By Byron Beers/Staff Writer

Shounda Richey has been a great example to her younger brother and current El Reno sophomore basketball player Fayzon Richey.

Shounda was one of the top players to ever suit up for El Reno.

She holds the single-game record for points scored with 45 and ranks as one of the top scorers in the school’s history. She also holds school records for 2-point field goals made in a game (15), season (160) and career (398). Shounda was an all-state selection following the 2002-03 season.

Fayzon just hopes to follow in her big footsteps. Over the course of 14 games this season and a portion of last season, he has showed plenty of promise as an up-and-coming player for head coach Rodney Haydon.

And a lot of that can trace back to Shounda and with what he has learned from her, whether it be through pickup games or just discussions.

“We play pickup games when we can and she just gives me tips and I just try to play like she plays,” Richey said.

The 6-foot-4 guard/forward has adapted to becoming one of the Indians main focuses on the offensive end. He leads the team in scoring with close to 12 points per game and tops the team in rebounding with five per contest.

He does feel some pressure when you mention his sister and the accolades she was able to accomplish. But he doesn’t feel overwhelmed with the ball in his hands and the game on the line.

“I feel a little bit of pressure following her,” Richey said. “I want to be as good as she was and I want to try to do some things she wasn’t able to do.”

“I got a lot of confidence as a freshman and that’s helped me out this year,” Richey added. “Last year, I think getting a couple of dunks and scoring some points gave me some confidence. This year, it’s all business. You have to take care of business.”

Haydon has needed exactly that from Richey or from any of his players as the Indians have gone through inconsistencies on offense.

El Reno dropped to 3-11 overall on the season following back-to-back losses at Jenks Simmons Field House to Western Heights and Class 5A, top-ranked Carl Albert last Monday and Tuesday.

The close of Richey’s freshman year rolled right over into this season where he got off to a fast start against Deer Creek in El Reno’s season opener.

Richey scored a team-high 17 points in the Indians’ 64-51 loss to the Antlers.

His season-best point production came against Noble in the first game back from the holiday break when he poured in a career-best 18 points on 7-of-11 shooting. He also pulled down a team-high seven rebounds, recorded four steals and handed out three assists.

What was most impressive in the 51-48 victory over Noble was Richey’s ability to dominate over one stretch when he scored 11 straight points, capped by a steal and dunk in the second period.

“Fayzon has grown up a lot,” Haydon said. “He’s come a long ways. He started a few games last season toward the end of the year and got a lot of good confidence.

“To do that as a freshman and then come up and start every game this year, we’re asking him to do a lot for us – not to just come in and play, but to be one of our top scorers.

“He’s probably the best scorer we’ve got because he’s got the ability to take the ball to the rim in any situation.”

Haydon knows Richey has improvements to make in polishing up his game, but he also knows he is coaching one of the most talented players he’s ever coached.

But Haydon is just as impressed with Richey’s work ethic and willingness to improve as he is with his talent.

“He’s got a long ways still to go, but he has responded when we’ve needed him to,” Haydon said. “The thing about him is that he’s just got an unbelievable attitude. He’s got everything it takes to be a great player and he’s also very coachable.

“He works hard during practice, he stays late to improve himself and he comes to all of our voluntary practices. He does everything he needs to do to become the best he can.”

“I think he can go as far as he wants to go,” added Haydon. “He’s probably got the most potential with everything put together as far as athletically, size, leaping ability and the knowledge of the game.

“He’s always around the game of basketball. His sister played a lot so he’s always been around the game.

“Potentially, the only thing that would stop him is work ethic and that’s not even an issue with him because he works as hard as anybody. He’s got all of the raw tools, he just needs to fine tune them. There’s no reason he can’t play at a high level at the next level.”

Haydon feels Richey doesn’t apply that much pressure to himself although he’s often looked to in crucial game situations.

“He’s one of those kids that doesn’t really feel pressured because he expects to do that,” Haydon said. “Every time he touches the ball he expects to score. He wants the ball in his hands during crucial situations of a game.

“Even during practices and pick-up games he’s got the ball in his hands and is simulating that last-second shot of a game situation. I wouldn’t hesitate to put the ball in his hands at the end of a game and we’ve already done that a couple of times this year.”

“He believes he’s going to make every shot from anywhere on the floor,” Haydon added. “He just has that attitude and character about him and that’s what you want to see as a coach in a young kid.”