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P.O. Female Athlete of the Week: Emily Bradshaw


Many teams have that one player who can do it all - and when that player goes down with an injury, it usually spells disaster.

Fortunately for the Southern Fulton girls basketball team, they've had Olivia Mottern, who has been the rudder of the successful ship. But when she needs a break, the team is even more fortunate to have another top player step up.

Last week the Indians without Mottern in the last two games of the regular season, but received top numbers from senior Emily Bradshaw in her absence.

She is the Public Opinion Female Athlete of the Week.

"(Without Olivia, the team dynamic) hasn't changed much," Southern Fulton coach Meagan Mellott said, "It sounds crazy, but in the locker room and during practice they play just as hard now. If you even look (back) two more games she's been in double figures, which is really taking the scoring load off of Olivia even when she was healthy. Getting the ball in her hands has been a game changer lately."

Against Fannett-Metal in the final game of the regular season, Bradshaw put up a season-high 24 points, and contributed 13 against Chestnut Ridge. She has put up double figures in four consecutive games, pushing her season average to nearly nine points per game.

"We're just trying to even out our scoring so our whole team is considered an asset and not one person is scoring," Bradshaw said. "It's definitely going to help in the playoffs if we are all working together like that and passing the ball.

"When I get the ball in pressure situations I try to calm the team down and wait for the play to work out. I'm pretty patient with finding some openings."

Emily Bradshaw, Southern Fulton

Sport: Basketball

Height: 5-foot-5

Position: Guard

Parents: Mark and Kay Bradshaw

Other interests: Bradshaw also runs cross country and track and is a member of the National Honor Society. 

Pregame ritual: The team listens "Yeah" by Usher in the locker room before every game.

Statistics: Through two games last week Bradshaw racked up 37 points to lead the Indians to two victories in the last games of the regular season ... She had a season-high 24 points against Fannett-Metal, which Southern Fulton hosts in the first round of the District 5 Class 1A tournament.