Zion-Benton freshman Keeley McNabb-Buckley didn’t expect to be a varsity starter this season.
So the 5-foot-10 forward was quite surprised when Zee-Bees coach Cliff McKenzie revealed she would start in the third game.
“I thought our head coach made a mistake when he put the starters on the board,” McNabb-Buckley said. “I was nervous and excited at the same time.
“I was nervous, but once the flow of the game got going, I got relaxed.”
McNabb-Buckley has been playing like it ever since. She’s averaging 5.1 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 1.6 blocks for Zion-Benton (3-17, 0-10), whose record in and out of the North Suburban Conference reflects the fact that three freshmen often start. Center London Davis, a team captain and the only senior starter, called McNabb-Buckley a “leader for the future of the Zee-Bees.”
“She has a good head on her shoulders, and nothing rattles her,” McKenzie said of McNabb-Buckley. “We give her all the confidence she needs to keep going even if she makes a mistake. Sometimes she becomes too team-oriented and passes up shots when we want her to shoot the ball. We’re working on that.
“She has a really good understanding of the game. Her practice ethics are really good. She probably is our best shooter on the team.”
McKenzie said he got his first glimpse of McNabb-Buckley’s athleticism during a volleyball practice.
“She was spiking the ball like crazy,” McKenzie said. “I was amazed. I saw the potential was there.
“It has been a new learning experience for her. I don’t believe she thought she would be a starter, but she does have all the tools to play at the varsity level. She has to be consistent and gain more confidence.”
Zion-Benton assistant Titus Redmond, who is also the director of the feeder program, has watched McNabb-Buckley play for several years. So he isn’t too surprised.
“Defining the modern era of positionless basketball, Keeley brings rare versatility to both ends on the floor,” Redmond said. “She has the ability to guard quick point guards and the strength to guard post players. She’s our Swiss Army knife and is capable of executing any role from the 1 to the 5 on both ends on the floor.”
McNabb-Buckley has established herself as an aggressive defender and takes pride in that.
“I really like the joy of stopping somebody scoring and helping my team,” she said.
Zion-Benton junior forward Charisma Spruill, a team captain, likes what she has seen from McNabb-Buckley.
“Keeley has great athleticism and is very coachable when we are on the court together,” Spruill said. “She is very competitive, and her confidence is very high for a freshman.”
But Buckley-McNabb understands the Zee-Bees, like herself, are a work in progress.
“I feel the season is going pretty well,” she said. “The wins may not show it, but I’m having fun with my teammates and getting the experience playing against older players. As a freshman, I feel I’m holding my own.
“I’m really excited. We’re a young team now. But in a few years, watch out. The Zee-Bees are coming.”
Bobby Narang is a freelance reporter.