‘Full circle’: Ridgeline senior Emma Myers’ stock rise mirrors basketball program’s growing success

Emma Myers has seen a lot in her four years on varsity for the Ridgeline Falcons.

She is hopeful to add one more thing to the list in a couple of weeks: a trip to Tacoma.

It’s been an uphill climb, to be sure. The Falcons didn’t win a game in Myers’ freshman season – the first year of the school’s existence – going 0-19 and routinely losing games by 30 or more points. They won 10 games and two league contests the next season, and followed that up last season by winning 15 games and reaching the state play-in game, dropping a 63-42 decision to Kennewick.

Reaching the Tacoma Dome this year would be a fitting end to a career in which Myers’ improvement as a player and leader has mirrored that of the nascent program.

“It would be kind of like a full-circle moment, coming from kind of nothing and building it up every single year,” Myers said Wednesday. “And now that I’m a senior, it would be really nice. It’s very exciting.”

The Falcons (11-2, 2-0) took some lumps early this season, suffering a pair of losses at the Fitz tournament in early December. But they haven’t lost since and are playing their best basketball of the season as league play gets into full swing, with wins over traditional powers Mead and Gonzaga Prep recently. Ridgeline is ranked No. 6 in the state’s RPI system.

The 61-43 win over G-Prep on Tuesday, in which Myers scored 23 points, was something of a check mark for the building program.

“Going from freshman year, sophomore year, junior year – losing to them every single time and finally getting that win, it felt really good,” Myers said. “There’s been a big jump in our ability. I’ve been getting older, we’ve had underclassmen come in that have been really good for us, and with (junior forward) Madi (Crowley), we’ve been able to have inside presence.”

The Bullpups were second at state last year. Alhough they were missing a couple of players to injury against Ridgeline, it was the name on the front of the jersey that made it significant.

“I mean, we talked about it,” Ridgeline coach Freddie Rehkow said. “We know that (Olivia) McIntyre is out, we know that Aylah (Cornwall) is out. We get that part, but you still have to go take care of business. But Grace is out for us, too.”

Grace is sophomore point guard Grace Sheridan, a first-team all-league selection who averaged 15.5 points last year and has missed the entire season to injury.

Part of Myers’ growth this year has been running point in place of Sheridan, developing that part of her game to go along with her impressive dribble-drive moves in the lane. It’s not how either player, or Rehkow, would have wanted things to go this season, but it has afforded Myers an opportunity – and she’s made the most of it.

“I think the biggest difference would have been probably Grace at the (point) and (Myers) at the 3, which would have been really a nightmare matchup for a lot of people,” Rehkow said. “It would have given us a two-headed monster at the guard position, as far as ball handling. … I love the way that she’s embraced it.”

Running the point has only increased Myers’ offensive output. She’s second in the league in scoring at 16.5 points per game, behind only Central Valley’s Brynn McGaughy (18.0), the top prospect in the state who is headed to University of Washington in the fall.

“I think playing point, it’s really helped me come into my leadership role on the team,” Myers said. “Now that I’m a senior, I have to be in that leadership role, and I think it comes off the floor as well as on the floor – being able to lead in classes or in practice when we’re doing drills, trying to get everyone pumped up and working hard through everything.”

As much as she’s improved physically the past couple of seasons, Myers thinks it more on the mental side where she’s made the most growth this season.

“It’s just my mindset. I’m going out there, I’m playing hard, and I’m playing for my teammates, not just myself,” she said. “I think sometimes people can have a high basketball IQ and not be able to implement it with their skill level. And I think when those start to even out, everyone starts to see it. And once you lift your basketball IQ, everyone else around you lifts, and it helps everyone’s mental barrier.”

“Her stock is jumping,” Rehkow said. “I mean, she’s going from someone who a lot of people don’t know about to people are starting to recognize that, you know, this is a kid that’s going to work hard.”

Rehkow’s word carries a lot of respect in these matters. He’s approaching 300 wins in his career and his success at Central Valley previously includes several state titles and a national coach of the year honor. His current players are keenly aware of Rehkow’s experience.

“They they know the history, and I think that that may give them some confidence,” he said. “Maybe, you know, I’ve got something that they haven’t seen. … This team has been so receptive and so attentive – more so than I ever thought they would be – and that makes me happy. Because it’s allowing me to do what I really love, which is teach the game and have fun doing it the right way.”

The Falcons are preparing for a run through districts with the intention of reaching state, but they have another litmus test looming: They close out league play on Feb. 7 at Central Valley, ranked No. 1 in the state in 3A. Only two teams out of District 6 this season will qualify for state, so between Ridgeline, CV and Kennewick, a top-10 team is going to be left out.

“You want to make sure you’re either No. 1 or you’re No. 2,” Rehkow said. “And so when we get to (Feb. 7), I hope they’re undefeated. I hope we are able to continue where we’re at. Regardless of the outcome of that game, both of us are going to be prepared to go into districts, and that’s where it really counts.

“The pressure’s on them. Not us. They have a great team, but honestly, very seldom do we talk about them, because we know it’s the last game of the season. We have to take care of every game up to that point.”