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The little point
guard that could
Mila Veljanoska has said that one of the biggest misconceptions people have about her is that they think she is taller than she actually is.
“I’m only 5-4 but before they meet me, for some reason, they think I’m 6-foot or something,” she said recently with a laugh.
But the little point guard came up big in Putnam Science Academy’s girls’ Prep Red 83-79 win over Navy Prep Dec. 4, finishing with 24 points, six assists, five rebounds, and two steals.
“I just try to get the ball to my teammates as much as possible,” she said. “I took shots when I was open and they were good shots. But I really wanted to get everyone involved and bring up their confidence. I wanted to be a leader today.”
Eleven of those points came in the second quarter when PSA (3-0) a 47-34 halftime lead, but her biggest buckets came late in the fourth when the Mustangs were desperately trying to hang on. Navy Prep cut the lead to jut two points with 3:30 to play when Zoe Bayer scored after a steal, Alice Meunier scored in a 2-on-1, and Veljanoska had an uncontested layup after another steal, pushing the lead to 79-71 with that quick 6-0 run over just 40 seconds. The Rams answered with a 3-pointer before Veljanoska did it again, this time beating her defender off the dribble on the left wing and laying it in for an 81-75 lead that was too much to overcome.
“It got tense,” Veljanoska said. “A lot of shots weren’t falling for us but we pulled through. We’re clutch. We’re clutch.”
Bayer, who played all 40 minutes, finished with 25 points, seven assists, six steals, and five rebounds, while Zuza Komor added 17 points, seven rebounds, four assists, and three steals for the Mustangs. Meunier also played well for PSA, chipping in with eight steals and eight rebounds to go with her seven points.
Mixed Week for Black Prep
PSA’s Prep Black team went 1-2 last week, holding on for a final-second win on November 30 before dropping to tough games Dec. 2 and 3.
The Mustangs first went to New Jersey to take on Life Center Academy, and where Jada Mills scored 10 points and blocked a potential game-winning 3-pointer in the final seconds.
“I knew they were going to look for (her),” Mills said, “and my main focus was not to let her score.”
Janeya Grant finished with 17 points and six rebounds, and Ines Goryanova had 17 points and three steals for the Mustangs, who also got 10 points from Molly Moffitt.
It was into Pennsylvania Dec. 2, where Goryanova led the team in scoring for the fourth straight game, finishing with 16 points and four assists, but the Mustangs nevertheless dropped their first game of the season, 56-50 to Westtown. Moffitt had 10 points and seven rebounds, Genevive Wedemeyer nine points and four steals, and Grant pulled down eight rebounds for PSA.
It was back to Jersey Dec. 3, and a 67-57 loss to Blair Academy, despite Moffitt’s 19 points and nine rebounds. Anna Kitch added nine points, Goryanova seven before exiting early with an injury for the Mustangs (3-2).
By Stephen Nalbandian
Sports Information Director
Putnam Science Academy
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