Columbus East’s Harley Gant goes up for a shot against New Albany in the Orange Pit at Columbus East High School.
The Republic file photo
Competing amidst a tall and talented frontcourt, Harley Gant did not see much varsity action as a junior at Columbus East last season.
But when 6-foot-4 center Gabby Dean decided to focus on volleyball last summer, a spot in the starting lineup opened for Gant. The 6-3 senior seized the opportunity and has been a key force in the Olympians’ 18-3 season, Hoosier Hills Conference title and No. 8 state ranking.
“I knew the shoes were there to fill, but honestly, I didn’t have that much confidence in myself that I would be able to fill them until the season started,” Gant said. “I worked over the summer, and when we played our Seymour Shootout games, I think I did pretty good, but I still didn’t fully trust myself that I could take her position until the season started, and then I started to just be more confident in all my shots and go up strong because that’s one thing I feel like I wasn’t able to do last year when I got some varsity time. I was just really weak, but I feel like getting stronger over the summer really helped me to build my confidence.”
Tonight, weather permitting, Gant will help lead the Olympians into a 6 p.m. sectional semifinal matchup against Martinsville. The winner will play the East Central-Bloomington South winner in the final at 7 p.m. Saturday.
This season, Gant has put up 7.6 points and 5.9 rebounds, which is only slightly below the 7.8 points and 7.2 rebounds that Dean averaged last season. Last week, Gant, along with senior teammate Koryn Greiwe, was named a Hoosier Basketball Coaches Association District 3 All-Star.
“(Gant has) just improved so much from her sophomore to junior and junior to senior year, and I think that began in the summer,” East coach Danny Brown said. “We mostly practiced (last summer), but when we got together in the shootout at Seymour, we recognized that she was going to be a big part of this team. She’s just such a threat inside in the post, and she’s one of the best passers out of the post that we’ve had. She shares the ball, is a great rebounder and can shoot the 3. She’s just a versatile player. She can face the basket, she can drop step and score that way.”
Gant credits that improvement to the time she spent working on her game in the offseason.
“I have a goal in my driveway that I work on, and I shoot a lot,” Gant said.
“I play with my sisters a lot, and we work on a lot of drills and getting our footwork down and especially post moves. My dad will help me practice them, and I’ll post up on him so it’s actually someone taller than me. That helps a lot.”
After playing in only six varsity games last season, Gant has started all 20 this year. Along with East’s other four starters, she rarely comes off the floor.
“I’m really proud of myself for being able to overcome and not give up and not quit, even though I wasn’t the best player, and just practice every day, especially in the summer and in the offseason when I was practicing golf,” Gant said. “Also just getting stronger and being able to practice both and not give up and continue coming back.”
A two-time state qualifier in golf, Gant also practiced that sport with regularity during the offseason.
“I mostly play golf, but I do work out with Nate Frasier over the summer, so I get stronger not only for my golf game but for my basketball game,” Gant said. “So when I work out, I work out for balance, but also just to build strength, especially in my lower body.”
Gant is planning to play golf at the collegiate level. She is looking at Trine, Rose-Hulman and Valparaiso. She wants to study civil engineering, and might go to Purdue only as a student.
“I’ll probably play a little club basketball just to keep my skills fresh,” Gant said. “I enjoy basketball and golf the same. It’s really rewarding just to be able to see what I’ve been able to help both my teams do.”
Trine and Rose-Hulman have talked to Gant about the idea of playing basketball once golf season is over.
“That’s something I could look into but not be really a varsity player, but maybe work my way up to it if I want to,” Gant said. “Not a lot of tall girls come into D-III basketball, so they really want my height, and everything I’ve been able to do this season has helped that.”
Brown noted that Gant’s contributions go beyond what shows up on the stat sheets.
“She just has that competitive spirit that lifts the entire team,” Brown said. “I think that’s what she’s got going more than anything. Her presence on the court is so valuable to the entire program every time she steps on the court in practice or a game. She is that important to our success this year. We would not be where we are right now without Harley Gant.”
