Allen Loves Sharing With Teammates

If Clayton High’s guard Ashley Allen were a softball player, she would be considered a five-tool prospect. Allen is already a stellar passer, scorer, rebounder and defender and she's only a sophomore.

In her second varsity season she has already quadrupled her assists average, doubled her scoring, steals and rebounds from her freshman season. Her potential or as scouts like to call it “her ceiling” appears to be sky high.

When coach Bernard Barnes was asked to project out Allen’s potential for the upcoming two years he responded simply, “Wow. I am just glad she is in a Clayton Valley jersey. I would not want to play against her as a senior. She is probably going to get bigger, stronger, faster and even better.”

She is the catalyst of the Diablo Valley Athletic League champions and one of the Bay Area’s most exciting fast break offenses and pressure defenses. The hounding defense and lightening quick transition game has led the Eagles to a brilliant 23-2 record and perfect 11-0 mark in league play.

A player with all of her physical tools and talents, it becomes easy to start making comparisons to top professional basketball players.

“She is strong like Deron Williams and athletic like Derrick Rose,” said Barnes who also mentioned she had some of Williams’ flash.

When Allen was told of the comparisons she simply laughed and quipped, “I can see that… I guess.”

Allen said she models her game after University Tennessee and eventual college basketball hall of famer, Candice Parker.

Allen set a single-game record school with 17 assists this week in a blowout victory over Ygnacio Valley.

“I just wanted to get my teammates in the flow (against Ygnacio Valley),” Allen said. “I wanted to see them get the ball and gain more confidence in themselves.”

Her star has shown brightest in the teams’ two most important league victories against DVAL runner-up Northgate.

In the Eagles first meeting with Northgate, Allen poured in 28 points to go with seven rebounds, four assists, three blocks and a steal. In their final meeting on Friday to determine the league champion, she was equally potent, notching 16 points, eight rebounds, four assists, two blocks and two steals.

“(Ashley) does everything for us,” Barnes said. “She defends, sets teammates up and she can get her own shot. It is really fun to play with a player like that, where everyone pays so much attention to them as a scorer and they can find an open teammate for a shot.

“I cannot say enough about her.”

Allen, a 5-foot-8 combo-guard, can pack a stat sheet like few others. For the season she leads the team in points and assists, averaging 14 points per game, 4 assists, to go with 4.5 rebounds and 2.3 steals.

She is also efficient, with a field goal percentage resting at 50 percent and a positive assist-to-turnover ratio (which is extremely rare for most high school players).

Barnes is content moving her to any position on the court. Friday against Northgate, he was concerned the defense might double-team her on the wings and decided to use her close to the basketball in the frontcourt.

“She is strong and she can jump. There are very few guards who can play with her,” Barnes said. “If they want to play her one-on-one, we will put her in the post and let her post her up.”

Allen scored on three of her four back-to-the-basket opportunities (she was fouled on the fourth).

Allen still has considerable room to grow even given her advanced game. One can only imagine what it will be like to defend her when she develops a consistent three-point shot and improves from the free-throw line.

Notes: The only remaining unknown for the Eagles is their seeding in the North Coast Section playoff tournament, which will be determined on ‘seeding Sunday’, Feb. 20. Last season in the first round, Windsor eliminated Clayton by a score of 50-40.

Stats courtesy of MaxPreps.com and the team statistician.