

Sports Editor Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net. Follow him on Twitter:@foresports.

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