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When Keira Scott arrived at Do More Everyday Academy — a prep school in Daytona Beach, Florida — before her senior year of high school, she said it felt like summer camp.

On Sept. 16, 2023, weeks after Scott arrived on campus, she was selected to play in the prestigious 2023 Nike World Basketball Festival for the South Regional Team. On an outdoor court at the Lincoln Center in Manhattan, Scott competed with the top 40 girls in the country and learned from various guest speakers.

On the court, Scott’s team — coached by UConn guard Paige Bueckers — made the championship. Scott nailed a 3 with about a minute left in a back-and-forth contest facing USC’s JuJu Watkins, lifting her team to victory. NBA players Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren attended, and Scott met rapper Travis Scott following the game.

“It was just really good to get a feel for it. It was really highly competitive and aggressive, but that’s the level that I (wanted) to play at,” Scott said.

After playing her first three high school seasons at Bishop O’Connell (Virginia), Scott transferred to DME (Florida) for her final high school season. Scott went from a team with a combined 16-34 record in her sophomore and junior seasons to playing against some of the nation’s top teams. As a freshman at Syracuse, her growth is paying dividends. She’s averaging eight points per game and has started three games.

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Scott’s work ethic stood out to head coach Aggie McCormick early on at Bishop O’Connell. After school, even when the team didn’t have practice, she worked out with a trainer and improved her conditioning.

Bishop O’Connell relied heavily on Scott as opposing teams double-teamed her. With significant weight on Scott’s shoulders, the Knights went 4-17 and 0-10 in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference.

“At O’Connell, (Scott) pretty much led the floor from the time she was a freshman,” McCormick said. “She had a lot of pressure on her because she just performed at such a high level.”

In summer 2022, Scott led the Stars’ 17U squad to third place in the EYBL.

McCormick left the Knights ahead of Scott’s junior season, and under new head coach Brittany Davis, Bishop O’Connell suffered another losing season. Scott sought a different program and eventually settled on DME after head coach Michael Panaggio recruited her.

“I was already committed (to Syracuse) at the time, so I needed DME to grow as a person, to expand my game,” Scott said.

At DME, Scott had the opportunity to play in high-level competitions like the Nike World Basketball Festival and was surrounded by other Division I caliber players. One of her teammates was SU guard Olivia Schmitt. The pair created a challenge for opposing defenses.

“We played really well together,” Scott said. “We had a lot of sets run for us, a lot of lob plays, a lot of put-in plays, and (Schmitt) found me every time.”

Scott called the situation “perfect.” She continued to develop her dribbling and footwork, learning from a coaching staff that included Anthony Roberson, a former NBA point guard, and Panaggio, who played professionally overseas.

On the first possession of each game, Panaggio called a play for Scott to score. Seeing a bucket early on gave Scott the energy needed to propel her for the rest of the game.

DME started the season 13-0. Scott thrived on a more balanced team. But just after winter break, DME’s leading scorer, Ines Goryanova, tore her ACL. Soon after, forward Tahj-Monet Bloom suffered a season-ending injury.

Over the next 11 games into late February, DME went 5-6. Scott was forced to step up. She emerged as DME’s leading scorer, averaging 13 points per game. On senior day, Scott led it to a 65-62 victory over powerhouse Montverde Academy.

“Keira fully bought in, she hung in there (and) took pride in the season,” Panaggio said. “For us to go out on senior night and win a big game like that against our rival, it was a really, really good moment.”

The win was Panaggio’s first glimpse of DME’s potential since Goryanova’s and Bloom’s injuries. DME finished the season with a 20-7 record before falling in the National Athletic Association for Independent Schools’ semifinals.

Though entering her freshman season at SU, Scott was severely injured for about five weeks. Her dedication to overcome the setback shined, Schmitt said.

“To come back during the preseason and do her best to be in the best condition shape and then also have an impact on the game itself really showed who she was,” Schmitt said.

Scott showcased that in her college debut, tallying 14 points in 20 minutes to lead SU past Niagara. However, Panaggio texted her after the game, saying he was most impressed by Scott’s eight rebounds.

SU head coach Felisha Legette-Jack has been impressed by Scott’s fight and drive to improve. Legette-Jack knows Scott can score, but the defense has been the head coach’s top priority.

After coming off the bench in the Orange’s first seven games, Scott has earned a starting role and upped her defensive presence. She has doubled her block total and snatched four steals over SU’s last three games.

Scott still itches to improve, texting Panaggio after each game for feedback. Current DME players reach out to Scott in aspiration.

“I want to take Syracuse to that next level, and I believe I can do that now as a freshman,” Scott said. “I think we will be really successful, and I will be part of that success.”

Published on December 12, 2024 at 1:10 am

Contact Timmy at: tswilcox@syr.edu | @TimmyWilcox32