Hard work, high hopes for Madison basketball's Malott

Madison’s highly acclaimed junior spent the offseason improving her game.

By John Bombatch, Staff Writer Updated 8:36 AM Friday, November 27, 2009

MADISON TWP. — If anyone needs an example of what hard work can achieve, look no further than Madison High School.

Head over there Thursday, Dec. 3 for starters. That’s when the Mohawks girls basketball team begins its regular season at 7:30 p.m. against the defending Southwestern Buckeye League Buckeye Division champion Waynesville Spartans.

Pay particular attention to Madison junior Ally Malott. She’s what hard work is all about.

Malott, rated as the top junior in Ohio in the ESPNU HoopGurlz Super 60 and 22nd in the nation, led Madison in almost every possible category last season. She was tops in scoring (15.7 ppg), rebounds (10 rpg), steals average (2.0 per game), field-goal percentage (.486), 3-point shooting percentage (.375) and free-throw percentage (.755) as Mohawks finished 20-6.

She was the only sophomore named to the Division III All-Ohio first team. The Ohio High School Basketball Coaches Association voted her District 15 co-Underclassman of the Year and she was the Southwest District Player of the Year. She could’ve rested on all those laurels, but that’s not how she got there.

“Her offseason was outstanding,” Madison coach John Rossi said. “April and May with the AAU circuit, then June workouts with the high school team and then playing in showcase events in July. She’s been working really hard. She’s just a consummate team player, that’s the bottom line.”

Malott spent her offseason either in a gym or on a basketball court. She could be even better this season as a result.

“Every day during the offseason I went into the gym with the goal of becoming a better basketball player. I worked on my shooting, strength and ball handling. I worked on each of those things every day,” said Malott, a 6-foot-2 guard/forward.

Malott’s work on and off the court hasn’t gone unnoticed. Rossi said Malott is being courted by several major college programs.

“UConn, Purdue, Dayton, Miami, Xavier, Indiana, Penn State ... you name it,” Rossi said. “Florida and Vanderbilt have been in this school already, just letting her know that there’s some interest.”

Malott tries her best to take all the attention in stride.

“It’s exciting, but I try to stay pretty humble about it all. It is nice to see that all the hard work is paying off,” she said.

Malott, who is also among the top students in Madison’s Class of 2011, is the daughter of Madison assistant coach Todd Malott and his wife, Cindy.

Contact this reporter at (513) 705-2851 or jbombatch@coxohio.com.

The Malott file

Class: Junior | School: Madison High School

Height: 6-2 | Position: Guard/forward

Stats: 15.7 ppg; 10 rpg

Honors: First-team, All-Southwest District; First-Team, All-Ohio; also rated the top junior in Ohio in the ESPNU HoopGurlz Super 60 and 22nd in the nation

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