Prospect Spotlight: Ella Beth (2021)
Fort Scott rising junior guard Ella Beth is coming off a strong sophomore campaign is looking forward to a big season in 2019-20. At 5’5, she says she doesn’t model her game after any player in particular but prefers an…
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Continue ReadingFort Scott rising junior guard Ella Beth is coming off a strong sophomore campaign is looking forward to a big season in 2019-20.
At 5’5, she says she doesn’t model her game after any player in particular but prefers an up-tempo style of play and works hard at both ends of the floor. She enjoys watching Steph Curry, Dame Lillard, Elena Dell Donne, Maya Moore and Skyelar Diggins play, among others.
“I am very competitive and I don’t like to lose,” she said. “As a point guard, I want to push the ball and get my teammates involved first and try to set the tone that way, but if I need to, I will look to be more aggressive offensively looking for my shot in order to get our team going. I will do whatever my team needs me to do for us to be successful.”
A year ago, Fort Scott lost in the Class 4A playoffs to eventual state champion Bishop Meige. Fort Scott was hit with several key injuries before the beginning of the season, forcing the team to look to others to step up their game. Beth was a first-team All-SEK selection and honorable mention all-state after averaging 13 points, two assists and three rebounds.
“I felt our team still came to practice with a positive attitude and a mindset to work hard and get better every day,” Beth said. “Our overall record might not have shown it, but we improved a ton over the course of the season. Which I hope will be a springboard for us as we start this new season because we have several girls back who contributed at various times last season.’
Beth spent the offseason running with Wheat State Elite and said the experience helped her game grow as she enters her junior season.
“I played against some really good competition that helped me to see where I can improve in my own game and I was coached by some really great people that taught me new moves or drills that I can translate into this coming season,” she said.
Beth says her expectations at Fort Scott are high this season, both for her team and for herself as a player.
“I think I have grown as a player,” she says. “I gained a lot of valuable experience last year starting varsity as a sophomore. Ultimately, I want to be the best teammate I can be and fill whatever role my coach needs (scoring, rebounding, passing, defense) for our team to be successful. In addition to that, we have our normal team goals we set at the beginning of each season. Our league (SEK) is very competitive. We want to go into this season being competitive and representing our school and community to the best of our ability.”
A fan of basketball at all levels, Beth says she enjoys attending local college games, including JUCO and Division II games or watching Kansas play on TV.
“I just enjoy watching and learning about basketball,” she said. “If you are not trying to improve, someone else is.”
Beth says her goal is to play college basketball and her recruitment is wide open.
“I have had some coaches show interest on all levels (JUCO, D2, NAIA),” she said. “In a perfect world, I would love to play in the MIAA since those are teams, I grew up watching. But in the end, the overall goal is to have an opportunity to play college ball at any level and hopefully get my schooling paid for.”