Milestone season for McG’s Weiss
Some might call it compulsive, others might shake their heads in bewilderment, but Sammie Weiss disagrees. Obsessing over every detail and striving for perfection is a way of life for the McGuffey senior.
She finished her junior year in 2014 with more than 1,500 career points – the school’s all-time record for boys or girls – and interest from college coaches across the country.
No one would blame Weiss for skipping one of her regular runs around Taylorstown, missing an AAU practice, or even taking nights off after practice. With plenty of accolades and recognition, being satisfied would be understandable.
Not for Weiss.
Dribbling around defenders and into the lane was seen as a strength, but her shooting form was a perceived weakness. That changed after countless hours spent with her father in the driveway and in the gymnasium over the summer.
It translated into another outstanding season for the Highlanders. Despite the program’s rise to WPIAL Class AAA, Weiss led McGuffey to its first PIAA playoff victory and scored 743 points this season – averaging 25.6, 6.7 rebounds and 3.9 steals per game.
She finished her career with 2,394 career points – the first girls basketball player from Washington County to surpass the 2,000-point mark.
For her accomplishments, Weiss is the 2015 Observer-Reporter Girls Basketball Player of the Year. It is her third consecutive season earning the honor and she is a four-time first team selection.
Weiss said she wanted to improve on her unorthodox shooting style this season.
“I liked to drive a lot, but I wanted to take more outside shots and feel comfortable taking them,” Weiss said. “I felt comfortable before, but not as much as I do now. I still have work to do. I want to be a better player.”
McGuffey head coach Amanda Burchett called Weiss and her older sister, Cassie, “two of the hardest working players I’ve coached.”
Weiss was in seventh grade when Burchett began coaching the middle school team. It did not take long for her future shooting guard to stand out. Even then, Weiss had the skills and work ethic to become an outstanding player.
Two years later, Weiss was a starter for McGuffey, playing point or shooting guard, and finished the season as one of the top players in the area. The following three years were much of the same, but progressively better.
“Her freshman year kind of came as a surprise,” Burchett said. “She ended up starting and she has just gotten better every year. She’s developed into a better all-around player. There was a lot of pressure on her during that freshman year. She handled it well and since then has focused on different aspects of her game.”
The most important being her shot. Weiss’ father, Scott, videotaped her shooting, the two brain-stormed methods of how to improve the motion and they got to work.
Whether it was Sammie taking one-handed shots in the family’s driveway or practicing three-pointers following AAU practice last summer, she tried everything to perfect her game and it was not always easy.
“There are times I didn’t drive when I should have or pulled up when I should have, but that’s going to happen and I still want to work on that,” Weiss said. “It was such a frustrating process. Everyone else was ahead of me and I wanted to fix it. It felt good.”
At no time was the improvement more evident than in the postseason. Weiss averaged 24 points in seven playoff games, including 26 in McGuffey’s victory over South Fayette in the first round of the PIAA playoffs.
Her ability to pull up for a mid-range shot in transition added an element to her game that obstructed opposing defenses.
Improvement is not good enough for Weiss. She plans to continue that dedication at California University, where she will play for head coach Jess Strom and the national champion Vulcans.
“I’m excited. They’re national champions,” Weiss said. “I felt really comfortable and I felt it was somewhere I could fit in. Jess was a very good basketball player and working with her will be great. I can’t wait to learn from her.”