DAILY PILOT HIGH SCHOOL FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE WEEK:CdM’s Kirby thrives in go-to role

Ashley Kirby will never be a ball hog. It’s not in her nature. Having a shoot-first mentality goes against the reasons Kirby loves playing basketball, the teamwork and the flow of the game that comes when it’s executed well.

But her Corona del Mar High team and Coach Mark Decker want to see the junior take firm control of the offense.

The Sea Kings lost six seniors to graduation, including the team’s two leading scorers Katie Schulte and Megan Benbow, making the pleas more important.

Kirby saw the need and has begun to transform into an offensive force. At 5-foot-10 she is quick enough to start at guard, but strong and skilled enough to score in the post.

Kirby, the Daily Pilot Female Athlete of the Week, averaged 16 points per game in four games at the Baron Classic at Fountain Valley last week on her way to all-tournament honors. She led the team in scoring three times and had two 20-point games.

Decker, who is in his first year as the Sea Kings’ coach, said he noticed Kirby’s talent when he first watched her play.

“She is quick enough to be a guard and she has power and size. It’s a rare combination,” Decker said. “She’s probably our leading scorer in the paint. She’s our leading rebounder. Call her what you want she is getting it done.”

The call for Kirby to score has come from teammates as well.

“Some of the other players want her to be more aggressive and shoot more,” Decker said. “She’s definitely a team player and she wants to fit in with the team.”

Kirby said senior captains Shannon Johnson and Allie Duernberger make it known when they think Kirby needs to increase her presence on offense.

“Since my freshman year I’ve shied away from shooting and they’ve been getting on my case all three years,” Kirby said jokingly. “If I’m open and I don’t shoot, on the way back down the court they’ll say ‘Shoot the ball.’ And coach will occasionally yell at me in practice to shoot the ball more.”

Because of her versatility Kirby has been able to turn being offensive minded to focusing on the team. Her aggressive drives to the basket open shots for teammates if the double team comes and the same scenario can play out when she is in the post.

“I love taking a girl off the dribble; it opens up so much,” Kirby said.

And Kirby can still improve all facets of her game and is working diligently to do so Decker said.

“She’s got a great work ethic, she comes early and stays late,” Decker said. “She is only a junior and she is on her way. She can obviously score and she is working on her outside shot. I don’t know how you defend her. From 15 feet and in she is tough to guard. She is really a complete player.”

With two of the three schools that finished in front of the Sea Kings in the Pacific Coast League last season out of the league, Corona del Mar is in position to contend for a league title. Although with only six teams instead of seven another fourth-place finish won’t guarantee a playoff spot like last season.

And Kirby knows she will play a large part in any run Corona del Mar makes.

“The league change has helped us and hurt us a little bit,” Kirby said. “We just have to play as a team.”