By Joseph Staszewski
Sierra Calhoun’s dream of playing in the McDonald’s All-American game formed from watching it on television at a young age. The Christ the King senior will now get a chance to be the player others aspire to be.
The Duke-bound guard remembers tuning in to see former UConn star Mya Moore playing in the contest that featured the 24 best players in the country in 2007.
This year when she was eligible to take part in the game, she nervously sat with her family at home in Brooklyn as the group was announced on the selection show Jan. 29. Plenty of hugs ensued when she learned she could put her name alongside Moore and eight other Christ the King greats.
“I just feel blessed to be … with all those other names that got chosen,” Calhoun said.
Royals teammate Deja Johnson was one of a few people she texted to tell her the news. Johnson said Calhoun didn’t talk much about wanting to play in the game, but you could tell it meant a lot to her.
“I was more happy than her,” Johnson said. “I’ve seen her work hard since freshman year, so I was just happy that she got what she wanted.”
Calhoun joins Royals alumni Sue Bird, Chamique Holdsclaw, Shay Doran, Carrem Gay, Tina Charles, Lorin Dixon and Bria Smith as McDonald’s All-Americans Nazareth’s Bianca Cuevas will join her in the contest that will be televised nationally on ESPN April 2 from the United Center in Chicago. It marks the first time two CHSAA Brooklyn/Queens players were selected to play in the same year. Calhoun has been a stellar representative of the league and her school.
“Every positive quality you could want in a person, your own child, this young lady has,” Christ the King Principal Peter Mannarino said.
Calhoun, the sister of former CK star Omar Calhoun, was much ballyhooed entering high school. She played varsity as a freshmen and led the Royals to the diocesan title as sophomore. There as been a maturity to her and her game.
Calhoun is a stronger leader and more complete player now. She scores when needed, rebounds, defends and makes her teammates around her better. The Royals have just three losses and are in first place in their division.
“She’s taken her game up a notch and really gotten very comfortable with her abilities,” CK Coach Bob Mackey said. “I think last year she was pressing and pressing and trying to do so many things. This year I think she is relaxed. She’s feeling confident in her teammates and they’re doing so many good things to help her along.”
Siena-bound forward Kollyns Scarbrough said she couldn’t imagine playing with the pressure Calhoun has been under during her career. Calhoun talked about how her parents’ support and watching her brother deal with the spotlight helped her. She also learned from being Smith and Nia Oden’s teammate as a freshman. She saw what it took to lead not only in games, but also at practice.
“It’s something to see how hard they worked,” Calhoun said. “As a freshman it opened my eyes to how hard you have to work to get to where they were.”
And to where she is now.
