Jan 23, 2019 3 min read

Name: Malik Ramsey

School: California

Sport: Basketball

Class: Junior

Ramsey’s week: In a busy, three-game week for the Trojans, Ramsey scored 79 points to help California begin its current six-game winning streak.

Ramsey began the week with a perfect performance against Bentworth, making all 10 of his shots to score a game-high 24 points. He also had 10 rebounds for a double-double in an 89-31 victory.

One night later, the 6-2 standout neared a career high with 34 points, including 21 in the second and third quarters, as the Trojans defeated Beth-Center, 75-64. On Friday, Ramsey helped the Trojans roll to a 74-46 win over Carmichaels by scoring 21 points.

“We are finally starting to come together as a team and starting to click,” said Ramsey, who transferred from Laurel Highlands prior to the school year. “It wasn’t that hard to come together because the team is really welcoming. My teammates have been key. We are all playing with one mind.”

Under first-year head coach Aaron Balla, California (6-2, 11-3) is nipping at the heels of first-place Serra Catholic in Class 2A Section 2. The Trojans are scoring 65.2 points per game, 10 points more than they averaged last season. They haven’t finished a season averaging at least 60 points since 2012-13.

“It is fantastic having a young coach,” Ramsey said. “He listens to us. We talk everything out and make decisions collectively.”

Ramsey is the most vital part of that offensive success, averaging 25 points per game.

Learning from Laskey: Before transferring from Laurel Highlands, Ramsey forged a strong friendship with former teammate and current Saint Francis University freshman guard Bryce Laskey.

Laskey, one of the most prolific scorers in the WPIAL last season averaged 33.4 points per game, took the then 15-year-old Ramsey under his wing.

“He was able to elevate my game so much,” Ramsey said. “I would be down sometimes throughout the year, but he talked me through everything. He helped me through workouts and showed me how to become a better scorer. It was great. I truly needed that. He was a great role model.”

That has translated to Ramsey becoming what he hopes is that same leader, despite playing only 14 games with his current teammates.

“He holds them to a higher standard,” Balla said of Ramsey. “The other kids naturally look up to him. You can see that he is almost a coach on the court. That’s what he reminds me of, and it all seems to come natural to him.”