Half of Providence Grove's girls basketball team are freshmen and they're already winning

CLIMAX — Every once in a while, a freshman basketball player will step on a varsity court and contribute to the success of the team. But very seldom does a team need freshmen players to not only adjust to the speed and physicality of the varsity game, but contribute in every phase of the game for an entire season.

The Providence Grove High School varsity girls basketball team have been that exception this year as five of the nine players on the Patriots’ roster are freshmen.

“I was really excited,” PG girls basketball coach Steve Cheek said. “I had seen them play during their middle school seasons and knew they could help right away.”

Led by Adi Johnson and Bailee Mitchell, this talented class also includes Kendal Mundy, Brynlee Brigman and Hayley Banks. While all have played key roles, Johnson and Mitchell have set themselves apart from most freshmen in the area.

Johnson handles the ball with confidence, drives to the lane with confidence, dribbles through defenses with confidence and shoots with confidence. She looks comfortable and confident in every aspect on the floor.

“Adie is a different monster,” Cheek said. “She is going to give you everything she can and it’s an attitude of you have to stop me. Not a lot of people have that confidence. Combine that with how coachable she is, she is someone who just wants to win.”

The Patriots have been doing a lot of winning lately. After starting the season 1-4, PG is 9-4 in its last 13 games, including two big Central Carolina Conference wins last week over West Davidson (49-48) and Thomasville (53-17). The Patriots were 10-8 heading into action this week, with games scheduled at Trinity and at East Davidson. They have already clinched one of the four spots for the CCC Tournament.

“I knew we would have learning curves,” Cheek said. “I was throwing them into the fire. We lost four seniors from last season and two starters and I had two freshmen to fill those roles. They hit the ground running. They were varsity ready.”

Johnson is averaging 10.1 points per game, 1.2 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.7 steals. Although she doesn’t take a lot of 3-point shots, she is quite accurate from long range, hitting 20 of 39 attempts, better than 50 percent.

“My mom and my dad have been very big that when you do something, you go all out or don’t do it,” said Johnson, who started playing basketball at age 8, played in middle school and for the FBC Drive, an AAU Showcase team out of the High Point area, where she won state titles in North Carolina and Virginia. “I trust myself and apply that confidence on the court. It helps me and helps my team get going. You’re going to play way better when you play with confidence.”

That confidence is easily seen every time she steps on the court.

“Adi is definitely a step ahead of any freshman I have ever coached,” Cheek said. “Her feel for the game as a freshman is crazy. Her being able to set up her teammates, grab the ball and run the offense is insane. I expect her to grow as an offensive player as she goes on, but I don’t want her to ever change her attitude. Just her want-to. She wants to get better.”

Mitchell is a player who has one demeanor on the court and one off.

“Outside of basketball, she is so kind-hearted,” Cheek said. “But when she steps on the court, she is a monster. She is a good defensive player and her feel for the game is just as good as Adi’s. She’s a little more reserved than Adi, but she can lock up on defense and get her shot off.”

As one would think would be the case, Mitchell said she was nervous when she stepped on the varsity floor.

“When it started, it was a bit scary because I was a freshman,” Mitchell said. “Starting as a freshman is a big deal. I was nervous. Going from middle school basketball to varsity. I was nervous but excited. After the first game, I knew right there and then this was my home.”

Mitchell hasn’t played like she was nervous. An excellent shooter, she is averaging 9.9 points per game and has chipped in with rebounds, steals and assists as well. She has made 25 3-pointers.

“Bailee is our knock-down shooter,” Cheek said. 

“When we need a shot, we want Bailee taking it. The times we run into foul trouble, especially with our guards playing so many minutes, she can run either guard spot.”

Mundy is a player who will do all the little things to be successful, the things that go unnoticed. Brigman and Banks will also see their contributions skyrocket in the coming years.

Having junior Laurel Bernhardt, a dynamic scoring and defensive star, sophomore Adalyn Whitaker and seniors Elizabeth Shoe and Ruby Caudle have helped with the freshmen’s transition to varsity action.

“Every time they step on the floor, I am proud of all of them,” Cheek said. “They work hard. The future is bright. They are going to be some of the greatest players who have been at Providence Grove. They will definitely leave their mark at the school.”