Thomas Sumter's English lights up the scoreboard on way to Hines Furniture Athlete of the Week

The Thomas Sumter girls basketball team had an opportunity to take their season to the next level last week.

The young Lady Generals needed some time to find their footing under new head coach Cedric Rembert but hit their groove during a busy week. TSA played three games and took home three wins.

At the center of it all was a freshman, Malayia English, whose offensive repertoire carried them throughout the week. Her performance also earned her recognition as the Hines Furniture Athlete of the Week.

"It's something that I can't really believe because we have a big family at Thomas Sumter," English said of the support at TSA. "It's just good to know that everyone considers me as family and really appreciates me for my sports."

Rembert is proud of the way the freshman stepped up to lead the charge.

"I always talk to them about having heart, and I tell her I'm putting a lot on her, but I want her to be the leader of the team," Rembert said. "She needed to get used to leading and not following. She heard me; she did an excellent job of leading and stepping up to the challenge."

English knew the task at hand when Thomas Sumter prepared for three straight home games. She wanted to help right the ship and knew the headspace required to take a step forward.

"I think it's your mindset; you have to go into games confident that you're going to win," English said. "Everyone has a part, and everybody really played their part. Us playing together and passing the ball really helped."

The offensive weight is typically heavy on English and fellow freshman Gabby Russell. Last week was no different. English was ready to answer the call and fire up the offense.

"I really try to go for open shots. It's not all about scoring to me. I feel like passing is a big part. Just forcing the ball doesn't help," she said. "If there's a gap, take it. I always go up for a foul. That's something that I'm big on. If I can go in the paint, I will."

TSA started the week against The King's Academy. While the Lady Generals struggled early, English kept them afloat with 10 points in the first quarter. She ended up finishing with 19 in a 46-42 win.

"They knew my strong point, that I can go left, but that game I showed that I can go both left and right," English said of the matchup. "I showed that pressure doesn't bother me and that I can do a lot more when I'm pressured."

The Lady Generals then hosted Ashley Hall in an important revenge game. Ashley Hall previously beat TSA after the Lady Generals built a halftime lead and let it slip away. In the rematch, English was determined to play well for all four quarters.

"I knew we needed our revenge," she said. "They came into the game knowing they were going to win, but we knew it was going to be a battle the whole game. We were just locked in until the scoreboard said triple zero.

"We really wanted it really, really bad."

English was unstoppable in the rematch, scoring 27 points as the Lady Generals made a second-half push to win 53-49. Rembert saw that game as another chance for English to show her development as a ball-handler.

"They were kinda pressuring her, saying to take her left away, so I told her, 'You hear their coach, I'm always telling you to use your right hand. It's not that you can't use it, you just don't like to use it,'" Rembert recalled. "We do a lot of it in practice, pushing her to the right. She can be unstoppable if she goes right and left."

TSA capped off the week with a rivalry matchup with a strong Clarendon Hall squad. The Lady Generals pulled out a 47-43 win behind 22 points from English.

"I feel like we could go undefeated if we lock in and we pass the ball where it needs to go (like we did against Clarendon Hall)," English said. "We just need to let the game come to us and not really rush it."

That week proved to be a big confidence booster for a very young Thomas Sumter squad.

"I feel like we needed the boost," English said. "You win some, you lose some, but the win streak really helped us get where we need to be, and it showed us that we can play as a team."