There’s something innate in Aday Eguaze, something that just tells her to go hard to the rim. Sometimes it even demonstrates itself in odd ways.
Late in a game Tuesday against South Bronx, the Christopher Columbus senior grabbed a rebound off a missed free throw and took off down the court in a flash. There was just one problem – the South Bronx player was supposed to shoot another free throw.
Everyone in the gym started laughing, some of her teammates keeled over on the bench in hysterics and even both coaches cracked smiles. But that’s just how the super-aggressive Eguaze is.
“Just attack the basket, just attack the basket,” she said, repeating her constant focus, after a 46-29 home win in PSAL Bronx A girls basketball.
Added Sharks coach Evelyn Ortiz: “That’s what makes her exciting.”
It’s also what’s making Columbus (13-2 Bronx A) a contender in the ‘A’ league yet again. The Sharks aren’t quite as lethal from the outside due to the graduation of snipers Allison Benloss and Tyena Busanet. But they’ve completely bought into Ortiz’s wishes to just keep going strong to the cup.
“If you don’t attack, someone is going to slow you down,” Eguaze said.
Spoken like a true former track runner. Eguaze is completely committed to basketball now. She played alongside Columbus teammate Asia Wheeler with the Baseline AAU program over the summer, where they developed even more of a bond.
Eguaze has speed to burn and is only 5-foot-6, but she plays inside for the Sharks because of her strength and relentless work ethic on the boards. Her statistics are up in every category from a year ago. She’s averaging 14.2 points, 9.2 rebounds and even 3.2 assists in league games.
“She helps me a whole lot down low,” said Wheeler, the team’s star. “She’s a big bully down there.”
Wheeler, in a way, is the opposite of Eguaze. She’s 5-foot-11, but probably projects more as a wing player in college because of her handle and shooting ability. She’s one of the top players in Class A and her presence on the floor gives Columbus a puncher’s chance against every team in the league. Wheeler was on the bench in foul trouble for far to olong in last month’s loss to first-place Wings Academy. The Sharks haven’t lost since then, stringing together nine straight wins, including avenging their first loss of the season to Bronx Science.
Columbus meets Wings again Thursday and Wheeler vows to correct those mistakes.
“I need to stay out of foul trouble,” she said. “I need to stop trying to go for every ball. I was too ready.”
In just their third year in Class A, the Sharks are a bit under the radar. They aren’t being talked about in the same conversation as Medgar Evers, West 50th Street Campus, Baruch College Campus or Wings and Thursday they have a chance to crack that group. Eguaze believes her team is right there among the elite despite pundits saying Columbus is down from last year when it lost to eventual champion Baruch College Campus in the quarterfinals.
Ortiz, though, doesn’t mind the lack of notoriety.
“We like to keep ourselves a little low key, have them least expect us,” the coach said.
As Ortiz said, the team’s nickname is the Sharks. And sharks are known to do one thing.
Attack.