Aviano junior Alyssa Lane spent a lot of time taking free throws Saturday in the Saints’ 67-51 victory over Vicenza, connecting on 12 of 18 attempts. She finished with a game-high 34 points and 26 rebounds. (Kent Harris / S&S)
AVIANO AIR BASE, Italy - Though her play on the court might not often indicate it these days, Alyssa Lane thinks her future in basketball lies on the perimeter.
At 5 feet, 8 inches, Lane is the tallest player for the Aviano Saints, who enter the European Division II tournament with only one loss this season. And she’s been a terror for opposing teams inside — evidenced by a 34-point, 26-rebound effort against Vicenza on Feb. 9.
But the 16-year-old junior said she’d rather be playing outside with the guards.
Not that it shows in her play.
“She would be a point guard for us if we didn’t have guards who could dribble the ball,” Saints head coach Greg Mead said.
“She can play anywhere.”
That’s evidenced by her statistics this season. She’s averaging 23 points, 13 rebounds, six steals and four assists a game, Mead said. She’s also shooting 85 percent from the free-throw line, where she’s a frequent visitor.
“She’s a very versatile player,” said assistant coach Shari McGuire, who played college basketball. “I think she definitely could play guard at the college level.”
College is a long way off, though. Lane and her teammates still have the European tournament this season and there’s another year of basketball at Aviano after that before she can think about playing at the next level.
And unless the Saints unexpectedly get a tall post player to transfer in, Lane’s bound to be spending a lot of time inside the key.
Lane credits much of her skills and play on the court to her dad, Brendan Rouse. Her mother, Anna Rouse, is a technical sergeant in the Air Force and the family has moved around the globe as she follows her career. That included stops in places not known for basketball (including Iceland and Canada).
But her father, who currently plays in an Italian league, has been a constant influence.
“I’ve been playing for a long time,” she said. “Since I was 6. I’ve been on organized teams since elementary school.
“My father taught me how to play. He taught me my shot. He taught me the mental aspects of the game. How to think on the court. Making plays without the basketball.
“And I grew up with a lot of uncles and older cousins who played basketball.”
So she’s not afraid of physical play inside the key. “I know how to use my body on the court,” Lane said.
But what makes her such a good rebounder for someone who isn’t that much taller than the average player?
“I’ve always considered rebounding as just heart,” she said. “Who wants it the most. I think I’m naturally aggressive. I have to monitor myself sometimes.”
McGuire said Lane’s aggressiveness and skills were evident the first time the coaches saw her play. She transferred to Aviano before school started this year, and was a first-team All-Europe selection for the school’s European champion volleyball team in the fall.
“She dominated tryouts,” McGuire said. “You could tell she had the instincts and maybe a little more of the skills that you don’t always see by the girls overseas.”
In other words, doing the little things — inside or outside the key.
