‘Heart and soul of our squad’

The athletic journey of Manitoba’s top high school varsity girls’ basketball player didn’t start on a field, a court or a track. It began on a stage, in the performing arts.

Emilie McLean didn’t choose Highland dancing; it chose her.

For about a decade, from the time she was five, McLean took to the competitive dance form — officially recognized as a sport in its native Scotland — with her family, proudly displaying her heritage at events around the city, including a yearly performance at Folklorama.

While McLean modestly stopped short of saying she used to dominate the stage like she’s currently dominating the paint, her talents took her to events in the U.S. and across Canada, where she was good enough to notch a couple of competitive wins in her belt.

Years later, the connection between Highland dancing and basketball is thin, but McLean has drawn some valuable lessons from those formative years and applied them to other athletic endeavours.

“I think it helps more with the pressure of it, because with dance you’re going on this stage by yourself, and you just have to perform,” said McLean, who also excelled in volleyball, handball and cross-country.

“It kind of transfers to the other sports I played. It’s like the pressure, it doesn’t phase me as much as it might phase someone else, just because I’ve had so much experience with it.”

These days, McLean is putting those learnings to use as the engine for the Dakota Lancers, who are seeking a trip to a fifth straight provincial finals.

Owning a 28-2 record, the Lancers have been formidable once again this season, and McLean has been a big reason for that, both literally and figuratively. Dakota is an undersized squad outside of the 6-1 forward and has a small bench of reserves to tap into, which has forced its best players to eat up big minutes.

They’ve managed thus far, and head coach Eric Sung said McLean’s impact can not be understated.

“One thing is, she’ll never not work hard, like she’s gonna do what she needs to do to help contribute. Her fitness and compete is just at a consistent level at all times,” said Sung.

“We talk about not only your own physical endurance, but your own competitive endurance as well, and that’s unmatched. She doesn’t waver. She doesn’t get tired. She keeps going back. Even if she makes a mistake, it’s not the end of the world. She’s quick to fix and quick to change and make things happen still.”

Dakota’s size — or lack thereof — is something Sung had anticipated, so he started to put more responsibility on McLean’s plate last year, such as naming her one of the team’s captain, in preparation for this season. That decision has paid off in spades.

“She made herself who she is. She was never really a high-profile kid until the last couple of years. As the player that she is right now, she’s really separated herself from the others,” Sung said.

“At her size, no one moves the way she moves. She’s the fastest up the court, and she can contest shots with the best of them. At her size in our province, she’s a stat filler. She’s almost averaging a quadruple-double a game, like she does everything for us, to be honest.

“She’s everything to our group. She’s definitely our heart and soul of our squad,” Sung added.

“She’s everything to our group. She’s definitely our heart and soul of our squad.”

McLean has taken the challenge in stride and put the onus on herself to elevate her play and those around her.

“I just have to get it done. Not in a sense that it has to be me, but I have to listen to our coaches, take their advice, plus be able to make good decisions on the court. I want to make sure if I’m being double-teamed, somebody else has the ball,” said McLean, who is committed to playing for the Manitoba Bisons next season.

“It doesn’t always have to go through me, but also, when there’s points when we’re not scoring or no one can get a shot off, that’s kind of like a moment when I have to realize that I have to take the ball and I have to get something done just to maintain that lead or maintain that run that we’re on.”

Those are confident words from someone who is known to be a reserved personality. While McLean is quiet off the court, her game has become as loud as bagpipes while on it.

“I think it’s just, I just love the game of basketball so much, and as soon as I play, I just don’t think about anything. I’m just thinking, ‘I’m going to do anything I can do to help my team and make sure I know that I’ve put everything I can into every game,’” she said.

“I don’t want to come out of a game with any regrets. I want to know I set up my teammates, I want to know I did everything I could on defence, and I did everything I could to get our team to where we should be.”

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Free Press’s top 10 high school varsity girls’ basketball players

A list compiled with voting from a panel of coaches

1. Emilie McLean, forward

Dakota Lancers, Grade 12

A powerful and physical forward, she consistently uses her size and strength to control the paint. She finishes with a soft touch around the basket, showing great control even through contact.

Over the season, she has added a confident and smooth midrange jumper, making her a more versatile and reliable scoring threat from multiple spots on the floor.

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2. Halle Penner, forward

Sanford Sabres, Grade 12

A tough, physical matchup, she combines strength with guard-like skills to get to the basket with ease and finish with great touch.

Defensively, her long frame and wingspan help her disrupt plays and make it difficult for opponents to get around her.

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3. Ava Shaw, guard

DMCI Maroons, Grade 12

Despite an injury-filled season, she has shown impressive perseverance, bouncing back in this season’s games to post big numbers.

A dynamic guard with extraordinary shooting range, she often draws multiple defenders and still finds ways to score.

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4. Emma Elliott, guard

Jeanne-Sauvé Olympiens, Grade 12

A fast-paced guard, she thrives in transition, constantly pushing the tempo and creating opportunities at the rim.

Tenacious and relentless, she impacts the game with both her speed and her competitive edge.

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5. Emma Yard, forward

Vincent Massey Trojans, Grade 12

A dynamic player with the versatility to score both inside and out, she consistently creates matchup problems for opponents.

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6. Kiley Schettler, guard

Garden City Gophers, Grade 12

A hardworking player with solid shooting range and a quick first step, she continually puts pressure on defences.

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7. Uloma Isinguzo, forward

Vincent Massey Trojans, Grade 12

A dominant force on the glass all season, she uses her long, athletic frame and non-stop motor to consistently win rebounding battles, resulting in multiple double-double performances.

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8. Gurmandeep Chahal, guard

Sisler Spartans, Grade 11

A strong and physical guard, she attacks the rim with confidence but is just as capable of knocking down open jumpers and three-point shots.

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9. Gabriella Castres, guard

Maples Marauders, Grade 12

A dynamic guard with elite ability to attack the rim and shoot from deep, she’s a constant threat every time she touches the ball.

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10. Arabela DeGrano, guard

Sisler Spartans, Grade 12

A versatile and explosive guard, she attacks the rim with confidence while also knocking down open jumpers and three-pointers with ease. Her two-way impact makes her a constant difference maker on both ends of the floor.

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Honourable mentions: Seva Brar (guard, Garden City Gophers, Grade 12); Kishi Folarin (guard, Vincent Massey Trojans, Grade 11); Quinn Kelly (guard, Dakota Lancers, Grade 10); Liz Lasu (forward, Churchill Bulldogs, Grade 11); Lily Cox (guard, Sturgeon Heights Huskies, Grade 12)

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