Lake Forest guard Molly Fisher’s height has been a driving force for her throughout her career.
That will continue at Denison, an NCAA Division III program in Ohio, where the 5-foot-4 senior has agreed to play.
“I’m beyond excited to be able to play at the next level,” Fisher said. “It all still feels like a dream. After calling Denison coach Sara Lee, I was honestly speechless and overwhelmed with emotions over the goal I had completed.”
“Being only 5-foot-4 made me have to work harder, but it was very rewarding in the end. I can’t wait to play the sport I love for four more years.”
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Fisher has built a solid high school career on beating the odds, from earning a starting spot in the past two seasons to becoming one of the best 3-point shooters in program history.
Her outside shooting and steadiness in tightly contested, marquee games factored into the Scouts setting a program record with 27 victories and winning a Class 4A sectional title during her sophomore season.
Although Halle Douglass, now a freshman at Wisconsin, garnered most of the spotlight, Fisher played a vital secondary role in the Scouts’ resurgence over the past two seasons.
Fisher said those big games — including against Benet last season, when she hit the game-winning shot at the buzzer — show she can play college basketball.
“Playing under such a big spotlight helped me tremendously in order to show college coaches that I could play at the next level,” she said. “Being able to hit such big shots was such a confidence booster for myself as well. …It also showed what I could accomplish.”
Fisher picked Denison over Augustana, Colorado College, Grinnell and Lawrence due to its combination of strong academics and a solid basketball program. In February, the Big Red played in the North Coast Athletic Conference Tournament championship game for the second straight season.
“I felt at home as soon as I stepped onto the campus,” Fisher said. “I always wanted a small liberal arts school so I could have strong academics but also be able to play basketball. The coaches were very welcoming, and it just felt right.”
Baker still undecided: Mundelein senior guard Trey Baker has drawn interest from a number of college programs and said a couple have entered the mix over the past three months.
“I don’t have a solidified timetable for my commitment right now,” Baker said. “I’m continuing to wait out my options.”
The 5-10 Baker, who made 12 3-pointers in a 42-point explosion against Wheeling in a Class 4A regional semifinal in March, said he’s been in contact with the University of Chicago and Maryville and is waiting on an admissions decision from Johns Hopkins.
Tidbits: Libertyville sophomore guard Emily Fisher took an unofficial visit to North Carolina State last weekend. Her teammate, senior forward Marianna Morrissey, committed to Carthage on Nov. 29. … Warren junior safety Christian Eubanks, a transfer from Carmel, had a strong performance at Boom Best of the Best Showcase on Sunday. Eubanks said he’s been in contact with Northern Illinois, Central Michigan, Holy Cross, St. Thomas and Western Michigan over the past few months.
Bob Narang is a freelance reporter for the News-Sun.