By Bruce Campbell, Staff Writer
Basketball coaches preach it’s not as important who starts but who’s in at the finish.
Exhibit No. 1 is Enid’s Rani Melvin, who has found her offensive touch after transitioning from starter to sixth player for the Pacers.
Melvin has been in double figures four straight games off the bench after scoring only four points in two starts. She is second in minutes played on the team.
“I play better when I come off the bench and I’ll admit it, too,’’ Melvin said. “I really don’t know why. It takes a lot of pressure off me at the beginning.’’
By watching at first, Melvin said she can get in the flow of the game more.
“I put a lot of pressure on myself,’’ she said. “When I can hit that first shot, I’m a lot more relaxed.’’
Enid assistant coach Robb Mils said Melvin’s attitude is ideal for a sixth player.
“A player doing that has to have the team in mind instead of being an ‘I’ person,’’ Mills said. “She’s a team person. We have been working with chemistry on our starting lineup and that’s worked for her.’’
Melvin already has had more games in double digits than she had a year ago when she started all 25 games as a sophomore
She will take a 8.7 scoring average against Lawton Eisenhower Friday. Melvin averaged 4.5 points last season.
“I’ve improved a lot on my offense,’’ Melvin said. “I think I’m more aggressive and I’m really not afraid to shoot now.’’
Last season she tended to let then Pacer seniors Aly Seng and Dysyan Malone take charge. Now she is a take charge player.
She had 36 points in the Altus Tournament last week.
“That was a big confidence builder for me,’’ said Melvin, who had 12 points in a 49-41 win over Stillwater Tuesday.
“She’s doing a real good job for us,’’ Mills said. “She beat her girl off the dribble several times at Altus which kept our scoring going when we were in a drought.’’
Melvin has been effective both driving to the basket and shooting 3s. Her ballhandling, Mills said, has allowed EHS to be more flexible offensively.
“I really feel like I have to step up and do my part this year,’’ Melvin said.
Melvin is better known for her cross-country running. She can’t chose between the two sports.
“Both of them are really competitive,’’ Melvin said. “I’m a real competitive person who doesn’t like losing.’’
Cross-country, Melvin said, has allowed her to be in immediate basketball shape when she reports to basketball. The extra sprints at the end of practice are a breeze.
“She’s always in good shape,’’ Mills said. “She is slowly but surely adjusting from basketball from cross- country.’’
Melvin, an All-Stater as a freshman in cross-country, was disappointed by her 29th-place finish at the state meet.
“I just didn’t have a good year,’’ Melvin said. “It’s made me more determined in basketball.’’
Her goals are to “help the team’’ and for the Pacers to advance to at least the area tournament after being eliminated in the first round of the playoffs last season.
Like her teammates, she is trying to solve some problems at the foul line. EHS is shooting less than 50 percent as a team at the line.
“I think I’ve played really well except for that,’’ Melvin said. “We need to put a lot more time on them. Some of it is a lack of confidence.’
